RoboHelp Output

I'm not sure if my posts are getting to the right people, but I'll try again.
Since .chm files cannot be accessed via a network, it's a major problem for us since we cannot "install" these help file(s) on our clients' machines. What information we have found on the forums and Microsoft for any kind of workaround is unfortunately, unsuccessful.
So, we attempted to use WebHelp Pro, but we discovered that the .htm files do not work on Delphi, which is what our desktop applications are written in.
Soooo, does anyone have any suggestions as to what to use as the primary layout? Are there any possilbe "hidden" ways to make the .chm file work on a network? What about Robo Server?

Hi Rick,
Well, I've been told that we should stick to WebHelp, so we're not using RoboHelp server. Even so, we can't seem to get our desktop application (Delphi) to start up the index.htm output file. When we press F1 or click our Help button, nothing happens.
My developer then tried something, and now the files open through the PC's Internet Explorer, which is NOT what we want either.
Any other suggestions?
- Karen

Similar Messages

Large spaces in robohelp output

Hi
I've created a Framemaker doc using the DITA Open Toolkit and linked it to Robohelp to produce Webhelp. I use Adobe Tech Comms Suite v2 by the way.
When publishing in Robohelp though the spacing between words is really wide, about double or triple the norm. I've looked at the paragragh designer in Frame and cant see anything obviously wrong and the stylesheets in Robohelp arent showing anything odd either. Anyone got any ideas where I should be looking?
Help apprecicated - I've been looking into this on and off for a couple of weeks now.
Nick

I had this as well; I changed the word spacing in the CSS to 0 em for all
styles; for some reason RH added spacing.
Nima
From: ntompkins [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 5:00 PM
To: niregev
Subject: Large spaces in robohelp output
Large spaces in robohelp output
created by ntompkins <http://forums.adobe.com/people/ntompkins> in *FrameMaker
Integration* - View the full
discussion<http://forums.adobe.com/message/4195884#4195884

Securing RoboHelp output files

We have a client that is interested in making their RoboHelp
output files available via their web site. However, they want to
secure the files so that only their customers can gain access. We
are their web site developers.
We reviewed the .Net API, however that is for integrating
context sensitive help, which is not what we are trying to do.
Do you have any clients that are doing this and if so what is
the recommended method?
Please advise.

Unfortunatly, it's not that easy. Since the files are raw
HTML, they don't go through the same processing as the standard
.net pages and thus buy pass any application security that is built
into .NET applications. If the RoboHelp files could be exported to
.NET pages (such as .aspx) the problem would be solved and we could
secure the pages without a problem, but it is my understanding that
isn't an option.
We could make the files only accessible via FTP that requires
a username/password, but that isn't what our client wants. They
want them to be able to use the help files online.
Any other thoughts?

Ilustrations being modified in FrameMaker to Robohelp output

Hello all,
I noticed a problem in the FrameMaker to Robohelp conversion output. I am using TCS, Framemaker project linked to Robohelp. Outputs are EPUB and Webhelp. My issue exists in both EPUB and Webhelp output.
Some of my source images are in EPS and in AI format, as these formats print nicely in PDF. Some of the illustrations include dashed lines. When I convert the projects, in the Robohelp output, the dashed lines are replaced by solid lines. I contacted support and their response is: Ai, SVG and EPS file format is not supported with Robohelp
This puts a damper on the concept of "single-sourcing" since I'm finding I have to make more and more manual tweaks to my source...
Has anyone run into this? Did you find a solution? I'm not an expert in Illustrations, so kind of stuck here.
I can convert these images to JPG or PNG, but such text based images don't look good in PDF in these formats. (the text is not sharp)
Any ideas? Since I own TCS 4, would I be able to contact support for AI and ask them to help me with finding appropriate AI conversion settings so that my JPG and PNG images (converted from AI and AI EPS) look good in print?
Thanks.

Couple of things – in the Conversion Settings screen are you having RH use Distiller to process the images? If you aren’t try that & see what the result is like. If you are, turn it off & see what happens. Your other alternative is to generate PDFs of the images and include them by reference in the FM source (conditionalized of course so that they only end up in your RH output) & conditionalize your original images for PDF output only.

How do I get change bars to appear in Robohelp output?

I am using Frame 11 and Robohelp 10. I have used change bars to mark source content that I have updated (in Frame). When I import and generate output using Robohelp, however, I don't see any indication that that change indicator is coming across anywhere. I need to be able to indicate content changes visually to my audience. Any ideas about how to do that without resorting to changing the content in Robohelp manually or using different para/char styles in Frame?

Yes, I need something in finished help. I need to be able to provide a visual cue to the audience that specific text has changed in both the finished paper and the online outputs. I did this in the past by applying gray highlighting via character formatting in Framemaker. Unfortunately, removing character-level formatting peppered throughout a 600-page guide in Frame is tedious, to say the least. Therefore, I am looking for another solution. I was hoping that change bars would work. You can cause them to appear in the finished Frame output, and I figured that when imported into Robohelp there would be a marker or something in the HTML that I could work with. However, I don't see anything to that effect in the HTML in Robohelp. I am using the import feature. Maybe there is another way for me to bring over the content that will include that metadata? Or perhaps there is an entirely different approach I should be using to achieve my objective?

What is the Preferred RoboHelp Output?

Hi All,
My developer and I have determined that our desktop application cannot use Microsoft HTML Help output since .CHM files cannot be accessed from the network. Therefore, we're struggling to determine if we should use WebHelp or WebHelp Pro instead?
I have searched the robohelp HELP and these forums, but do not see my specific quandry discussed anywhere.
As well, what's Adobe AIR? It seems that this is a free utility, yes? And with WebHelp Pro, it says we need RoboHelp Server... is that an additional cost?!!? We seem to be able to use WebHelp Pro without "Robohelp Server" - so far.
Any insight would be helpful!
- Karen

Hi Karen
CHM will work on a network drive if you modify the Windows registry to mark the location as being safe. This would need to occur in the individual registry for each PC accessing th CHM. So it's likely not optimal.
Certainly you can go the WebHelp Pro route, but if this help system is intended to be installed on server environments at client locations, you would need to purchase a RoboHelp Server license for each client you install on. I'm sure that would make Adobe very happy, as you would need to purchase RoboHelp Server licenses at $2,000 or so each. Not only that, but their IT staff will love you as well because they would then be tasked with installing, configuring and maintaining a new server setup. But, it's an option if you want to go there.
Adobe is hedging their bets a bit on AIRHelp. The whole AIR technology is new on the scene. There is an AIR runtime that each user would need to install as a first step. Then you would need to package your output as AIR and each user would have to install the help on their machines in much the same way as they install applications.
My guess is that the best output type for this would be standard WebHelp.
Hopefully this helps... Rick
Helpful and Handy Links
RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form
Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 within the day - $24.95!
Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training
SorcerStone Blog
RoboHelp eBooks

FTP site and RoboHelp output

Hi,
Is it possible to use an FTP site to distribute a RoboHelp
HTML output (.chm) and have all links work?

Hi Gastard23 and welcome to our community
As long as the .CHM is being saved locally, things should
work. But you may find that you still need the info in
this
link for the .CHMs that are downloaded, as they could be
blocked by Windows.
Cheers... Rick

Searches in RoboHelp output

I am trying to figure out how to do AND searches from the RH7
output in the Search Tab. For example, if I enter the whole term
"RoboHelp 7" in the search box, all occurrences of "RoboHelp", "7"
and "RoboHelp 7" are highlighted. what do I have to do to just get
"RoboHelp 7" hits.

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

Robohelp output opens blank on software that utilizes Apache

Hi,
Has anybody got any ideas about Robohelp running on software that uses Apache. My file opens fine locally if I open the start page manually, but as soon as the help file is loaded into the software product it opens as a blank page in Firefox. Apparently this is to do with the fact that the software package in question uses Apache web server.
I'm not well enough informed on this side of things to even take a guess so any help would be appreciated.
Many thanks
Alex Samson

Hi Alex
What is your output type? To my knowledge, if you are using basic WebHelp, the server software should not matter. I've seen some isssues reported with FlashHelp, where navigation doesn't show if you are running an IIS server. But this would be the first I've ever heard of WebHelp not being served. (if that's your output)
Cheers... Rick
Click here for Adobe Authorized Captivate and RoboHelp HTML Training
Click here for the SorcerStone Blog
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Robohelp output: XHTML?

Hi,
I have a customer that needs 3 outputs of a usual manual:
chm, webpages in XHTML and a paper manual.
I need to know if RH6 does direct output into XHTML. If it
doesn't, then I'll have to write the manual in Word and then create
xhtml files separately in Word, then arrange these topics in
Robohelp to get the chm.
Is there a better way?
Cheers

This is invalid XHTML: <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" title="WebHelpSplitCss">
The script element has no title attribute:
http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/WD-xhtml2-20020805/mod-scripting.html#sec_18.2.
This causes problems when importing into FrameMaker:
http://forums.adobe.com/message/4450794

Frame bullets not displaying correctly in RoboHelp output

I imported a FrameMaker book into RoboHelp and tried to convert it to an epub file.
Can someone help with the following questions?
1. Why does the bullet format get converted as an n character? How do you work around this?
2. Why do the table of contents and title page get added to the end of the epub book?
3. Why do the fonts in the epub file appear different from the help files or Frame files?
Shuba

Hi Shuba,
1. Why does the bullet format get converted as an n character? How do you work around this?
I'm guessing you have a special bullet character format in FrameMaker. You can try changing that to a standard bullet and it should resolve.
Better, though, convert the bullet paragraph to an HTML list in the RH conversion.
2. Why do the table of contents and title page get added to the end of the epub book?
Good q, I've had that issue as well. No solution thus far.
3. Why do the fonts in the epub file appear different from the help files or Frame files?
The EPUB shoud have a separate CSS that it uses. Try editing that CSS to control the font.
-Matt
Matt R. Sullivan
co-author Publishing Fundamentals: Unstructured FrameMaker 11
P: 714.798.7596 | C: 714.585.2335 | [email protected]
@mattrsullivan LinkedIn facebook mattrsullivan.com

Glossary from FrameMaker not appearing in RoboHelp output

We are using FrameMaker 10 and RoboHelp 9.
We have user guides in FrameMaker that we want to publish to WebHelp from within FrameMaker. The user guides in FrameMaker all have a glossary in its own chapter at the end of the guide.
In FrameMaker, with the user guide book file open/selected, we select File > Publish.
The Publish Settings window appears.
We select WebHelp, and specify an ISF file that breaks chapters down into individual HTML files by heading level, then click Publish.
RoboHelp opens and publishes the content from the user guide to WebHelp, then RoboHelp closes.
We navigate to the folder that contains the WebHelp files, and launch it.
There is a glossary node at the bottom of the TOC in the WebHelp, but it is always empty.
Can someone please explain how to get RoboHelp to include the glossary content from the Glossary chapter in the user guide when it publishes from FrameMaker to WebHelp? We were hoping that the handoff from FM to RH was seamless, but apparently it is not.
Thank you!
Tim

Hi Tim –
I am using a different process for single-sourcing our documentation in the TCS – FrameMaker 10 and Robohelp 9. I am creating the files in FrameMaker as book files, with TOCs, Glossaries, and Indexes. I am also conditionalizing some text for online and some for print. However, my workflow, based on a lot of research and watching tutorials, is to link the FrameMaker files in a RH9 project. Then, I use Robohelp to apply the .isf file settings, a FrameMaker template to use for conversion of things like cross-reference formats, a RH master page for the online help, the customized Webhelp skin I want to use, and to do any other small tweaks as necessary since the conversion process is about 90% seamless but not perfect.
I found that when linking the files (rather than importing, which is a static process), I also get “empty” default TOCs, Glossaries, and Indexes. The solution that I found is:
1.       After generating html topics from my linked FramMaker book files, I right-click on the book file in the Project Manager pod and select Properties.
2.       On the Contents tab of the “FrameMaker Document Settings” panel, I check all 3 boxes to “convert FrameMaker” TOC, Glossary, and Index files. For the TOC, I navigate to the FrameMaker TOC file of my book.
3.       I select the radio buttons to “Create new associated” TOC, Glossary, and Index and RH insists I name them, so I name them Contents, Glossary, and Index.
4.       Then, click OK to close this window.
5.       Back to the Project Manager pod, I right-click my new TOC, Glossary, and Index files (one at a time) and select the option to set these as the Default ones.
6.       I then have the option to right-click and delete the old (empty) ones (for simplicity’s sake). Everything is then right with my help files.
Yes, this is a lot of steps. It’s the only workflow I’ve found that produces the result I want (Webhelp versions of my FrameMaker generated files that contain all entries at the correct levels, and are automated). FWIW, I couldn’t find documentation on this process anywhere. I found it through trial and error and hair-pulling :o)
HTH!
Virginia Morgan | Technical Writer
TAKE Solutions, Inc.
O 512.735.4316 | M 512.426.8323
[email protected]

Publishing RoboHelp output to MOSS

I'd like to develop policies and procedures with RoboHelp HTML 7.
Presently, the plan is to author these documents in RH, generate the PDF files and upload the PDF files into a MOSS library.
Ideally, I'd rather publish in WebHelp (or FlashHelp) and upload into MOSS. Is this realistic?
Thank you.

Hi Mark
I have a request if you are able.
Can you perhaps chat with those involved and see if you are able to derive any fairly generic instructions for doing this? It seems to surface from time to time and it would be ever helpful if we had something we could steer users to in order to provide some form of assistance.
Thanks... Rick
Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 within the day - $24.95!
Click here for Adobe Certified Captivate and RoboHelp HTML Training
Click here for the SorcerStone Blog
Click here for RoboHelp and Captivate eBooks

RoboHelp V8 Are working files the output files?

I have RH V4 and there are 2 version of the file the html pages. The one I edit and then the files created for the output. I have to save both versions to multiple places and I was wondering if they are now just one file/version.
Also, I am trying to convince my company on the benefits of spending $500 to upgrade, any compelling reasons?
I like that I it can have multiple projects. But that doesn't merit $500 in their book.

Welcome to our community
I'm assuming you mean to say that you have RoboHelp X4. Version 4 is really REALLY old!
Think of your RoboHelp files as you might think of ingredients in the kitchen. You have eggs, flour, milk and whatnot. These are the source ingredients. They are very much like your RoboHelp source files. You mix these ingredients and bake them to create OUTPUT, such as Chocolate Chip cookies, Bran Muffins or whatever. The cookies and muffins are very much like your RoboHelp OUTPUT files.
All versions of RoboHelp I've ever seen are able to have multiple projects. Whether you think it's worth the upgrade price is for only you to decide. If you are happy with the way RoboHelp works and it suits you. Then hold off. But there are many factors to consider.
Does the new version offer something you might find useful and save lots of time? If so, upgrading is a no brainer.
Are you finding that the output you create has suddenly began to have issues? Might be time to upgrade. For example, if you are creating WebHelp output and suddenly you see lots of folks that are all using the new Google Chrome browser, the older version of WebHelp doesn't know about Chrome. So the WebHelp may have issues. In that case you might strongly consider upgrading so your output handles newer browsers.
Cheers... Rick
Helpful and Handy Links
RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form
Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 moments from now - $24.95!
Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training
SorcererStone Blog
RoboHelp eBooks

Is there a way to link two FrameMaker 12 books with shared content into the same RoboHelp 11 file?

This one might require some back story.
I'm working at a company with roughly 60 business units that will each be getting their own emergency response procedures (.FM files compiled into a single FrameMaker .book file for their department). I then want to link all of these books to a single RoboHelp so that when it comes time to publish all of these plans into WebHelp menus I can do that with a single batch generate/publish.
My problem is that some of the FM files within the books are shared (maybe two or more departments are at the same location or all of them share the same corporate level plans) so that when I try to link two books with a shared FM file it throws an error.
Is there away to allow multiple copies of a FM file to exist in a single RoboHelp? Or is there a better solution to the task at hand?
Any suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated as I am still a moderate beginner with Frame and RoboHelp.
---Corey---
P.S. Just to complicate things this will all be done via SharePoint so books and FM files live there, and then the RoboHelp output will be published there.

I think you’re looking at creating a merged RH project – one parent project that subsumes all the linked FM to RH child projects – read up on merged help on Peter’s site (grainge.org)

RoboHelp Output

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