RoboHelp as a single file editor

[jsd2az]

With prior versions of RoboHelp, I could set my .htm file properties Edit options so that whenever I right-clicked a file with a .htm or .html extension, I could select Edit > RoboHelp. Or I could drag and drop any .htm or .html file on RoboHelp or RoboHelp icon and it would open in RoboHelp and I could edit it and save it. Why did RoboHelp 7 do away with this functionality?????!!!!!! Everything I've read thus far (with limited patience I admit) tells me you must always start with a project. I don't want to create a project just to edit an .htm file. I don't need the navigation associated with various output types. Granted I could use another app for this; but it was there in versions prior to 7 and now it's not. Am I overlooking how to do this?

[Captiv8r]

Hi there jsd2az

I'm not sure exactly what you are trying to do. Maybe RoboHelp 7 doesn't modify some Windows File association as prior versions did. You should be able to govern which editor is used for individual HTML files via Windows File Association.

Cheers... Rick

[jsd2az]

Actually you cannot associate any .htm file with RoboHelp ---- successfully. For example, I did a Windows Explorer File Type association on my .htm file. It already had the OPEN attribute set (correctly) to open in a browser. As for the Edit association, I specified RoboHelp 7. So now I go to right click and select edit and RoboHelp launches with this error: "The File <file name.htm> is not a recognized Help Project file and cannot be opened."
Never got this error before; as I stated below, prior to 7 you just could drag and drop any .htm or .html file into RoboHelp or right click and edit with RoboHelp. So this time instead of choosing the executable for RoboHTML, I chose RoboHelp.exe. Same outcome but this time it was looking for an HPJ file.
With Robo 7 you can no longer use RoboHelp as a standalone editor without first starting a project.
Unless I'm just not seeing how to do it. Basically, go to any of your .htm files; right click it and select Edit. You would have first needed to specify RoboHTML.exe as the editor. You will then get the error I refer to above.

[RoboWizard]

Hi again

Ahhh, I see now!

This is something you (and others) should report back to Adobe via the Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form.

Click here to view the WishForm/Bug Reporting Form

Cheers... Rick

[jsd2az · Accepted solution]

Entered as a bug. I'm going back to Robo 5.5. I need standalone .htm file editing capability without opening more than one app to do it.

[Peter Grainge]

Just curious as to why you would want to buy RH just to edit single HTML files? If that is all you are doing, there are some very good free editors out there.

[jsd2az]

Nobody in their right mind would do this, I'm sure of it. However, when you buy RoboHelp as your development tool for help systems (for years now), you don't expect them to rip out functionality that has always been there. We use RoboHelp as our tool of choice right now. True there are other editors out there for standalone editing; the rub here is that it was in RoboHelp and they ripped it out; ignorant decision on Adobe's part.

[Peter Grainge]

They took out the floor operated dipswitch on my car!

I don't know if the big change in the editor is behind this and will try to find out at an opportune moment. Meantime go to the link Rick provided and say you want that function back. It's a reasonable request.

[jsd2az]

As stated above, I entered the information in the link Rick provided.

[HKabaker]

I recently created and edited a one-topic project and generated WebHelp. No breadcrumbs, no TOC sync, no skin, no template.

Working in a copy of the output folder, I deleted all three wh_ folders as well as all files not needed for the topic .htm. When in doubt, I did not delete a file.

Basically, though, you need the .htm topic, any images or other graphics in the topic, and the css stylesheet. If you have text-only or other popups, keep the appropriate .htm files.

Also, review the output file's html code for any javascripts it may use and be sure to keep them.

Link directly to the topic.

I did this just last week.

Harvey

[jsd2az]

Yes this is a viable workaround, but it adds more time over the simplistic approach RoboHelp used to provide--simple single file editing and saving.

My best bet at this point is to just use Notepad !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and keep it loaded into a browser so I can refresh the page after I make edits/additions to the content.

[Peter Grainge]

Sorry jsd2az. Posted in a hurry. Main point was trying to offer some explanation.

[jsd2az]

No problem; and no worries!
Always appreciate any and all input you can provide!