9 Replies Latest reply: Aug 14, 2014 12:33 PM by Captiv8r RSS

    Can you help with RoboHelp Version 11: WebHelp Index Keyword Sorting?

    pweb248 Community Member
    pweb248 Aug 13, 2014 12:34 PM

      I'm new to RoboHelp 11, and I am finding it difficult to alphabetize topics listed under my Index Keywords. When I look at the keyword topics in my RoboHelp HTML editor, they are listed in alphabetical order (see the Tools topic in the first image), but when I generate WebHelp the Tools topics are not in the correct order (second image). I believe that the problem pertains to new entries made to a converted RoboHelp Version 6 WebHelp application. Basically, I have been adding content to several old version 6-generated html files in the new RoboHelp HTML editor.

       

      Another issue that's perplexing is the fact that the Move Up and Move Down icons at the top of the Index editor pod, or whatever it's called, are grayed-out (not functioning). I remember with the Version 6 application, they worked fine.

       

      Can anyone offer any suggestions on how to get the index alphabetized? I appreciate your help.

       

      image1.jpg

      image2.jpg

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        • 1. Re: Can you help with RoboHelp Version 11: WebHelp Index Keyword Sorting?
          Jeff_Coatsworth CommunityMVP
          Jeff_Coatsworth Aug 13, 2014 12:53 PM (in response to pweb248)

          Sorry, not really seeing what you’re talking about – the Tools index entry has a number of sub-entries under it – I’m presuming that the entry for C Pressure Gauge is appearing to launch the Digital Pressure Gauge topic because the text “C Pressure Gauge” appears on the first line. What’s out of order?

          • 2. Re: Can you help with RoboHelp Version 11: WebHelp Index Keyword Sorting?
            Captiv8r CommunityMVP
            Captiv8r Aug 13, 2014 1:20 PM (in response to pweb248)

            Hi there

             

            In your Index Designer pod, try right-clicking the list of entries and see if you have Sort as an option...

             

            tmp1.png

             

            If it's disabled as shown above, try clicking File > Project Settings... > General tab and you likely need to clear the "Binary Index" check box.

             

            tmp2.png

             

            Once you disable Binary Index, Sort should now be an option for you.

             

            Cheers... Rick

            • 4. Re: Can you help with RoboHelp Version 11: WebHelp Index Keyword Sorting?
              pweb248 Community Member
              pweb248 Aug 13, 2014 2:26 PM (in response to Captiv8r)

              Thanks for the suggestion to clear the Binary Index. Unfortunately, from what I can tell, it did nothing. After closer review, however, it appears that the Indexer Designer pod does alphabetize each new Keyword Topic after I enter and link it. But when I generate the Primary Layout (WebHelp) the displayed outcome does not have the same organization. The new Keyword Topics are shown at the bottom of the indented Keyword Topic list in the order in which they were entered in the Designer pod. At least that's what it looks like in my default Google Chrome web browser.

               

              Any other thoughts?

              • 5. Re: Can you help with RoboHelp Version 11: WebHelp Index Keyword Sorting?
                Captiv8r CommunityMVP
                Captiv8r Aug 13, 2014 2:59 PM (in response to pweb248)

                Whether Binary Index is enabled or not just governs whether you are able to choose to sort. So have you tried to sort since clearing the Binary Index? I'm not seeing where you attempted to sort.

                 

                Cheers... Rick

                • 6. Re: Can you help with RoboHelp Version 11: WebHelp Index Keyword Sorting?
                  pweb248 Community Member
                  pweb248 Aug 13, 2014 3:29 PM (in response to Captiv8r)

                  Yes definitely. I cleared the Binary Index as you explained above and tried to sort the Keyword Topics in the editor, but I couldn't move anything up or down. Besides, as I mention above, the topics look alphabetized in RoboHelp. They just don't end up that way when I generate the webhelp html. In fact, after I cleared the Binary Index (or tried to), I generated my Primary Layout anyway, just to see. No change.

                   

                  And, as a further experiment, in Project Settings, General, I unclicked "Add New Keywords to Index File (HHK)" but clicked the "Topics" radio button. So, the Binary Index check box is now unchecked, but Topics is checked. I then re-generated the webhelp html, but everything remained the same. Only the topics that were added to the Help program using RoboHelp 6 are display in the proper order.

                   

                  Rick, should I set the Binary Index settngs back to the way they were?

                  • 7. Re: Can you help with RoboHelp Version 11: WebHelp Index Keyword Sorting?
                    John Daigle CommunityMVP
                    John Daigle Aug 13, 2014 10:07 PM (in response to pweb248)

                    Hi, pweb248

                    Just an expansion of what Rick has suggested. Binary index is only used when Microsoft HTML Help "CHM" is your primary layout. So, because WebHelp is your primary layout, Binary should definitely be unchecked. Selecting the Index file (HHK) is fairly standard for WebHelp use and it is sorted numerically and alphabetically by default. The HHK file contains all the Index keywords and their topic associations all tucked into one file, whereas adding Index Keywords using the "Topic" radio button embeds the coded reference right in the topic html file itself.

                    This online help topic explains a little more about the Sorting options depending on the primary layouts and whether Binary is selected.

                    Adobe RoboHelp 11 * Edit index keywords

                    This is the key paragraph:

                    >>Note: The Sort command is unavailable with a binary index. The sort function is enabled only when the primary layout is HTML Help and the Index is set to Index File with no Binary Index. In all other layouts, the index remains sorted but for HTML output, the sorting of the index can be changed. Sorting enables the up and down keys on Index Pod.<<


                    As you have noticed, your Index Designer view is apparently working as documented. I share your puzzlement about the out-of-sort listing in the WebHelp output shown in your screenshot. I wonder if there is some left-over crud from the ancient RoboHelp 6 code that is not converted properly and gumming up the works? Also curious if you have more than one Index in your project and if you are selecting the right one in the WebHelp Settings > Content dialog. Maybe Rick, Peter or Willam can shed some light on this?

                    John

                    • 8. Re: Can you help with RoboHelp Version 11: WebHelp Index Keyword Sorting?
                      pweb248 Community Member
                      pweb248 Aug 14, 2014 9:14 AM (in response to John Daigle)

                      Thanks, John. I appreciate your input.

                       

                      I double-checked my Project Settings, General tab and my Primay Output is WebHelp. Under the Index section I have the Index File (HHK) radio button selected, and the Binary Index checkbox is not selected. That is the way it was, in fact, before your posting. So, according to what I have read, those should be the appropriate settings for my simple html webhelp project.

                       

                      . . . but something has since changed. Just to see what would happen, I manually edited my project HHK file to alphabetize some of the Keywork topics, and then I re-generated the primary layout (WebHelp). The topics that I manually edited now look good, but the other topics that I added since working in RoboHelp 11 are still not listed in alphabetical order in the generated html output--although they are alphabetized in the RoboHelp HTML Editor. Furthermore, now none of the arrows (left, right, up, down) in the editor's Index pod are functional (they appear at the top, but are greyed out). Before only the down arrow and up arrow didn't work. So, I'm still perplexed.

                       

                      In the meantime, in order to finish the project, I'll just manully work with the HHK file and correct the order of the topics.

                       

                      Thanks again to everyone for your help. 

                       

                      Peter

                      • 9. Re: Can you help with RoboHelp Version 11: WebHelp Index Keyword Sorting?
                        Captiv8r CommunityMVP
                        Captiv8r Aug 14, 2014 12:33 PM (in response to pweb248)

                        Hello again

                         

                        Okay, here's the deal with the arrows not working. If you changed the project settings so that Index Keywords are now added to Topics, the keywords simply aren't inside the Index (ProjectName.HHK) file for you to re-arrange. Those arrows allow you to act upon the keywords stored inside the HHK file.

                         

                        It's still a mystery to me that RoboHelp would sort those entries oddly. Further confusing is that with Binary turned off, you are unable to right-click and choose to sort.

                         

                        You likely unearthed a bug we haven't yet seen.

                         

                        One thing I might try before just giving up and concluding there is a bug, would be to take the following steps.

                         

                        Change the settings back so that no index keywords are stored inside topics.

                        Any keywords you created since making that change will likely need to be removed and re-added via the Index designer.

                        Click Tools > Options... > General and enable the option to clear the project cache (.CPD) when opening a project.

                         

                        Close and re-open the project and see if things improve.

                         

                        Cheers... Rick