HTML to PDF conversion

[Mick_Mathers]

Hello.

When I generate the printed documentation for a HTML Help project, the anchors in the HTML source that reference one topic from another, appear in the same font and colour, and underlined as when viewing the chm file. The only problem is that they are no longer "clickable" in Acrobat. Is this what I should expect? I've tried outputing different versions of PDF with the same results.

I understand that the heading styles are added as bookmarks in the PDF document. I've been unable to find any documentation about other conversions that are performed. Any pointers would be welcome.

TIA
Mick Mathers Text

---

---

[Peter Grainge]

If you are using RH6, the links will function. In X5 and before, they did not.

[Mick_Mathers]

Hello Peter,

I'm using RH6.

I had a thought. I was using a word template that was used when we used to use RoboHelp for Word. Changed the word template setting to "Use the Project's CSS styles" and the links do now function, but some seem to jump to peculiar targets.

So, it could be something to do with style mapping.

Mick Mathers

[Peter Grainge]

I can't see how the target would be affected, whichever option you choose.

I always find Style Mapping is the most reliable but I don't think that will make a difference. Have you checked the targets?

[Mick_Mathers]

All the links work when using the compiled HTML output.

I can ctrl+click on all the links in the word document produced for the printed documentation and end up at the correct topic.

In the PDF document I end up with either non-functioning links if I generated using my own word template, or with functioning links, most of which end up at unrelated topics if I use the "Use project's CSS styles" option.

What I think I need to understand is how Acrobat Elements handles Word bookmarks.

Mick Mathers

[Mick_Mathers]

A collegue has a copy of Acrobat Professional version 7.
Now, if I take any of the word documents generated for printed documentation using any of the RH6 template options (Use project's CSS styles, External template etc) and generate a PDF docment from Acrobat Professional I don't get any of the problems I do when I get RH6 to generate the PDF using Elements.

Mick Mathers

[Peter Grainge]

I'm sorry but I am not able to test with Elements as I use Acrobat 8.

What I would be doing is testing two things.

First open one the supplied sample projects and see if you get the same issues there.

Then identify two links in the PDF, one that is good and one that gives grief. Now track back to the source and see what is different about them, if there is a difference.

If in a test project you can consistenly generate the problem. Zip it up and send it to me. I'll see if I can find an Elements user to test in their environment.

Can I take it that both the project and the target folders when generating are on you hard disk?

[Mick_Mathers]

Peter,

The project and target folders are indeed on my local hard disk.

If I can create a small project that exhibits the same problems I will zip it up and sent it to you.
Any light you can shed would be appreciated.

TIA
Mick Mathers

[Mick_Mathers]

Well, I think I may have made some progress.
Your mentioning that you had acrobat 8 installed made me stop and think.
I have acrobat reader version 8 installed on my PC.

So, I took one of our other new copies of RH6 and installed just the Elements part onto another collegues PC who has acrobat reader version 7.

Suffice to say that generating the PDF from the printed documentation word document worked splendidly.

Mick Mathers

[Peter Grainge]

Another test. Take that Word document your colleage is working on and open it in Word. Then create the PDF from there. Might make a difference.

[Peter Grainge]

It's a bit like a murder mystery. Who did what, with what, to whom?

I'm lost on the combinations your have and which ones work or don't. Might help someone else if you could clarify that.

[Mick_Mathers]

Mysteriouser and Mysteriouser.

What it all seems to boil down to is what version of Acrobat Reader is installed.
On my PC I've installed version 8, and the PDF document generated by Elements has faulty links.
On my collegues PC he's installed version 7, and the PDF document generated by Elements from the same word docuement has fully functioning links.

If I analyse the faulty PDF document using Acrobat Professional, the failing links seem to point to the wrong page numbers.

I've contacted Adobe Technical Support and they've asked me to send them one of the faulty documents.

When they reply I'll post the answer

Mick Mathers

[Peter Grainge]

Yes please do post the reply. Unless it is project related, it is likely to be one that runs and runs so something on my site will help next time around.

[Mick_Mathers]

This problem was finally solved by:

1) Uninstalling Acrobat Reader 8.
2) Updating Acrobat Elements to 7.0.5.
3) Installing Acrobat Reader 7.0.9.

No explanation of why this fixed the broken link problem though.

Mick Mathers