Second-level numbered list, that should be in alphabets

Report · Aug 01, 2007

In Robohelp, I have a problem with the second level numbered list. In the project file, the second level numbered list appears as alphabets. This is in sync with the stylesheet.

But when a Microsoft HTML output or Webhelp output is generated, the alphabets are all decimals.

The first level numbered list in this case is decimal.

I tried various options but nothing nearly worked. Can someone please help me out in resolving this?

Thanking you in advance

Report · Aug 01, 2007

List styles are influenced by the HTML standards and by specific styles that are in place. Cascading styles mean:

1. HTML standard styles are superceded by:
2. Styles in external style sheets (.css files), which are superceded by:
3. Styles in the topics <head> section, which are superceded by:
4. Styles at a specific HTML element (H1, P, UL, etc.).

Assuming you have no OL style data in 3 or 4, you can set up what is called contextual or descendant selectors. For example, to always have the second level of a numbered list as alpha, place this in your .css for this topic ((and all others):

OL OL {
list-style-type: lower-alpha
}

Of course, you can have as many combinations as you want, such as a disc for every second level UL under an OL:

OL UL {
list-style-type: disc
}

Good luck,
Leon

Report · Aug 01, 2007

Hi Leon,

Many thanks for your reply.

In the CSS style that I am working, there is an already existing style for second level ordered list and the style is

list-style-type: lower-alpha;
with all the other font details.

I tried giving list-style-type: lower-alpha; and list-style: lower-alpha;
type: a;

within the style sheet.

It did not work. Could you please suggest some alternative for the style that is already existing.

Report · Aug 01, 2007

If that's not working, then you must have overriding styles either in the <head> section of the topic or at the <ol> element. That's the whole idea behind Cascading Style Sheets ( CSS😞

Good luck,
Leon

Report · Aug 01, 2007

Please let me know how to create overriding styles for second-level numbered list style that already exists in a Cascading Style Sheet.

Report · Aug 02, 2007

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you must create overriding styles. I meant that your project already has styles at the topic <head> section or at the HTML element itself that are overriding the styles in your style sheet.

That is, in my original reply, number 4 trumps/overrides/supercedes number 3, which trumps number 2, which trumps number 1. That's what the "cascading" means in Cascading Style Sheets. See this W3 web site for some good info.

Good luck,
Leon

Report · Aug 03, 2007

Then please let me know how to resolve this issue and get second level numbered list to be in alphabetic order.

Report · Aug 03, 2007

I'm sorry, but the major responsibility for resolving this issue must fall on your shoulders, not mine. That is, somewhere in that cascading scenario I've mentioned, you have some code that negates what you are trying to accomplish. We cannot be privy to your entire project, and therefore cannot pinpoint exactly where your errors reside. We here in the forum are all simply users, not Adobe employees, and can only guide you along as best we can with what we feel are the most likely areas of contention.

My first reply, as well as the explanations and tutorials provided on the W3 web site that I linked to in my last reply, should be sufficient for you to clear up your problem. In addition, there are some excellent CSS books on the market, such as the latest by Richard York, and hundreds of HTML books.

Good luck,
Leon

Report · Aug 05, 2007

I apologize for asking this sort of question. I have been trying this by various options but nothing worked. I will read the tutorials and try to fix this problem.

Thanks,
veena

Report · Aug 05, 2007

Put your main project to one side for a while. Create a new project and get the numbering working there following Leon's advice. That will not have old code in it and you will see how it works much more easily. Then when you have that working, look at your main project to see what is wrong.

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

Report · Mar 31, 2008

I have a similar problem with substeps below bullets. Here's an example of what I'm talking about (the dashes represent bullets):

4. Identify the script to execute.
- To execute a script contained in an external file:
a. blah blah blah
b. blah blah blah
- To execute a script included in the Action button file:
a. blah blah blah
b. blah blah blah

Within RoboHelp, the substeps are numbered correctly. But in the .chm file, the letters are changed to bullets. The problem is not in my .css or how I've set up the numbering system. (I've been working with style sheets and HTML for a LONG time.) The problem occurs when the .chm file is created. Details:

First of all, the numbering is correct in the RoboHelp editor. Furthermore, if I open the .htm topic as a stand-alone file in the browser, the numbering is also correct, which indicates that my .CSS is correct, and the .CSS styles aren't being overridden with in-line formatting or with something in the <HEAD> section.

But just for good measure, let's look at those things. Here's the .CSS entry that defines what I want a substep below a bullet to look like:

/*substep below a bullet*/

ol ul ol li
{
list-style-image: none;
list-style-type: lower-alpha !important;
}

Notice I added "!important" to prevent in-line overrides.

Here's some of the RoboHelp code. Note: RoboHelp adds some in-line formatting. By default, it was putting in "list-style: decimal;" but I changed that to alpha. However, both versions (decimal and alpha) were showing up as letters in the uncompiled HTML but were changed to bullets (discs) when the .chm was compiled:
------------------------
<li class=p>Identify the script to execute.</li>
<ul style="list-style: disc;" type=disc>
<li class=p>To execute a script contained in an external
file:</li>
<ol style="list-style: lower-alpha; list-style-type: lower-alpha;"
type=a><li class=p>Select ExecuteScriptFile
from the Action drop-down
list. </li>
<li class=p>Enter the location of the script file in the
Reference box.</li>
</ol>
----------------------------

If anyone knows of a work-around for this problem, please let me know.

Report · Mar 31, 2008

What's up with <li class=p>?

Remember, when you configure an "ol ul ol li" setting in the CSS, the HTML protocol will apply the style ONLY when the LI directly follows an OL that directly follows a UL that directly follows an OL. However, assigning a "class=" modifier to any one of the four will effectively negate the setting.

Are there actually styles set up for li.p? Even if there are not, I believe that the HTML protocol is negating the "ol ul ol li" setting without really verifying whether such a class exists.

Good luck,
Leon

Report · Apr 01, 2008

Thanks for the reply, but that's not it.

1. RoboHelp adds "class=p" to the <li> tags. If you manually take it out, RoboHelp puts it back in. (They finally got rid of the kadov tags, but they still put a lot of completely unnecessary crap into the HTML.)

2. As I said in my original post, when you open the uncompiled .htm file in a browser, the numbers are CORRECT. The problem occurs only after the file is compiled (either as a .chm or as Web Help). Since the uncompiled HTML file is displayed correctly, it's obvious that the class is not causing the problem. If the HTML protocol were negating the setting, we'd see the same display in both compiled and uncompiled. (Also, the fact that the inline formatting was ignored should also indicate that it's not an HTML protocol setting issue.)

***ANSWER***
When RoboHelp recreates the .css for use with the compiled files, it's stripping out a line.

We create both .chm files and Web Help projects, and this problem exists in the compiled version of both. So I started looking at the compiled Web Help files (since they're flat files) to find the answer.

When you compile a Web Help project, RoboHelp creates yet another version of the .css. Here's a comparison:

-> ORIGINAL VERSION (used with the uncompiled files):
ol ul ol li
{
list-style-image: none;
list-style-type: lower-alpha !important;
}

-> VERSION CREATED FOR THE "OUTPUT" DIRECTORY
(used for the compiled files):

ol ul ol li {
list-style-type:lower-alpha; }

RoboHelp removed the "list-style-image: none;" setting. We need this line because we use an image for our bullets, and the use of an image is inherited. So, by default, all lists that are nested within a <ul> will continue to use that bullet image unless you explicitly "clear" it with the "list-style-image: none;" setting. If an image is used, that image overrides any numbers or letters that might be displayed.

**WORK-AROUNDS**
1) Obviously, we can stop using the bullet image, and that would fix the problem for both .chms and Web Help projects. But it's a bummer to have to change our style because of a RoboHelp bug. :-(

2) In Web Help projects, I can fix the problem by replacing the .css file that RoboHelp puts in the output directory. (I've tested this and it works.) But this doesn't fix the .chms, and it adds a step to the release cycle. (We've got a small doc department, lots of products to support, and very aggressive release cycles.)

If anybody has any work-arounds for the .chms, I'd be interested.

Report · Apr 02, 2008

Harvey Kabaker answered this some time ago. A search on "list-style-image" found this thread, in which he finds that a null url setting "fools" RH quite nicely.

You go, Harvey!

Good luck,
Leon

Report · Apr 02, 2008

Thanks!!

Report · Apr 02, 2008

BTW, you can also solve the problem by adding the "!important" element to the list-style-image line:

ol ul ol li
{list-style-image: none !important;
list-style-type: lower-alpha;
}

Unlike the empty URL solution, this makes the display within the RoboHelp editor correct. This works for both .chms and Web Help. Just thought I'd pass along the tip!

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Second-level numbered list, that should be in alphabets