RH9 - Lost my \!SSL!\WebHelp Folder

[namedujour]

I have a situation where two of the projects I created do not post the \!SSL!\WebHelp folder on the server when I compile. Instead, they're on the C:\ drive in the same folder where I created the project.

I deleted and recreated those projects several times, and religiously studied the project location, output folder and publishing destination to make sure I was doing it correctly. Is there a switch somewhere that I inadvertantly turned on or off that could be doing this? Some projects are just fine. I MUST have those folders on the web server or I'll have broken links, and don't know how to fix it.

Thanks!

[RoboAsh]

Have you checked the checkbox of the server destination on which you want to Publish.

RoboHelp just publishes on clicking Publish button after generation to the destinations that are checked (even cross check the destination url and check the user name and password if defined for the server)

Hope it will help

Ashish

[namedujour]

Yes, thanks. The box is checked. The project displays properly on the test server - most things do - but the public server can't display the project properly without that folder. I place PDF files into \!SSL!\Webhelp because they're too big to import efficiently (and they also look wonky when I do), and then I link to them from the TOC. The Webhelp folder is the only way to transport those files to the live server. I can't figure out what I'm doing to cause it, or how to fix it.

[Captiv8r]

Hello again

Sounds to me as if you need to add files to Baggage to ensure they end up on the server.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Captiv8r]

Hi Maureen

It's a common trap that I observe RoboHelp authors falling into when they believe they can save time by configuring the server location to be the place where WebHelp, FlashHelp or Web based AIR Help is generated to.

You need to understand that the first phase of generating will empty the output location in preparation for creating the new output. And if this is a server location you have decided to occasionally yank the rug out from under your help users.

The typical way it works is by generating to your hard drive in the !SSL!/WebHelp (or FlashHelp or AIR Help) folder. Then you publish the generated content to the server location. This leaves all working files intact and replaces only the content that is newer.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[namedujour]

If what you say is true, shouldn't the folder consistently appear on the C:\ drive? Why does RH randomly decide to create the folder on the server MOST of the time, and then create the folder on the C:\ only SOME of the time? What controls it?

I haven't used baggage files in years - I remember that they required far more steps and complicated thought than simply popping files into Webhelp and creating a link - and my way always-always-always worked, so I rejected them as a solution. However, Version 6 didn't do this, so I could predict how it would behave. The Webhelp folder always appeared in the same place - I think it was C:\, but I can't remember. But RH 9 has gotten fickle with me. I just want to control the outcome and not be surprised by how it works from one project to the next so I can set up a consistent process.

[Captiv8r]

Hi Maureen

MaureenGilliland wrote:

If what you say is true, shouldn't the folder consistently appear on the C:\ drive? Why does RH randomly decide to create the folder on the server MOST of the time, and then create the folder on the C:\ only SOME of the time? What controls it?

Generally what controls it is what you place into the field shown below:

Click the image for a larger and more detailed view

I haven't used baggage files in years - I remember that they required far more steps and complicated thought than simply popping files into Webhelp and creating a link - and my way always-always-always worked, so I rejected them as a solution. However, Version 6 didn't do this, so I could predict how it would behave. The Webhelp folder always appeared in the same place - I think it was C:\, but I can't remember. But RH 9 has gotten fickle with me. I just want to control the outcome and not be surprised by how it works from one project to the next so I can set up a consistent process.

Not difficult at all. You expand the Baggage Files area, right-click and choose to add a new baggage file. Not sure how it could get much easier than that.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[namedujour]

The Output path is no different from the output of the other projects - I kept checking and rechecking that. So apparently it's a Robohelp issue, if everything checks out and it still creates the folder locations inconsistently.

So I thought I would re-explore baggage files. All went well until I attempted to publish. I got an error stating, "Publishing has been canceled. The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another program." I deleted and reloaded the baggage file from multiple folders, and still got the same error, so the source location of the file doesn't appear to be the problem. The tutorial I used didn't have any clues as to why it doesn't work. When I deleted the file, I had no problem publishing.

Is there a step missing, between attaching a baggage file and compiling the project?

Thanks -

[namedujour]

Never mind. It doesn't like it when you have the online help open. I closed it and was able to compile. Thanks!