Log File = Inventory File?

[donalmc]

Hi All,

My developer has asked me for an inventory file that lists all the files outputted to the webhelp SSL folder. He needs this for building the kit. I looked in the SSL folder and there was a file called my_help_project.log that appeared to list all the files.

However, when he ran it using this process he got a report saying the following files were missing:

file not found: my_help_project_hha.hhk
..file not found: my_help_project.hhc
..file not found: my_help_project.hhk
..file not found: my_help_project.glo
..file not found: my_help_project.ppf

And indeed - they are missing from the webhelp SSL folder, however, these files appears to exist in the source folder.

My question is, is the my_help_project.log a reliable source of info for what I am trying to achieve? I am worried that if it is listing files that are not there, that it also might not be listing files that need to be there.

If not, does anyone have another suggestion?

Thanks,
Donal

[RoboColum_n_]

Hi Donal. Why does your developer require these files? They are not ouput or published. They are purely a means for RH to group likewise data (e.g. index, TOC, etc.) which it reproduces in another form during the compile. The list of files in the location of your publish folder is all he or she needs.

[Peter Grainge]

There are many files and folders in the output that are not part of the source, look at all the stuff starting WH.

There are a number of utilities that will list all the folders and files in a structure. ExpPrint is one that has an option to save the report as a file that I would imagine your developer could use.

[HKabaker]

The RH help topics on source files and output files is instructive. You might print those out for your developer.

Also, if you use the Publish feature, look in the publish directory for

bsscftp.ds

(Blue Sky Software Company FTP .directory source?)

There's one in every WebHelp output file folder.

If you handle it as a text file and use a fixed-width font, you should be able to adjust the width so the three columns are straight.

From there, you have to tinker with line endings and print the result.

Harvey

[donalmc]

Thanks for the comments folks.

As I said - the my_help_project.log is the file located in the webhelp ssl folder (i.e. the output folder). According to the RH help topic on output files, it is the "Output file listing all necessary files". So it would appear to be exactly the file I need.

However, as I also said, it lists files that are not in the webhelp ssl folder - the ones I identified above - that can only be found in the source folder.

I did look at the file Harvey suggested, but didn't really think it was what my developer was looking for as it doesn't include folder structures. (BTW, as an aside, if you are looking for this file in the future, it is not visible unless you have hidden system files set to display).

I have installed the ap Peter suggested (thanks! - have actually been looking for something like that for a while) and that does exactly what I need (i.e. an accurate listing of the output contents, including file structure); however I do think what I have raised re the my_help_project.log file is somewhat interesting!

Thanks all,
Donal

[Peter Grainge]

What version are you using? I couldn't see anything about a log file in the help. How do I get to that topic?

[donalmc]

Morning Peter,

I'm using X5.

Go to the 'Output files for WebHelp' topic and expand the 'Output files for WebHelp' dropdown and do a search for NewProject.log.

[Peter Grainge]

Report it as a bug. It is definitely including files that are not part of the output.

[donalmc]

Reported!

[HKabaker]

Also note that the NewProject.log file lists everything in the project folder, even the topics and images that are not in the output folder.

For example, topics omitted by a conditional build tag show up in the log.

Closely related is that RH moves all images and baggage files to the output folder, even the ones with no references in the TOC, Index, Search database or topics themselves.

Closely related is that when you "delete" a baggage file or eliminate links to an image, RH removes it from its housekeeping files but not from the project folder.

We've said this many times in the forums. I guess I should try out the bug report link, huh?

Harvey

[donalmc]

Harvey,

I'm not too sure what your point is?

As I said, according to the RH help topic on output files, the my_project.log file it is the "Output file listing all necessary files"; however it is listing files that are not required. So either the help is wrong, or there is a bug, or I am missing something.

I searched the forum regarding the log file, but found only one unrelated topic, so I'm not too sure how what has been said 'many times' is relevant, but apologies if you feel I am wasting your time.

Thanks again,
Donal

[Peter Grainge]

According to the help topic the file is supposed to be just what is in the output folder, not files such as the HHK which only exist in the source.

[HKabaker]

Donal,

Sorry I wasn't clearer. I agree with you that RH doesn't behave as described in its own help topics. The log file, indeed, lists project source files that do not appear in the output.

I meant to call attention to the fact that RH includes in the WebHelp output folder
files that shouldn't be there at all -- images and baggage files that remain in the project folder even though you have "deleted" them from the project or eliminated any links to them. These are "orphan" files that RH is saving in case you want to reinstate them without having to import them again.

That's a good idea. However, I think RH should not move them to WebHelp output if you have not reinstated them.

How does this relate to the log file? The log file dutifully lists the orphans that went into WebHelp. Perhaps the two problems have a common origin.

Regards,

Harvey