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Some of you may recall me posting a few weeks ago that I inherited a mess that consists of CHM files instead of individual topics for csh. Each link for CSH calls a full CHM file. Now I am trying to pull them all into one project and set them up properly for use in our NEW product.
So, I poked around the forums and saw in one place that there was an IMPORT PROJECT option - but that doesn't seem to exist in RH10. The Merge Projects option doesn't seem to be what I need either at this point.
I am simply trying to do a test to see what is involved with pulling in old htm topics to my new project with its own set of topics. I saw on one of the forums that I could import a topic, but everything else would have to be manually moved over (like images, and other topic related files). So, instead of importing the topic, I simply went to the folder of the old chm project and copied anything and everything that had the project name (in this case "Scheduler") in the file name. I then pasted it into my project. This included 2 style sheets, several images, and things like apj, cpd, brs, etc.
However, when I open my project into which I copied all those files, I don't see anything relating to those files. So, I thought perhaps I had not copied in the htm - I then tried to just import just the topic "Scheduler" from the chm project file. However, in doing that I got an error that said that the file already existed in the project. But I'm not seeing it in the Project Manager... WHAT STEP OR TRICK OR OBVIOUS ISSUE AM I MISSING?
Peter is right but in re-reading this, I think I am seeing what the issue is.
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but it seems you are thinking that perhaps RoboHelp should be behaving similar to Dreamweaver. Here's what I mean. In Dreamweaver, you manipulate HTML pages just as you do with RoboHelp. And by manipulate, I mean creating links between them, adding and removing content.
Dreamweaver simply works with existing files on the drive. And if you copied a file from one folder and plopped it into the
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Hi there
If I were in your shoes, I'd be using the technique described on Peter's site (linked below) to decompile each of the CHM files. That would then give you the HTM as well as any images. You would then simply import the HTM pages into your new project.
Cheers... Rick
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Hi Rick,
I have actually used that process for other purposes... but didn't know if it was the best way to do the import thing...
One reason I didn't think it would be the best idea is because the previous writer somehow put CHMs inside CHM and there is a lot of duplication of files because of the way it's set up... I didn't want to be pulling in duplicates...
However, I WILL try this method to see how it goes!
thanks so much!
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Sorry but I don't think Rick's suggestion will work here. What that will do is create projects from the CHMs but I believe you already have the projects.
Having you tried importing the files as images should come with the topic. What other problems are you encountering?
See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips
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Peter is right but in re-reading this, I think I am seeing what the issue is.
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but it seems you are thinking that perhaps RoboHelp should be behaving similar to Dreamweaver. Here's what I mean. In Dreamweaver, you manipulate HTML pages just as you do with RoboHelp. And by manipulate, I mean creating links between them, adding and removing content.
Dreamweaver simply works with existing files on the drive. And if you copied a file from one folder and plopped it into the site, the page then shows up immediately in Dreamweaver. At least, that's my understanding.
RoboHelp is way different, in that it has a database and some XML files that are used to manage projects. So you cannot simply copy files from one drive or folder and plop them into the RoboHelp Project folder and expect to see them in RoboHelp. They must be IMPORTED so that RoboHelp can update all these other files in order to be aware of them.
In my earlier response, because you had mentioned "Importing CHM files", I mistakenly concluded that all you had to work with was the CHM files. So if that were the case, decompiling would sort of be a first step in order to get at the HTM files inside.
Cheers... Rick
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but how do import the various project files... What option would i use to
import everything besides the HTM?
I'm so so so so so sorry if i'm being really stupid about this.
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omgoshomgoshomgosh.....OK... PETER AND RICK... I THINK I FINALLY GOT IT...
i deleted the files i copied.. then imported just the HTM file and it
brought in the images it apparently needed... i compiled... and it seems to
be working!!!! so apparently my issue was that i didn't think it would work
without the additional support files!
YAY! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
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Yep, when you import an HTM file, RoboHelp knows to also include any referenced files such as Images, CSS and others.
On the folder bit, because you didn't use RoboHelp to create the folder, it's blissfully unaware of its existence. And if you later tried to use RoboHelp to create a new folder with the same name, you would likely see an error because the folder already exists.
Glad you seem to have sorted it!
Cheers... Rick
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yes... it was almost TOO easy the way you and Peter suggested! lol I'm
worried I missed something! lol
but this brings up another semi-related issue - and I didn't see anything
this specific on the forum... but I really need to start organizing this
project carefully as it's going to end up being huge... in my previous job,
I was using another HAT that let me organize files and folders either
inside or outside of itself.. .in otherwords, i could easly copy and paste
files into folders and be able to see them inside the project.
HOWEVER... with RH it's obvious I can't do this...
I have folders that are showing up in multiple areas... and they are empty
except in one location. Then I have other folders set up that I'm not
seeing at all. Some things I see via the project, but can't see via
Explorer and vice versa.. it's very confusing... as puzzlement as it were.
What do you suggest as the best way to get my project reorg'd before it
grows so large... should I delete all the stuff i can see in one place only
and some how pull those into the project? how do i do that with folders?
How do you go about keeping your files organized as you go? I know this is
really basic stuff... I've done huge projects before, but not with RH....
only with a competitor and it was very drag-n-drop friendly.
HELP... AND THANKS AS ALWAYS... sorry to be so blonde... AGAIN!
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Hello again
Sounds like we are taking the basic RoboHelp class via the forums, eh?
Okay, about the folders. Years ago I created an article that touches on it.
Click here to view the article
The thing is, you also likely have your Project Manager pod configured in Classic view. And in that view, the project files are presented to you using folders that really aren't folders in the true sense, They are simply "filters" to present content that fits that "filter".
Hopefully this helped more than confused.
Cheers... Rick
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sorry...
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LOL, not a problem. Just an amusing observation.
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WELL... since it's been 6 years since i've worked with it... and going to
training isn't an option... i have to pester you guys with my questions...
I DO try to look for things before bugging you... honestly i do.
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LOL, we don't mind answering the questions.
Please feel free to fire them off as you need them!
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Well thanks... I DO REALLY APPRECIATE THE HELP SO MUCH (no pun intended).
have a happy weekend.. thanks for the article.. i actually printed it out
so i can really study it!
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ok... i'm back... similar issue... and I have read and re-read your article about folders. This project is going to be rather large and I'm trying to keep everything organized - especially the images. I imported an image.... and re-imported it... however, while it shows in the Image dialog window in the path I set up, it's not showing in the Project Manager. I need to change the name of the image because I am going to be adding similar images with a similar, but different name. That is how that came up. I know I need to make the change from within the project in order for the name change to take hold everywhere in the project, but I cannot find it in the P Manager in order to make the name change. I have deleted and brought the image in over and over, but i am still having the same issue. WHAT THE HECK am i missing... I feel so stupid!
See attached... maybe it's an easy spot for you... again.. my apologies for having to ask again. Why is it showing here and not in the PM?
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Have you saved the topic after adding the image? It will not appear until you do.
See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips
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yes... Everything has been saved over and over...
On Tue, Dec 2, 2014 at 8:44 AM, Peter Grainge <forums_noreply@adobe.com>
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Is this an image that is called from an image hotspot? If so it is not really in a topic and will likely need to be added to baggage.
Not sure about that but am asking Rick to chip in with his take, if that is what you are doing.
See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips
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The image itself is static in the topic. I used the Insert Image icon to bring it into the project.
The image has image map hotpsots, but the image itself is static.. let me try another one without any image maps:
Ok, so a VERY similar image needs to be used in a VERY similar topic. The screen is nearly identical but it is called from another place in the application - so I took a screen cap of it, saved it to the Images/SCREENS folder as CLIENT_chart - referral. It has no image maps added as the previous image does. The previous image in question was saved to the images/SCREENS folder as CLIENT_chart. I used the "Insert Image" icon just as I did previously - and the Image Name in the image properties window shows where I placed the image (the same place from which I inserted it), but again, it is not showing in the images/SCREENS folder in the PM.
Per usual, i'm sure i'm missing a step or doing something really stupid... because it can't really be as difficult as I seem to be making it... right?
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I have every faith in you making it difficult.
Try this with a fresh image. Using File Explorer, put the image you want in the folder you want. Then use Insert > Image. If that works, try looking in the root of your project for the missinge image. It shouldn't be there but I need you to check.
See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips
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It's lovely to be loved and appreciated as I am!
so... i added a new image to my folder via Explorer, then created a new topic and used Insert Image... same result. I don't see the image file ANYplace in the PM...if i look at the Files Status pod, the image appears in the images/SCREENS folder!
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You know I love you really!
First try taking the spaces out of the file name. I doubt that is it but it's worth a try.
Can you share this project?
See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips
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ok Peter... I'm not seeing your most recent post other than in my email... so I"m just going to put my response here and hope for the best! 😉
so, I took the spaces out of the image name... and it made no difference.
as for sharing.. i don't mind sharing except for the fact that I will be totally humiliated when you find that I have more than wasted your time because there really is no problem and i'm just imagining this... I was trying to figure out the best way to share.. don't know if there's an official way to do that with you, but if not, I can put it out on one of my "cloudy" drives and share it with you from there... what's your pleasure?
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If it makes you feel any better, Kelley, I've been following this discussion because I see similar behavior, but because I'm no longer adding images to this project (or keeping them in differentiated folders) it isn't a problem for me. Yet.
I'm in RH11 and am working in a project that was begun in an early version long before my time (not exactly sure which one). If I expand the Images folder in the Project Manager, I see only one deleted image.
However, there are lots of images in this project.
I didn't really notice it until I saw this discussion.
Hope it works out for you. We will both learn something.
Robin