Robohelp corrupt and not saving

[mollyid]

I work with one other person on a shared robohelp project. We continue to get notices that files are corrupt and have deleted the lbd file in order to open the project. The problem: we used to be able to work in the project at the same time and when one person would save the project would save. Now we have to shut down the application in order to see any of the changes and we are routinely loosing information. In addition, we have a htt master page that is in the project folder, but disappeared from the project files that display in robohelp. We have tried to re-import, but with no avial.  Please help!

[RoboWizard]

Hi there

Are you using any method of source control? Or are you just living in the wild wild west and both opening the same project from a server location?

Cheers... Rick

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[mollyid]

We are living in the wild west, but thet project used to update when one of us saved...now it does not save at all until we close the application and reopen it. We're looking into RoboSource control,  but could not locate the server information.

[RoboWizard]

Hi there

Okay, so now we have some data to play with.

While things were fine to this point, consider what my friend and colleague Peter often says. You can play Russian Roulette for a certain period of time before the bullet is fired. Consider your situation to be that bullet. The victim in this case is your project.

The thing is, RoboHelp has never handled it well when you store projects on a network drive. So your first step is to move the project from the network to your local C drive. You may still both make edits to the project, but you will not be able to simultaneously make edits. There needs to be some form of control so that you don't step on one another's toes. In the situation you described, whoever saved last wins. This means that if your co-worker edited a topic you were editing, you make massive changes and they are erased when your co-worker saves.

Cheers... Rick

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[mollyid]

In your mind would RoboSource Control fix this issue?

[RoboWizard · Accepted solution]

Hi again

RoboSource control is one package of a few different packages you could use, sure.

I've never used RoboSource Control with my projects. I have used Microsoft Visual Source Safe (VSS) but never integrated with RoboHelp.

Just a personal note on this. Even today, I would likely opt to use Microsoft VSS and use it separate from RoboHelp. I would elect not to integrate it with RoboHelp. But that's just me. I like to isolate layers so that when things go wrong (and they always do) it is easier to identify where the problem lies. For example, say you just implemented RoboSource control. Suddenly no updates are occurring to topics. Hmmm, is the problem with RoboHelp? Is it with RoboHelp and the connection to RoboSource? Is it with RoboSource itself? But that's just me and the way I would tackle it. If I had only one other author, I probably wouldn't even go down the source control route.

Cheers... Rick

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[mollyid]

Rick,

Thanks for all of your help. It's nice to have a network of people to help with these issues. I've tried working with Technical Support and this has been much more informative.

Thanks.