External Link to Word document question

Question

Hello, fellow RoboHelpers!
I have a quick question that I am hoping someone can answer
for me. :-)
I am using RoboHelp X5 and use Microsoft HTML Help (.CHM) as
my file output. I would like to link a Word document to one of my
topics, so when a user clicks the link, they will be prompted to
open/save the Word document.
The following are the steps I use to do this:
1) I type the text that I want the to use for the hyperlink,
highlight it, and select the Hyperlink tool (or press CTRL+K).
2) In the Hyperlink dialog box, I select "File" from the
"Link To:" section and select my Word document.
3) I select "Yes" to add the Word document to my project
folder.
4) In the Hyperlink diaglog box, I select OK, and the link
has been created.
5) I generate my Help project and test the link.
6) When I click the hyperlink, I receive a "File Download -
Security Warning" box asking me if I want to Open or Save the Word
document.
Problem #1 -- it appears that I can save the Word document by
clicking "Save" without any problems, but clicking "Open" does not
open the Word document in Microsoft Word. Why?
Problem #2 -- The warning box displays three criteria: the
file name, what type of file it is, and "From". I have issues with
the "From" line. While the .CHM file is attempting to call the Word
document from within the .CHM file, which is what I expected it to
do ... the path is, well, ugly looking :-P
mk:@MSITStore:C:\Program%20Files\RoboHelp%20Office\
RoboHTML\HTMLMicrosoftHTML\VRHelp.chm::/ICBA.doc
Is there any way that I can clean up this path? If I could at
least get rid of that mk:@MSITStore, that would be a good start.
If anyone has some suggestions, I am all for it!
Thank you very much,
--Jessica

Answer 1

quote:
Originally posted by:
johnmccallum
Jessica,
The "mk:@MSITStore:" is the protocol for extracting from a
.chm file, much like an "http:" precedes a web address. I'm afraid
that just is part of the path if the Word document is embedded in
the help file.
Ahh, I am sorry to hear that that is the case. Thanks for the
information!
quote:
Originally posted by:
johnmccallum
I don't know why your "Open" doesn't work. Does it open the
document within the browser window, or just not open it at all? Are
you adding the Word document as a baggage file? I don't know if
RHX5 does this automatically with your steps as I use an older
version.
John
Yes, the Word document is added as a baggage file. If I click
"Open", the Security Warning box disappears and nothing happens
(unfortunately).
In the Hyperlink properties, I realized that I had the link
opening in the "same window", so I changed it to display in a "New
Window". Now, when I generate/click the link, the Word document
tries to open in Internet Explorer (path and all). I get the same
message box as before asking me if I want to Open or Save the
document. Still, clicking "Open" will not open the Word document in
Microsoft Word. When I press Open, the box simply disappears and
the path remains in the Internet Explorer address bar. If I select
the path in the message bar and press Enter to bring up the
Open/Save prompt again, I can save the document ... but I cannot
Open it.
A thought just occurred to me while I was typing this: Would
the fact that I am using Microsoft Word 2007 have anything to do
with why the file will not open? I remember hearing that Office
2007 is not compatible with RoboHelpX5, so perhaps that is why the
document is not opening. Still, RoboHelpX5 doesn't seem to have a
problem saving the file to your harddrive regardless of the
filetype, and the Word document I am working with is a .doc file
anyway, compatible with Word 97-2003, not a .docx.
quote:
Originally posted by:
Peter Grainge
The opening of Word documents is described on my site under
Snippets.
I took a look at your site, which says:
Opening a Word document
From time to time people ask how to open a Word document from
the help.
COMPILED CHM HELP - Rick advises that you can use an HTML
Help Shortcut control to accomplish the goal.
You simply specify the file name where you would normally
specify the application.
I tried to create a HTML Help shortcut by doing the
following:
1. I click the Insert Navigation Control button, then HTML
Help Controls > Shortcut
2. In the Button options box, I enter a text description for
the button and click Next.
3. In the Shortcut Selection, the first prompt says, "Program
to run when shortcut is activated." I search for my Word document
from within my Project Folder, select it, and press Next.
4. I leave the Font options the way they are.
5. I click Finish, and the button is created.
When I generate the project and test the button, nothing
happens when I click it. If I do specify the application (ex.
WINWORD.EXE), Word
does open when I click the button. How can I get it to call
a specific Word document?
Thanks for your time, guys!
--Jessica