Converting RoboHelp7 FlashHelp project to RoboHelp8

Question

Hi! Was looking for some best practices regarding converting existing help projects (FlashHelp) from RoboHelp 7 to RoboHelp 8. What you need to copy down so that you can verify and if necessary, recreate in RH8. Also, what major differences in just basic functions should I be aware of?

Reason I'm asking is because I've been doing some testing and have noticed that my some of my applied styles are not coming across correctly. Normal style is being changed from Verdana 9pt to Times Roman 12pt. Numbered lists have 12pt Times Roman numbers and rest of paragraph is Verdana 9pt.

In the attached css file, I'm seeing Kadov styles, which is strange because this project was created in RH7.

In addition, the ftp information that I had set up in the Primary Source Layout did not get copied over into RH8. Is that common because now I have to make sure that I've got it all copied down (which I do) but it would have been nice if it just imported during the conversion.

Another thing that I noted in the Primary Source Layout window after I converted my project was the "enable substring search" check box. Selecting this check box seems to really slow down the generation of my project when it gets to the Full Text Search process.

So basically, I'm asking for a handy-dandy checklist of what to check before you convert and things to review after the conversion.

Peter Grainge · Answer

As you realise, RH7 CSS files should not have kadov so my guess is somewhere along the line, a backup from an earlier version got applied and missed the upgrade. Doesn't really matter how, we are where we are.

First make a backup of the CSS that you posted and then strip out all the kadov definitions so that you can see the definitions that apply. That should not affect the output as it is now but at least you will be able to read the CSS.

Where normal is showing as TNR, look at the HTML. Is the <P> tag applied?

The list problem is because no font is set for the OL tag.

You also have two definitions of the P tag, maybe others with a conflict?

Your CSS needs a tidy up as the first step. Try Top Style, there is a free version and it is widely regarded as THE editor for CSS files.

I don't think we lost our publish details but we don't use them with FTP.

I am not surprised the sub-string search takes longer. It has more work to do would be my guess. Only Adobe can confirm that. I haven't seen anyone else comment on the additional time.

Handy dandy list? Sorry it doesn't work that way. Every project and author will be different so what might affect one will be OK for another. It's trial and error.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

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