Problems with demo, hanging crashing

[Ute_and_Roscoe]

I'm trying the demo, and the HTML version keeps crashing as soon as I open it.
Also...was notified during installation that I need "HTML Help Workshop 1.4" but couldn't find this on the microsoft site? We did find a 1.3 version (which I already have installed) but couldn't find a 1.4 version. Did the name change?

[RoboWizard]

Hi Ute_and_Roscoe and welcome to our community

I think the HTML Help Workshop version may be a simple typo. Try downloading and installing the 1.3 version. Additionally, don't be too surprised if after attempting to install the 1.3 version, it squawks at you with a message saying something like "A newer version of HTML Help is already installed". If you see this, just click OK on the dialog and let things slide. Then see if it works okay. I'm guessing it will.

Cheers... Rick

[Ute_and_Roscoe]

We checked, I do have HTML Help Workshop 1.3 installed. But Robo HTML keeps hanging and crashing right after I open it. Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot this?

I'm unable to use the demo.

Thanks for your help!

[MergeThis]

Do you have Administrator rights on your machine, and did you install it as yourself on your machine?

(The answer to both should be a resounding YES!)


Good luck,
Leon

[Ute_and_Roscoe]

I un-installed the, er, incorrectly installed demo...then I re-installed as directed (with administrator rights, as myself)...and the same problem occurs: as soon as I try to open or create a project, RoboHTML starts hanging/not responding, then suddenly dies.

I'm halfway through the 30 day period and haven't had a chance to use the demo yet. Anybody have, well, any other ideas why this is dying immediately?

I have both Firefox and Internet Explorer, with Firefox as my default browser. Would this be causing a problem?

[Peter Grainge]

Firefox is not the problem.

Are you creating the project on your local drive or a network drive? Is there anything unusual about your environment? What OS are you using?

[Ute_and_Roscoe]

The project is on a network drive, my O/S is Windows XP Pro, I have Office 2000 (but will only be using RoboHelp HTML, so I wouldn't think my version of MS Word would matter?). Firefox is my default browser. We're scratching our heads here...nothing unusual about our environment.

I remember there were some compatibility issues with MS Word, but I thought that was for regular RoboHelp, not RH HTML.

[Ute_and_Roscoe]

I just succeeded in creating and opening a project on a local drive, so I guess its an issue with remote drives?
Unfortunately, I can't work locally (not for the entire project, anyhow).

Any suggestions on why RH HTML would fail when setting up a project on a remote drive? Or is this something only our Network person would know?

[Peter Grainge]

<quote>The project is on a network drive</quote>

That's your problem. Work off your local drive. Underpinning RoboHelp is an Access database and they typically do not work well across networks.

[Ute_and_Roscoe]

Oh, no. This is a team project. What are we supposed to do? Everyone has to work locally then upload their topics? I guess this is what RoboSource control is for.

[CraigCC]

RoboSource control is one option.
You can also modify your work practices to allow authors to work on specific topics and then check these topics in and out using something like Visual Source Safe. You may want to search around the forums and look for some pointers.

The bottom line is you will need some sort of check in and check out process for authors to collaborate. RoboHelp source control is indeed designed with this in mind.

Kind Regards
Craig

[Peter Grainge]

You got it. All work must be done locally. That means your options are:

- The whole project is on one local drive and one person works on it.

- You create a merged help file which is actually a number of projects where the outputs are merged at runtime. That means different people can work on different areas. It requires some careful management.

- You put the project into source control and then each author pulls out what they want to work on.

The reason working otherways off a network will fail is, as I explained, the Access database. Your network person may be aware they are an issue but nothing they can do about it.