Why Don't Files Appearing in Source Control Show Up in Project Manager in RoboHelp?

[JrSamples-zqw1WQ]

I use RoboHelp9 in Windows 7. Myself and an associate have both had Source Control and RH9 reloaded on new computers recently and are both experiencing similar problems. There are many, but this is the big one:

• I create a new topic in RH using the Project Manager. I save changes and check in the file.
• The next time I open RH, the file is not in Project Manager. I go to Source Control and see that the file is also not there.
• I open File dropdown in Source Control and select Add Files.  I go to my local folder where the file resides and add it to the project.
• I go back into RH and do a Get Latest Version All to see if the file just added to Source Control shows up. It does not.
• I go back into Source Control and try to add the file again. The system says that the file already exists in Source Control.
• I go back to RH, close out of it, then reopen. I always reply Yes to the "Do you want the latest files..." cue.
• The added file does not show up in Project Manager.

Couple of strange notes to be aware of...

• I can Import the file from within RH, and work with it for just that one instance of RH.  I'll save changes, close out, then reopen. Again, the file will not be in the Project Manager.
• I can also do a Publish and will see the new topic reflected in the published output as though there wasn't any problem at all. The file itself, however, is hiding (and hiding well), because I am unable to access it in anyway from within RH.

I believe there must be something we've done wrong during the new install, but I haven't a clue as to what it could be.

Suggestions anyone? I'm frustrated, but also compounding my problem as I add new files without a solution. Tech support has blown me off, I believe. Apparently my problem is not theirs.

Thanks.

Jr.

[Captiv8r]

Welcome to our community

I might begin by asking how your project was added to source control. I ask because we do see a fair number of folks that are aware of Source Control systems in general, and they take the wrong steps for getting a RoboHelp project added to the Source Control database.

What may have happened here is that RoboSource Control was opened on its own, and from its interface a RoboHelp project was added. Seems logical, no? But in reality, when you work this way you end up adding files that really don't belong in the Source Control database.

The proper way to add a RoboHelp project to Source Control is to do it from inside RoboHelp. Inside RoboHelp should be a toolbar specifically used for Source Control. If you wish to ensure you are seeing the toolbar, click View > Toolbars and ensure a check mark appears next to Version Control. Once you do this, you should see a toolbar that looks like this:

The icon higlighted below should be available if Source Control is installed.

Click that icon to add the project to Source Control. When you do this, RoboHelp properly adds only the files that are supposed to be in Source Control.

There are a host of different "behind the scenes" files RoboHelp uses to track a project. My guess here is that perhaps the project wasn't properly added to Source Control. And if that's the case, you have files that are critical for tracking what topics are added or changed and they are locked and in a read only status because they were added to Source Control and they shouldn't be there.

Hopefully this either helps directly or serves as a catalyst to make you follow a path that eventually does help solve the issue.

Cheers... Rick

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[JrSamples-zqw1WQ]

Hi Rick,

Thank you for the response. I really appreciate this forum.  My hat is off to every guy and gal out there who give generously of their time and knowledge.

Well, I definitely fall in the category of the user who is aware of Source Control, but not as familiar with its functionality as I should be.  And, although I can't confirm for you how our project was initially added to RoboHelp, the manner you describe is a distinct possibility. 

Let's say my goal at this point is to remedy this situation and add the project correctly from within RoboHelp.  What are the proper steps?  I can't seem to pin this down, no matter how many Help files I read.  I need every existing html file (my actual topics) and image file that currently exists in the project to make its way into the new and improved project.  If I go to the start screen, rather than select the current project from the Recent Projects column, do I move over one and select something out of the Create New column?  Do I do some kind of massive copy and paste?  Is it an Import I'm after?  I'm trying to (virtually) get to where I would otherwise be if I were to have just installed the applications and am ready to create a project the correct way.  Can you spoon feed the steps to me?

Sincere thanks again,

Jr.

[Amebr]

Delete the following files if you find them in source control and see if this fixes the problems you are experiencing:

*.cpd

*.ldb

*.pss

If not, you would have to find the RH option to remove the project from source control, then use the button Rick highlighted to add the project back into source control. This method will lose any history you previously had for the project.

Amber

[JrSamples-zqw1WQ]

Amebr (Amber?),

Sorry for late response to helpful reply.  Crazy hectic lately.  I marked your suggestion as helpful, since it was something my associates and I happened upon the first time we were in these forums months ago and had deleted the same files back then that you suggested here.

Actually, I think what we discovered as the source of the problem is my 64-bit machine.  Apparently, there is a patch available that deals with some incompatibility in the code regarding the RS03MiddleTierService.  We downloaded an .exe file from the Adobe website and it seems to have fixed the problem for the most part.

Thanks,

Gary