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Anonymous
November 2, 2007
Question

Distributing HTML Help (.chm) File

  • November 2, 2007
  • 2 replies
  • 941 views
Hi,

I created a small - 30 page online help project using Microsoft HTML as the source type.

The original file resides on my local machine. I need to move this project to a Public drive on our network so that the end-users can access the file.

When I generate the local file and view it, everything is A-Okay. I then (tried) generated the project to a folder on the Public drive. The .CHM icon copies, but none of the project files.

When I view the file from the Public drive, none of the pages display. The HTML Help viewer displays and the TOC is in place, but when I click a topic all that displays in the window is "Page Not Found".

In querying the Public drive folder, only the .CHM file is present. None of the topic files or supporting files found on my local machine are on the Public drive.

I do not receive any error messages when I generate this project.

Within the Project tab, if I right-mouse click on the HTML Help project, it allows me to generate, but not Publish.

What am I doing wrong? I've tried copying the local file in its entirety and then opening RoboHelp using the file from that location and generating, but the results are the same.

I've read the built-in RoboHelp Help on this subject, but from what I can tell I am doing everything correctly. It doesn't help that I can't print the built-in Help instructions, but that is another issue.

Thank you for the time to respond to this. I had promised to load this project by today, but it looks like it will have to be next week. I'm new to RoboHelp. I think I better find myself a really good book. <grin>

Natalie
This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Kathy313
Kathy313
Inspiring
November 2, 2007
I should also ask you, why exactly are you putting the CHM out on a server? Is it just for common access so people can grab it if needed? Or does the application it supports sit on the same server?

If you are only putting the file on the server for common access (instead of emailing it), you might want to inform people to copy it to their local PC before using it. (or ZIP it first to make them extract it locally). Or, if it needs to be on the server to support an application, you could consider generating your output in WebHelp format instead.

Either of these options avoids registry editing!
Captiv8r
Captiv8r
Legend
November 2, 2007
Hi all

You should also consider taking a look at the link below:
Click here

Cheers... Rick
Kathy313
Kathy313
Inspiring
November 2, 2007
The original file resides on my local machine. I need to move this project to a Public drive on our network so that the end-users can access the file.
--> Just to clarify, you are developing the help project on your own PC, then .. you need to put the finished help file out on a public drive..?

When I generate the local file and view it, everything is A-Okay. I then (tried) generated the project to a folder on the Public drive. The .CHM icon copies, but none of the project files.
-->The source project files won't. They are not supposed to. When you publish the help, only the compiled help file (CHM) goes. (The project files are for you, the author. Not for the end user.)

When I view the file from the Public drive, none of the pages display. The HTML Help viewer displays and the TOC is in place, but when I click a topic all that displays in the window is "Page Not Found".
--> How up to date is your PC on Windows hotfixes? There was one that came out in 2005 that broke the viewing of CHM files. Microsoft felt that because HTMLHelp files allow "remote code execution", that they were a security risk. So out came a Windows Hotfix (see MS knowledgebase #KB896358) that resulted in the "page not found" error when trying to launch a CHM from some location other than your local PC. Nice, huh? I am guessing this is the problem you are seeing.

My company's tech support provided a registry patch to correct this for us (in an .exe), so I'm not sure what exactly to change. (And honestly I never really looked into it, either.) Hopefully someone else can chime in about the fix?
J
johnmccallum
Inspiring
November 2, 2007
The same message got sent twice. I can Edit but I can't delete?
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