RoboHelp 11-Maximum number of folder/topics

[chelluvsGod]

I currently have two very large user guides. They were created either RoboHelp 7 or earlier and have been upgraded to version 9 and now 11. Is there a maximum number of folders/topics a user guide should contain within RoboHelp? I need to add more and more information in the guide and am concerned the file is becoming too large. Any information you can provide is appreciated.

Thank you.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

While there is always some "practical" limit for things, I'm really unaware of any limitations imposed by RoboHelp. The standard answer for these things is "machine resources".

Of course, the more files and folders you have, the longer it will take to create your output. Way back in the day when I was in the corporate world, it would take my WebHelp project about 20 minutes to generate. I think I had somewhere around 40,000 files and hundreds of folders in that project.

Cheers... Rick

[chelluvsGod]

Thanks for  your answer Rick.

When you say it took 20 minutes to generate your output, I assume you are talking about out of RoboHelp. Do you know how long it took to open the online user guide?

Thanks again,

Michele

[Captiv8r]

Hi Michele

If memory serves, opening that result was just a matter of a few seconds. Wasn't long at all.

I'm guessing you are asking because you are seeing otherwise?

Cheers... Rick

[Amebr]

One thing to keep in mind for the source files for very large projects, if you delete the .cpd file it can take a very long time to re-open the project (this includes using the option "Clear project cache (cpd file) before opening any project"). It can look like Robohelp is frozen for quite a while.

For output, if you have a lot of large images or tables, this can slow down opening the output.

[Peter Grainge]

I have never found the difference in opening one that is of any real significance. I'm curious about the output comment though, the generated output has no link whatever to the CPD so how could that affect the opening of the output?

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Captiv8r]

Of course only Amber can really say what was meant. But I interpreted that to say that if the condition is that you have lots of images and tables, the output can be slow to open. And that would be purely a topic specific thing.

I do know from experience that if I have a really large topic with lots of images and tables that the topic can open rather slowly.

Cheers... Rick

[Peter Grainge]

I get that but that has nothing to do with deleting the CPD

[Captiv8r]

I don't think Amber meant that it was. I failed in my effort to convey that the way I read her reply, It was simply a secondary thing that could cause slowness. The CPD thing was something totally different.

But who knows? I'm getting older. Maybe I lost the plot!

Cheers... Rick

[Amebr]

Rick is correct. The two paragraphs were meant to be separate points. I'll re-write the second paragraph.

For output, having a large number of images and tables can slow down opening those topics in the output.

[Anvinder_Singh]

There is no theoretical limit to the number of files or folders but yes practically there is a limit to the resources that can be used in your published output.

I don't think there is a defined number of files or folders for this.