Renaming HTML Help Projects

[tripwire45]

This doesn't seem to be as easy as it sounds. I need to rename the CHM files for various projects (they are all merged together) without breaking anything. What I think I should do is on the Project tab, expand the Single Source Layouts folder and open Microsoft HTML Help (Primary Layout). When the dialog opens, in the Select Output Folder and file name, I'd change the file name from "Current.chm" to "New.chm" and then click Finish.
Then I'd recompile the project and it should recompile in the !SSL! folder as "New.chm". I should then be able to commit the new CHM file to SVN. What I'm concerned about is the RoboHelp HTML Project File (orange with a white question mark) which is what I usually double-click on to open and work on my project. I remember renaming that previously when I had to rename this series of projects once before, but I can't recall the exact sequence of events (and sadly, after checking my notes, I didn't record the procedure). Any advice would be appreciated. This project represents a lot of work and I don't want to goof it up (Yes, I could always revert to an earlier version from SVN, but I'd just as soon do it right the first time).

Thanks.

-Trip

[RoboColum_n_]

Hi Trip.

Renaming a project and renaming the CHM file are two totally separate things and each has its own ramifications.

Renaming the project is performed from the File menu. This renames all the main project files (e.g. .xpj, .hhc, .hhk, etc.) but does not rename the output file (CHM) name.

Renaming the CHM file in the method you mention just creates a new CHM file the next time you compile. However if you have merged help, this will have issues. You will need to ensure you change all the references to the OLD.CHM file to NEW.CHM. This includes in the application (e.g. CSH, Help > Contents menu) and in your RH projects (e.g. merged project TOC).

[tripwire45]

Hi Colum,

Thanks for the reply. So if I regenerate the CHM files with a new name, when I click the Project icon as I've previously described, what will open...the old CHM or the new CHM (intuition says the old CHM). I am planning on changing the names of all the CHM files involved (main project and merged projects) and remerging all of the projects but am unclear as to how to successfully rename everything so that the projects are preserved and only the CHM names have altered.

It seems to come down to either renaming just the CHM files and calling it good or renaming the CHM and project files so that everything is consistent. Also, which ones would you rename first? Sorry to be a bother, but given the specifics I require, what would be the best course of action?

Thanks.

-Trip

[RoboColum_n_]

If all you want to do is to have a CHM file by a different name, you just need to expand the Single Source Layouts folder, right click on the Compiled HTML Help and select Properties. In the first step of the wizard is the option to specify a file path and file name for the CHM. Just change name of the file there to the new CHM file name. Then when you compile a new CHM file will be created.

However as you have merged help, you need to change the references to this also as this will be the old CHM file name. This would involve opening the master project, removing the old CHM from the TOC and adding the new one.

[tripwire45]

Ok, that makes sense. I was planning on removing the "merge links" from the master project's TOC and recreating them after changing all of the CHM names for all the projects.

My question is, after changing the CHM file names as we've been discussing, my plan is to delete the "old_name" CHM files and just leave the "new_name" CHMs. I want to make sure that double-clicking the HTML Project File (orange with a white question mark), that the project will open as before. My sense it that this should work, but as you can tell, I'm a "nervous nelly". Is my thinking correct?

[RoboColum_n_ · Accepted solution]

That's right. Double clicking on the project file will open the RH project complete with the SSL settings. So if you have amended the SSL property, opening the project will mean the SSL properties will be as you have changed them. Hope this makes sense. Obviously if you change the SSL settings to rename the CHM you can delete the old CHM files.

[MergeThis]

I'm not sure you've come to an understanding of the source/output environment, as indicated by this from one of your replies: "when I click the Project icon as I've previously described, what will open...the old CHM or the new CHM..."

You can rename or destroy all your CHM files and you haven't lost a thing, because these are simply output files that are configured in your HTML Help layout.

What you actually open, edit, or rename are the source files, which you open through the ProjectFileName.xpj file. You can generate any number of CHM, WebHelp, PrintedDoc, etc. layouts that you want, none of which have to be generated to the default !SSL! folders. (We find it easier to generate the output to completely separate folders, anyway.)


Good luck,
Leon

[Guest]

Hi,
You seem to know RoboHelp's project intricasies well and was wondering if you could help me. I have a .xpj (project and contents) I need to a) copy, b) rename, and c) modify content and deliver as a unique Help file. We have a baseline app that has unique variances, depending on client requirements. Instead of either creating a new XPJ for each client deliverable, importing topics, and rebuilding/recreating Indexes, DHTML, etc., I was hoping to repurpose the existing XPJ...thanks!

[tripwire45]

Colum and Leon...thanks for the replies. I made the changes and deleted the old CHM files, then added the new CHM files to SVN and committed them. The "buildmeister" will let me know if there are any issues. Thanks. again.

-Trip

[Guest]

there are a few ways to go about this, and I guess it depends on the quantity of differences from one output requirement to another.

If there are minor differences from client to client, I would consider using Build Tags to hold each text variance in the appropriate topics, with Build Expressions to include each item or exclude it as needed.

If there are major variances, and you just want to start from a "shell" project that contains just the topics that would be common to each, you can set up a project with just those basics, and reuse it (save the shell as a new project) as needed.

Which way are you more inclined to pursue?

[Guest]

Hi, minor variances...

[Guest]

OK, tried the Build Expression and don't think that will work. Would rather go with the "shell" approach, however, I have tried to rename the existing baseline Help and RH tells me I have to delete it...confusing...

[Guest]

OK, tried the Build Expression and don't think that will work. Would rather go with the "shell" approach, however, I have tried to rename the existing baseline Help and RH tells me I have to delete it...confusing...

[RoboColum_n_]

From what you describe there is no reason why build expressions would not work. All you are doing is tagging a client specific expression and removing it from the final output. For example is client A calls a dialog a "screen" and client B calls it a "window", you'd add both "screen" and "window" to the text, apply a tag to both and exclude one or the other from the build.