Predefining Map IDs Prior to Help Creation?

We're looking to streamline our help integration process for
in-program, window-level help. The way we would like to do this is
to have the developers assign Map IDs in the code right from the
outset in the development process, before the help is written.
However, doing so would mean that any map file I get from them will
not include topic titles. Is this a problem?
(The advantage is that by using this system I could go
through the application screen by screen during the testing phase
and determine which screens do not have associated help topics.)
If we can in fact implement this system, what does the
developer need to give me? What should the file content look like?

I have usually not had any problems with BugHunter. But my
usual caveat applies here - I use RH v. 2000. Another tool you can
use is Microsoft's Help Workshop. It will also intercept help
messages from applications.
Before trying anything else, you have your application and
BugHunter running simultaneously? And do you have your RH project
open? Do you know what command the developer is using to call help?
You should get something with the following format from BugHunter:
CHM File Name: C:\PROGRAM FILES\DSQUARED\LATEST
BETA\delight.chm
Topic: Welcome.htm
Command: HH_HELP_CONTEXT
Map Number: 0
Result: Topic launched.
I have, on occasion, had neither BugHunter nor Help Workshop
respond and the reaon has something to do with the fact that I run
numerous, unregistered to Windows, beta and release versions (all
with the same filename) of our software on one computer. I have
always been able to fix it if I delete the hh.dat file. Something
in that file (which seems to have a highly secretive format)
interferes with help calls if you have changed directories of your
app without letting Windows know.
John

Similar Messages

  • How Do RoboHelp 9 WebHelp Generated Files Handle Map IDs and Aliases?

    The text below was written by our team's developer/architect. I am the help author who uses RoboHelp to write content and generate the help files, but I am clueless how it all gets generated and is deployed. Please help. We use RoboHelp 9. I use it in Windows XP and our app and help run on IE 7, 9, and Firefox (multiple versions).
    "Our application uses the numeric identifiers associated with the Map ID. For example, to get to the <appname>_home_page.htm file, we use the number 1053. <appname> = pecs, in this example.
    All of this is used in a call to a RoboHelp method defined in the RoboHelp_CSH.js file. The mehtod we are calling is the RH_ShowHelp() JavaScript method and the code to perform the call, when you click on Page Help, is this:
    RH_ShowHelp(0, ''/pecsHelp/index.htm>pecsHelp',HH_HELP_CONTEXT,topic);
    Topic is translated to the Map ID number for the page help. HH_HELP_CONTEXT is defined in the RoboHelp_CSH.js file. This method translates into a URL and from what I have seen, the URL that gets generated is this:
    http://{server}[:port]/pecsHelp/index.htm/{server}[:port]/pecsHelp/index.htm#<id=1053>>pecsHelp
    Server and port get replaced with the appropriate values. I have no clue how id=1053 is supposed to get translated to mean "pecs_home_page.htm". If you check the PECS_help.h file, you will see the following entry:
    #define PECS_Home_Page1 1053
    Then in the RoboHelp alias file (PECS 3.0.ali), the following line is in the file:
    <alias name="PECS_Home_Page1" link="pecs_home_page.htm"> </alias>
    But both of these files are used during the WebHelp generation process and I don't know how the WebHelp generated files handle the Map ID and aliases."

    You need to assign the numbers you find in the pecs_help.h file to topics in your help. You do this in Context Sensitive Help > Map Files > All Map IDs. (From RH7, but I assume the location is similar in RH9.) This creates the entries in the .ali file.
    Peter Grainge suggests a couple of sites to read for a greater understanding here:
    http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/calling_webhelp/using_map_ids.htm
    (Although the second  site is based on RH X5, the basic concepts and procedures should be very similar. )
    HTH,
    Amber

  • Why are Map IDs landing in Project Map File, not All Maps, and with a .h extension

    I am using the Tech Comm Ste 2, Adobe Robohelp 8.0.2.2  in Windows XP. I assign map IDs manually instead of using automap. I open the Edit Map IDs window. In the right column, under "Topic," I select the topic I want to map. I then click the icon below to open the Context-sensitive Properties for Help Topic window. I select the topic title, without the .htm, and copy it. Then, from the left column, I click the Map File dropdown list and select the HH file to which I want to map the help topic. I then click the icon at the bottom to open the Create/Edit Map ID window. In the first field, I paste the topic ID, and in the second field I enter the map ID I want to assign. Then I click OK.
    Usually this places the topic in the correct HH file, highlighted in yellow until I select the topic from the list and then click Assign. For some reason, RH is not adding my topic to the HH file; instead it is adding it to the Project Map file. When I click OK, I get a blank window and the Assign button is disabled. My topic shows up in the Project Map File. The topic displays with the HH files and a .h extension has been added to it.
    I can't delete these topics from the Project Map file. I can't assign them map IDs. And this seems to happen randomly. SOMETIMES I can map my topics, but I never know when I can do it and when one of them is going to land in the Project Map file.
    Can anyone help?

    Personally I've never had or heard of this issue. The fact that this appears to be random suggests that the MapFile dropdown may not be displaying the correct map file when you add or assign the mapid. Also check to ensure your project's source files are not located on a network drive as this can cause issues. If this continues perhaps you could give us an image of what you are seeing.
      The RoboColum(n)
      @robocolumn
      Colum McAndrew

  • What are the advantages of using Map IDs?

    Hi:
    I am trying to find out the advantages for using map ids as
    opposed to just using the file names for the topics, but I couldn't
    find this information in the RH7 Help or the forums. Can you please
    list the advantages and disadvantages.
    Also, I am describing how I wish to implement the context
    sensitive help feature for my application and you can tell me which
    approach is better. We make an application that is packaged within
    a Java IDE. We want to launch context sensitive help topics from
    the wizards and cheat sheets. Now, this context sensitive help can
    be either be installed on the local machine or network (file://
    protocol) or available on our portal (https:// protocol). We do
    have the infrastructure in place to let the user decide whether
    he/she wants to access the local help topic or the one over the
    internet. Will map ids work for both the scenarios?
    Thanks,
    K

    It sounds like your application call needs to call an online
    version of the help first and if this is not available to point to
    a local copy. Is that right? If so, how this happens is entirely in
    the hands of your developers. I know it can be done, just sketchy
    on the actual procedure.
    As far as the CSH in the help is concerned, you can use
    mapids for both versions of the help if you want. If using webhelp
    you'd do well to check out
    this
    link on Peter Grainge's site.

  • Restrict GR date prior to PO creation date.

    Dear experts,
    The Present configuration allows GR date prior to PO creation date. The system allows users to post Goods receipt (MIGO), even if the GR date is prior to the PO creation date.
    How to restrict this? Is there a standard customization in MM or it requires ABAP programming?
    Please suggest me a solution as early as possible.
    Thanks in advance.
    Sathyaraj
    Edited by: Jürgen L. on Feb 9, 2012 5:33 PM

    HI
    requierd ABAp prograamming for same you have to use exit
    table will be EKKO help for PO creation date
    Logic will be while saving MIGO system will compare PO creation date from table EKKO and Posting date of MIGO
    Regards
    Kailas Ugale

  • Imported a .h map file, no Map IDs show

    Background: RoboHelp 10 project, linked to a FrameMaker 11 book, HTML Help output. No errors or missing resources on update of Fm book.
    After linking the project to a Fm book with TopicAlias markers selected for CSH, I imported a .h map file used by the developers and did a Force Update All. The imported map file shows up under the Map Files node in the Project Set-up pod. But when I double-click it, nothing displays in the Map IDs panel on the left side of the Edit Map IDs dialog box.
    I thought 1) specifying TopicAlias markers for CSH during link setup, and 2) importing the developers' .h file would map the IDs to the topics.
    Am I doing something wrong in the linking or .h import steps? I really don't want to have to manually edit the topic IDs in BSSCDefault.h--there are hundreds of them.

    Umm, if you’re using the markers from your FM files to set the mapping, why are you getting something from the developers? In your workflow I would expect you to be sending them your .h file, not the other way round ;>)

  • Using Map Files / Map IDs

    Heya,
    RH9, merged webhelp
    I'm trying to set up Map IDs for a quasi-context sensitive help feature, and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I've read through the RH9 help which links to the Grainge website and a couple more links, but I'm still not sure what to do.
    First, the background:
    We auto-generate a set of release notes for new features and fixes. This is done using a script that pulls the relevant information out of Dovetail (basically where all our support and development cases are stored). So basically our release list shows the case number, the area of the software, and a brief summary of the fix/feature. The release notes are script-generated as an .html file that we can link to in help.
    The issue is that they want me to alter the release notes so that the case number serves as a hyperlink to the relevant topic in help. So, for example, if we had a new feature for widget making, case number 12345, the release notes entry for this would have a hyperlink that would take the user to the 'Widget Making' help topic.
    My thinking is that I can use the case numbers as Map IDs, ie assign Map ID '12345' to the 'Widget Making' topic, and then create a generic link in the release notes that can 'insert' the relevant case number when the user goes to find that associated help topic.
    Potential Issue:
    We use a merged help system, but we do not need to merge map files. Our help system consists of one mostly-empty parent project (title page, about page, etc.), a project that contains the majority of our topics, a project that contains database information for technical users, and a few other odd projects. All of the linked topics are going to be in the same main child help project. Because of this, the map file/IDs are going to be a single set in a single project, but not the parent project.
    Does this only affect the pathway for the basic link (e.g. "webhelp/mergedProjects/child1.htm" instead of "webhelp/start.htm"?), or are there other considerations? For example, the merged help map ID topics I've seen talk about using number ranges to denote the different projects, but since we've only the one, do we really need to do that? To me, it seems like we should be able to use a relatively straight-forward single-project type link, with the only difference being that the the link goes to a child project folder and not the main webhelp folder.
    So far in testing, the link doesn't work, so I'm wondering if either the URL is not as straight-forward as I hoped, or I'm missing something else due to the nature of how our webhelp is set up. Because it's a child, do we still need to 'merge' map files even if we don't need one for the parent? (ie we create an empty parent map file, merge it with the child, and link to the parent?)
    Thanks for any tips/advice!

    Hi,
    When you use CSH in a merged project, the master project will automatically check all child projects when the context sensitive id cannot be found in the master project.  Peter’s method includes merging the map files but I don’t think that is necessary. We have several merged projects that work perfectly without merging the map files. But Peter is the authority on merged help
    It is important to first get the terminology straight. In WebHelp there are Map ID’s and Map numbers. The Map ID (or topic id) is an alphanumeric string that can be anything from one character to a hundred or more characters. Then there are the Map numbers. Map numbers are a number between 1 and 4.294.967.295.
    The terminology is important because what RoboHelp calls a Map ID may be referred to as a map number. Reading the article on Peter’s site I get the impression that what is called a Map ID on Peter’s site is actually the Map number in RoboHelp. (Please correct me if I’m wrong Peter.) The Map ID in RoboHelp is the Topic ID on Peter’s site. See step 8 of the article, it describes how to create a test page using the default RoboHelp JavaScript API. But that test page actually uses the map numbers as the default JS API does not support topic id’s, only map numbers.
    Your map file tells the following:
    ‘12345’ is the Map ID or topic ID.
    ‘1’ is the Map number. The Map ID referred to on Peter’s site if I’m not mistaken.
    Calling the Map number 12345 will not work if you use the default method because you are looking for the wrong number. Try the following:
    Say that your master project is placed on http://localhost/newproject.htm. Open a new browser window and add the following URL in the browser where you replace the url with the url your project is placed:
    http://localhost/newproject.htm#<str=12345
    Does this get the desired result? Also try the test page but use ‘1’ instead of ‘12345’. Does this also get the correct page?
    You (or your developers) may also be interested in my WebHelp CSH dissection: http://www.wvanweelden.eu/robohelp/webhelp/csh Note that this article is aimed at developers and does not provide any direct answers, but it will help you understand the different settings in RoboHelp.
    Hope this doesn’t confuse you and I hope my assumptions about your intended action are correct.
    Greet,
    Willam

  • Has anyone seen changing map ids corrupting an HTML project?

    I am working in RoboHelp8, and generating .chm help files to be attached to my company's software application. I built a map id file from numbers the programmer gave me. His calls have been able to use my generated files, but the "HH_HELP_CONTEXT called without a [MAP] section error message shows up when using context-sensitive help links.
    What I've done so far:
    I took a project from my backup server to replace the project that keeps giving me the map id error message (attached) when I hook it to the application.
    1. I made some minor text changes to the file and generated, hooked it to the application, it ran ok.
    2. I backed up the entire RH project.
    3. I opened the project again in RH, and tried to make some necessary changes to the map ids. This seems to be the problem area, because after making the changes and regenerating, the error message reappears. Plus, when I reattach the generation from step 1, the one
    without the map id changes, it fails too.
    It appears to me that changing map ids within RoboHelp does something to corrupt my project. I have noticed that behavior is strange when I
    attempt changing map ids. The destinations disappear unexpectedly, map ids say Unassign when there is no destination, etc. I have tried
    deleting all 20 of them and mapping them again, with no different result.
    Do you know anyone who has experienced this?
    Better yet, do you know an expert in the San Francisco Bay area who I can consult with?
    The application my organization is developing is supposed to be put on CD today, so this is a huge problem, impacting the whole team. Any
    ideas you may have would be welcome. - Caroltypesetting

    See if this thread helps.
    Read the RoboColum(n) for a tips, tricks and musings on the Technical Communication Suite products.
    Follow the RoboColum(n) on Twitter

  • Setting the size of a tablespace prior to its creation

    Hi guys,
    Oracle version: 10.2.0.x
    OS: Windows 32bit
    I was wondering if there are any 'conditions' in setting the intial size of a tablespace prior to its creation. This is because, one of our customers wants to export and import from one schema into another but set an initial size for a tablespace during its creation and prior to importing data into it, but we have a database wizard tool that creates the accounts/schemas by using the following underlying sql:-
    CRETE TABLESPACE <tbl_name> datafile <path><datafile_name>.dbf SIZE 100M AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 100M MAXSIZE 32000M DEFAULT STORAGE (INITIAL 256 NEXT 256K MINEXTENTS 1 MAXEXTENTS UNLIMITED PCTINCREASE 0) ONLINE;
    Under normal circumstances, what he would do is to use our wizard tool and create an account and then import data from an export dump.
    But he wants to create a tablespace using a SQL something like:-
    CRETE TABLESPACE <tbl_name> datafile <path><datafile_name>.dbf SIZE 2000M AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 500M MAXSIZE 32000M DEFAULT STORAGE (INITIAL 256 NEXT 256K MINEXTENTS 1 MAXEXTENTS UNLIMITED PCTINCREASE 0) ONLINE;
    He thinks this should be ok because his export dump would be on size 2GB and would want to import all of that 'at once' i.e. without actually using autoextend feature for the first 2GB.
    Does this make any sense? Do you guys see any difference 'performance-wise' between the 2 create tablespace statements?
    I think the second sql (with size 2000M initially) seems to be a more logical approach but I am not really sure of the implications going down the line performance-wise.
    Any help/input much appreciated!
    Thanks guys

    1) Provide the facility in your tool to change the default size of datafiles and keep autoextend off.You won't believe it...we had this option in a previous version but now it isn't there anymore!
    But why turning off AUTOEXTEND? I mean, our customers are not meant to modify anything in the database other than via using our software, hence we would want our customers to just use the software as it is but have their DBAs monitor the growth of any datafiles etc...
    2) Let your tool do what it is doing and then manually increasing the size of the datafiles and making autoextend off once you have created the tablespace and before doing import. This can be done by your tool or loggin to the database.We could do this, but we don't want our customers to manually finger the database as they are/might not be Oracle-efficient and wouldn't want production systems to crash for the same reason.
    Hence we could just give them the SQL to be replaced with the 'default' one and then create a tablespace via the tool which would create a tablespace with an initial size of 2GB+ and with greater autoextend facility (such as autoextend on 500M) rather than 100M so that there are fewer autoextends.
    Also, in your point 2, are you saying to turn off autoextend only for the import and set it back on by alter tablespace....?
    Thank you.

  • URGENT: How to create Map IDs

    I am using RH7, have inherited a help project in which all topics have been assigned map IDs. I have created several new topics (at the root level) and do not know how to create map IDs for the new topics. I need step-by-step help on how to create IDs without disrupting the current IDs.

    Thanks William. I'm all set now.
    Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:47:58 -0600
    From: [email protected]
    To: [email protected]
    Subject: URGENT: How to create Map IDs
    Hi,
    Start by reading the article on Peter's site: http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/calling_webhelp/using_map_ids.htm
    If you have any questions after that, just post back. You'll be able to make your question more specific.
    Greet,
    Willam
    >

  • Missing Map IDs in RoboHelp 7 HTML

    Hi -
    We produced Webhelp for various projects using RH 7.0. We
    have a help file with 460 topics and we painstakingly make sure
    that as we add topics, we add a map ID, so everything is in sync.
    However, yesterday we found looked in the project and found that
    one of our older topics has no map ID attached to it (If you go to
    Topic Properties>Advanced, it says “No Map
    ID…”). But, in the whchsdata.htm file, the topic does
    have a map ID.
    I have two questions: First, is there an easy way to pinpoint
    which topic has a missing map ID, when you discover the number of
    map IDs is out of sync with the number of topics? Also, why would a
    map ID be missing in the project but be OK in the Webhelp as
    described above?

    Hi Mary.
    You can see the topics with no mapid by running one of RH's
    reports. The Mapid report lists the mapids and the topic they are
    assigned to. The Topic Properties report can also be used with the
    mapid option on to show topics with their mapid.
    As far as why the topic with no mapid is in the webhelp, is
    the file you are looking at the latest version? I'd ensure you have
    the "Republish All" option set and try again.

  • Map files and map IDs

    This question was posted in response to the following article: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/robohelp/robohtml/WS5b3ccc516d4fbf351e63e3d11aff59c571-7ff9.ht ml

    Typo in this section:
    Remove an unused map ID
    Your map files must be unlocked to use this option. To remove unused map IDs:
    Expand the Context-Sensitive Help folder in the Project Set-up pod.
    Right-click the Map Files folder.
    Select Edit.
    Do the following:
    Map Files Select the map files from which to remove unused map IDs.
    Select All Click to remove unused map IDs from all map files.
    Clear All Click to deselect all map files and not remove unused map IDs.
    The third point should read "Select Remove Unused Map IDs..." instead of "Select Edit"; then the rest of the topic makes sense.

  • Expanding test / Extra language map ids in RH7 for html

    Hi, I am building a winhelp2000 project (Context Sensitive)
    in RH7 for word. It is meant for an application built in Delphi. I
    saw the expanding text option in RH7 for html but couldn't find
    anything similar in RH for word. I want to use that feature in my
    project.
    If I create my project (as a .CHM project) using RH for html,
    I am not able to create extra language map ids for Delphi (.PAS
    files). Can anybody pls tell me if we have that facility in RH for
    html.
    If no, then is there any way of building the expanding text
    part in RH for html and then importing and using it in RH for word
    ? I think we can use a .CHM project with Delphi.

    Always best to keep unrelated questions as separate posts. I
    can answer your dropdown question but not your map id question.
    The dropdown option does not exist in RH for Word and I am
    not aware of any workaround. The suggestion of using RH HTML will
    not be practical. The method relies on javascript and because you
    are working in RH for Word, you would have to add that in the
    output. Your output is a CHM file so you cannot do that. Even if
    you were using webhelp, you would have to add the javascript back
    in every time you build the help. It is a non starter.

  • Removing the Pound Sign in MAP IDs

    We want to use MAP IDs in our Web Help output in order to
    bring up the correct document for each screen. The MAP IDs are
    based on the screen names, which makes things pretty easy for the
    developers. This is the code for calling the desired screen:
    http://www.company.com/help/help_csh.htm#topicId=TOPIC,withnavpane.
    Is there ANY WAY (like with javascript or some other magical
    thing) we can change the pound sign (#) to a question mark (?) and
    still bring up the correct page? We're hoping there is something we
    can do in RoboHelp so we don't have to drag a bunch of developers
    into it.
    Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

    Hello bgatch,
    I do not believe that there is a way to do what you are
    after. I suspect the better question is why do you want to replace
    the # with a ? in the first place? Hopefully, once we understand
    the workflow a bit better, we can come up with a better answer for
    you.
    Thanks,
    Bobby W
    Adobe Customer Care

  • Assigning Map IDs when using Version Control

    Hi
    We are using RH11 with version control (two of us have licences to use RH) I am wanting to assign Map IDs in our project. I created the map number, but when I go to assign it to a topic, I get the the following message.
    "The files in the list below could not be checked out from version control. Exclusive access to these files is required to execute the selected action"
    The file in the list that it is referring to has the extension .ali
    Is this saying that because there are two of us with RH that can access the project that I can't do this? Or is it because of the version control I cannot do this? I don't really understand why? I am hoping there is an expert who can enlighten me!
    Thanks, Louise

    There are two reasons that this behaviour normally occurs:
    The file is checked out by the other author. This happens when you both are trying to add new map id's at the same time. If the other author checks in the entire project, you should be fine.
    The file is somehow located outside source control. In this scenario your source control link has issues. Try opening the Source Control application to see what is going on.
    Can you also try checking out the entire project before adding the map id. Does that help?

Maybe you are looking for