how to migrate from RH 2 to RH 6

[jknoke]

Is there any documentation on how to migrate a RH 2 setup to a RH 6 setup? RH 6 is not working on the same hierarchy and files that worked for me with RH 2.

[johndaigle]

Hi, jknoke and welcome

Not sure which RH 2 you are referring to because the naming scheme has changed so much over the years. Also, you didn't say whether you want to convert an old WinHelp (.hlp) to the HTML Help .CHM or WebHelp format, or continue producing WinHelp?

If you wanted to convert to HTML-based, open RoboHelp HTML and click File > New > Project.

At the Wizard choose the Import tab. I'll include two possibilities:
#1 - Assuming this was a WinHelp project:
From the Import type, choose WinHelp .hlp or the .hpj (better if you have the associated .rtf files). You then locate the .hpj or .hlp from your WinHelp project on your hard drive and RoboHelp converts it to the latest RH 6 version for an HTML-based project. For documentation, click the context sensitive help Help Button in each dialog box.

#2 If for some reason you wanted to convert and update and continue using the older WinHelp format, you would instead open RoboHelp for Word and from the File menu, click New > select the Import tab and choose Other Help Projects and locate the .hpj project from there. This will convert the project to RoboHelp for Word v6.

If this is not what you had in mind, let us know and we'll try to help. Be sure and let us know a few more specifics about your old RH 2 project (exact versions, desired output, etc.) and what your goal is going forward (WinHelp or HTML Help)
Thanx, and glad to have you aboard
john

[jknoke]

Thanks for the response! I actually don't know much about RoboHelp and I think I was confused about the version that was used originally. Here's some text I'm seeing in some of the HTM files:

<!--(==============================================================)-->
<!--(Document created with RoboEditor. )============================-->
<!--(==============================================================)-->

<meta name=generator content="RoboHELP by eHelp Corporation - www.ehelp.com">
<meta name=generator-major-version content=0.1>
<meta name=generator-minor-version content=1>
<meta name=filetype content=kadov>
<meta name=filetype-version content=1>
<meta name=date content="11 9, 2004 12:21:50 PM">

I'm seeing some special files in the directory with extensions: ALI, BRS, HHP, MPJ, PPF, HHK, HHC.

What was created before was a CHM, but we are not wedded to the CHM format.

[johndaigle]

OK. This makes more sense. You already have an HTML Help based project. I can't tell specifically what the old version was, but the MPJ tells me this was created sometime before RH X5 when the XPJ format came into play.

Basically it's pretty simple. Just open RoboHelp 6 (or 7). Then go File > Open. Navigate to your existing project .MPJ file and click open. That will automatically "convert" the .MPJ to .XPJ (the new format) and you should be good to go. Obviously, you will want to back up your old project folder for archiving.

From there, you can decide if you want to continue creating the HTML Help (CHM) format, or choose WebHelp or FlashHelp instead. Try them all! That's the beauty of what we call Single Source Layout (SSL).

As for the other file extensions you discovered, you can find an explanation in the online help under a topic "Project files in this release"

One file alerted me however. You list "PPF". This would suggest the older project was published to the special RoboEngine-enabled web server. I don't know if that is in your present plans or not? The RoboEngine is now referred to as the RoboHelp Server 6 (7) and you may or may not be using it?

Thnx,
john