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whtopics.js is asking for an unknown file

New Here ,
Mar 19, 2008 Mar 19, 2008

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In RoboHelp 7, I create a RoboHTML help file and Publish. I deliver the Publish files to the development team to attach to the application.

The developers are getting a missing file error. Whtopics.JS has a call for MasterData.xml. This seems to be related to breadcrumbs. There is no such XML file. The breadcrumbs appear to be working fine but the developers are unhappy about releasing a build with an error message in it and want to resolve it.

What is this file and what do I do?

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Adobe Employee , Mar 25, 2008 Mar 25, 2008
This is something that we need to fix. However, I can just confirm that this particular error is harmless. I shall explain why you get this, so that you have a better understanding of what is going behind the scenes:

MasterData.xml is used for supporting merged help projects. At present the code doesn't check for a Merged Help and directly tries to read this file. If there is no response, it assumes that MasterData.xml does not exist and that the project does not belong to any merged project sy...

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LEGEND ,
Mar 19, 2008 Mar 19, 2008

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quote:

Originally posted by: Deb Lipp
The developers are getting a missing file error. Whtopics.JS has a call for MasterData.xml.

Does this mean that they get the error when they try to open the help from the application but that you don't when you open it locally? If so, I'd say this is down to the way they are calling the help.

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Guest
Oct 10, 2008 Oct 10, 2008

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I created a dummy xml file (contents "<empty></empty>") and threw it in the top-level WebHelp folder. Worked -- at least we're not getting the 404 error anymore. Hopefully it didn't break something else...

No thanks to Adobe non-support on this one.

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New Here ,
Jul 06, 2009 Jul 06, 2009

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hi all,

I did get 404 errors when whtopic.js was calling for unknown files. - masterdata.xml and robo.dll

All I could get to fix this was to delete these so that Fiddler (the http debugger tool) would not give this error at the same time, not affecting my help ouput.

at function GetMasterBreadcrumbs(masterFullPath, styleInfo, separator) delete below

var sdocPath = _getFullPath(sXmlFolderPath, "MasterData.xml");

       try

       {

              GetMasterBreadcrumbs(sdocPath, styleInfo, separator);

       }

       catch(err)

       {

}

at function GetMasterBreadcrumbs(masterFullPath, styleInfo, separator) delete as below

// call for master breadcrumbs

       masterFullPath = _getPath(masterFullPath)

       masterFullPath += masterRelPath;

       masterFullPath = _getFullPath(masterFullPath, "MasterData.xml");

       GetMasterBreadcrumbs(masterFullPath);

For robo.dll, the Fiddler was displaying a location, at home directory of the server.

To fix this, i created a dummy robo.dll at the root folder, and it worked!!!

I hope, you guys would get a better solution... but this did help me!

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LEGEND ,
Jul 06, 2009 Jul 06, 2009

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Hi there

I think the Robo.dll is related to WebHelp PRO output. From what you listed, it would seem you are generating WebHelp PRO and publishing to a basic Web server.

WebHelp PRO is intended to be used on a RoboHelp Server. So if I'm understanding correctly, you need to generate basic WebHelp output (not PRO).

Believe it or not, the PRO outputs offer you nothing more. Some folks think this output type has GOT to be better because of the PRO name. But it's simply a different output intended for a specific use. Unless you also have the additional RoboHelp Server (Costs about $2,000 more and your Web Admin folks will have to install and maintain it) you gain nothing.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links

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New Here ,
Jul 06, 2009 Jul 06, 2009

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Hi Rick..

Thank you for specifying about the output. Guess I missed it out, but it was FlashHelp from RH7 that was used for our help. .. and this robo.dll error was via the mentioned - FlashHelp!!

Cheers,

Sheetal

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Community Expert ,
Jul 06, 2009 Jul 06, 2009

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Ignore


See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

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

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New Here ,
Jul 07, 2009 Jul 07, 2009

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Hi Peter,

As per Akshay Madan, this does not affect the end user as you have specified as well. However, it was pointed out by the developer via Fiddler and it is affecting the overall performance of our application. Besides, no modifications was done except for those mentioned in my earlier post to fix this issue. The normal procedure to generate FlashHelp was used and nothing apart from that.

Regards,

Sheetal

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Community Expert ,
Jul 07, 2009 Jul 07, 2009

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I had "deleted" my reply after rereading.


See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

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

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New Here ,
Mar 19, 2008 Mar 19, 2008

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The problem is that the MasterData.xml file does not exist in the Publish folders.

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LEGEND ,
Mar 19, 2008 Mar 19, 2008

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Have you checked the "Republish All" option in your single source layout?

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New Here ,
Mar 19, 2008 Mar 19, 2008

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Yes. And I republished at the developer's request. The file is not generated.

(I don't know if this is pertinent, but this is a help system that was originally created in RH 5 and was imported into RH 7.)

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LEGEND ,
Mar 20, 2008 Mar 20, 2008

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It may be worth taking a step back here and getting them to look at the Whtopics.JS file. I'm slightly on dodgy ground here as I rarely go in the land of WebHelp myself but if you edit this file manually, does it reference the XML file? If so, can you post the results.

I doubt the import from RHX5 to RH7 will be the reason. I assume the developers didn't have the same problem when you gave them the RHX5 output.

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New Here ,
Mar 20, 2008 Mar 20, 2008

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Here's the pertinent section--as you can see, it's in the Breadcrumbs call section, which was not a feature of RH 5.



function AddMasterBreadcrumbs(relHomePage, styleInfo, separator, strHome, strHomePath)
{
delete gaBreadcrumbsTrail;
gaBreadcrumbsTrail = new Array();
var sTopicFullPath = _getPath(document.location.href);
var sXmlFullPath = _getFullPath(sTopicFullPath, relHomePage);
var sXmlFolderPath = _getPath(sXmlFullPath);
var sdocPath = _getFullPath(sXmlFolderPath, "MasterData.xml");

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LEGEND ,
Mar 20, 2008 Mar 20, 2008

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OK. I think itmay be time to create a new project with the same output file name. It doesn't matter about the content, in fact it only needs one topic. Give this to the developers and see if that works. If it works, the problem is with your project.

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New Here ,
Mar 21, 2008 Mar 21, 2008

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Creating a new project has the same results. The new project "Test Project" has a whtopic.js file that has the same sequence in it as above, asking for MasterData.xml, which doesn't exist.

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LEGEND ,
Mar 21, 2008 Mar 21, 2008

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Hi Deb

Is this a message that is manifesting for the end user? Or is is something "behind the scenes" where your developers are simply noting an unusual call or something?

In other words, is it impairing the ability of the help to be used and seen? If not, I'd say it's something to be noted and I'm certainly not saying we should just expect to live with it, but it may not be anything to be overly concerned about.

Cheers... Rick

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New Here ,
Mar 21, 2008 Mar 21, 2008

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Rick, it's purely behind the scenes, and what you're saying is exactly what I said to the developers; it doesn't impact functionality so it's just something to make a note of. But they don't like error messages and they asked me to follow up.

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Adobe Employee ,
Mar 25, 2008 Mar 25, 2008

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This is something that we need to fix. However, I can just confirm that this particular error is harmless. I shall explain why you get this, so that you have a better understanding of what is going behind the scenes:

MasterData.xml is used for supporting merged help projects. At present the code doesn't check for a Merged Help and directly tries to read this file. If there is no response, it assumes that MasterData.xml does not exist and that the project does not belong to any merged project system.

Regards,
Akshay
Product Manager - Adobe RoboHelp

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New Here ,
Mar 25, 2008 Mar 25, 2008

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Thank you very much for this explanation.

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