creating final help file

[jdesai79]

Hi,

Using RoboHelp5 I have imported all the html help files I need for the help. To create the final help file (inclusive of all the html pages, image etc???), from the File menu --> Generate Primary Layout(WebHelp). In the WebHelp Options-WebHelp wizard, I specified the output folder,start page, default topic. Under Navigation Pane Preferred Format - No Java Applet, I selected Pure HTML. Then clicked finish. I get the "Generating WebHelp" dialog box and a message "WebHelp was built successfully. Click View Result to view: project1.htm." I click on View Result button and the results open up in a browser. However, the help file does not contain the formatting (look and feel) of the html pages that I had imported. Can someone please help? I haven't used this application before and have a bit of urgent need to get this resolved.

Prompt response will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[johnmccallum]

I first want to be clear that you are wanting to generate WebHelp because you refer to the "help file." A single file to be installed on an end user's computer is compiled help (CHM format). WebHelp will have a folder of HTML files and some auxillary files.

That clear, if your HTML files lack the look and feel of the originals it is likely because you have not edited the style sheet. It is my understanding that RoboHelp adds a default style sheet and is not very adept at converting a lot of inline formatting (which is not a recommend way of creating HTML). Where did you import these files from? Were they Word generated or another HTML editor? With that information, you are more likely to get some specific help here.

John

[jdesai79]

hi john. I am referring to creating a single help file that will be incorporated into a website. the html files i imported were created using the html editor in robohelp. how would i define the use of style sheets? thanks for your help.

[RoboColum_n_]

Hopefully John won't mind me contributing to this thread whilst he is asleep ;-). As John pointed out a single help file is a CHM file and is designed to be distributed on a local drive not on a website. If your help is web based, you should be using Webhelp output. The look and feel of webhelp is controlled by the skin you have specified in your Webhelp single source layout wizard. A default skin is specified but you can easily create your own inside RoboHelp. The style sheet controls the styles used in each of the help topics. This is assigned in each topic's properties. One or more style sheets can be used per project and you can easily change a style sheet style via the Style Sheet folder in your project tab.

[jdesai79]

it is for a website. there are a couple of issues:

1.) in the WYSIWYG editor the design is as per the stylesheet. not sure then why in the browser the html formatting is diff.
2.) tried importing a page with 3 framesets which it says it successfully imported (along with associated files) but it does not show up in the topic list for the project. this frameset is supposed to be the 1st page of help.

3.) some of these pages i am using javascript. not sure if the output format should be pure html?

4.)also to create the final build file, the "Generate primary layout(WebHelp)" should be selected from the file menu??

Thanks.

[RoboColum_n_]

Have you tried creating the framesets in RH rather than importing them. Maybe there is something in the ones that you imported that RH does not like. You can use Javascript in RH quite happily but it does depend on what the script is doing. To produce your webhelp there are a number of methods, one of which is the generate primary layout menu option you mention.
If this response does not help, can be more specific with the formatting problems you are seeing.