Topic formatting corrupt in HTML Help

[gregsedwards]

The topics look fine on my machine, and I have attempted to recompile the project and send her an updated CHM. However, she is still receiving the same output. Is there a temporary file that might be deleted to correct the problem? Any other ideas?

[RoboColum_n_]

There is only one CHM file generated when you compile. Have you checked you have sent her the right file? Look at your SSL properties and check the time/date stamp. Then get "her" to check "she" is looking at the correct CHM. Other than that, if you could provide a little more detail we may be able to help further.

[gregsedwards]

Ok, now it's happening on my machine, too. I opened a topic that had a Javascript error, and now the formatting of my topics is skewed. It's like the help browser is ignoring parts of the stylesheet where hyperinks are concerned. The content looks fine in the WYSIWYG editor, but when I preview the topic or compile the CHM and view it externally, all hyperlinks are blue and underlined. Certain hyperlinks have classes (such as glossterm) that should format differently. I checked the CSS file, and it doesn't appear to have been altered. Any ideas about what might have happened?
This is quite frustrating!

[gregsedwards]

This has to be an issue with the HTML Help viewer, because I opened a version of the CHM I sent to a co-worker last week, and it appears corrupt as well. Can anyone provide information about how to repair/reinstall the HTML Help viewer, and we'll see if that works? Thanks!

[gregsedwards]

I never got a resolution on this question, and it's happening to me again. While previewing a topic, I clicked a link that was supposed to run a script, except I hadn't added the script to the topic yet (my bad, but that's what testing is all about, right?). I got a JavaScript error (fair enough), but now all of my topics in the project (preview or not) are displaying incorrect formatting! For instance, my inline definitions are typically green, and now they're blue. My expanding drop-downs are typically black, and now they're blue. It's like the JavaScript error "broke" my HTML Help window! I've recompiled the CHM file. I've closed and reopened the project. I've ported the CHM file to other machines, and there's no problem.

Why would a simple JavaScript error have such an impact on how the browser renders pages? Is there a utility that I can run to re-register components or something. What gives?!

[Guest]

This might not be the viewer - it might be the .css files your topics are connected to. It sounds like some of the topics have browser-default colors showing up (i.e. blue for all kinds of hyperlinks, including glossary links).

We have an ongoing problem with the .cpd file losing the templates and stylesheets from our topic properties. It's easy enough to see - look at the Properties of one of the topics whose styles are hosed in the .chm. The template is on the General tab, and the stylesheet is on the Appearance tab.

This happens to us because our projects are large, and the .cpd file gets corrupted. A JavaScript error might be playing with your .cpd.

The fix is easy: On the Projects pane, highlight a group of topics that are supposed to have the same .css. Right-click them and select Properties. If you aren't using a template, go to the Appearances tab and select the .css you want to use. Click Apply and then close the Properties window with the X button. Don't click OK after you click Apply when you're changing properties for multiple topics - sometimes it decides to change the first topic only.

If you do have templates, do the same thing to open Properties, and select < None > in the Templates drop-down on the General tab. Click Apply. Then select the template you want to use, click Apply again, and close the Properties window with the X button.

HTH,
Elisa

[gregsedwards]

Elisa,

Good suggestion. I gave it a shot, but removing and reconnecting the CSS file to individual topics and the template didn't have an effect.

Since it seems to be a localized problem on just my machine when I'm viewing the CHM file, I'm going back to the HTML Help Viewer. I seem to remember an online diagnostic that would analyze your system and fix issues with the viewer. I believe I found it linked somewhere previously on the MS Help Wiki site. Can anyone point me in that direction?

- Greg

[gregsedwards · Accepted solution]

Hey all,

I know it's bad form to reply to your own post, but I wanted to report that I have resolved the issue. The page was looking for is MJ's Diagnostics. It helped me to re-register all my HTML Help component DLLs, and I emptied my Temporary Internet Files cache (duh!).

Thanks for your assistance!

- Greg