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Question

Download PDF in Offline Mode

Forum|Forum|11 months ago
February 18, 2025
10 replies
1490 views

Dear Team,

Do we have any option to save offline PDF file from the generated output of a particular page?

Thanks,

Amrutha V Nair

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I set up a project in a folder with the project name.

At the same level as that folder, I created Outputs\Responsive

In the project under Contents I created a folder called FolderOne and added a PDF called TestDocument.pdf

I added that as a baggage file. Note the Hide in online output. That's the bit that saves you having to paste the link into the output.

I then created a button called Download and set the URL to .

file:///D:/00_Test_Projects/Outputs/Responsive/Folder_One/TestDocument.pdf

D will be your local drive so probably C

I then generated and clicked the button. Worked fine. It will only work on your machine so that you can test. When you create the help further down the line, you will change the URL to a web link to wherever you generate.

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jenna_frenak

Inspiring

Looks like that worked, although I pointed my button URL to C:\TFS\Documentation\Mobility\Help\MAIN\Mobility Portal Help\contents\PDF2025.1 Mobility Portal.pdf aka not in the output folder. If I add the PDF/Responsive folder to the output folder, they disappear when I generate the help output. At least where I pointed it to seems to work, but I will have to discuss with my team about hosting the PDF somewhere for the future. Thanks for your help!

Jeff_Coatsworth

Community Expert

You have to add the PDFs into the RH project as baggage files - that way they get copied into the output folder when you generate.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Where will the help be located?

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jenna_frenak

Inspiring

Well the help itself has a web link, but the PDF that they could download from within the online help would be stored in the project - at least right now. For some of our help systems, we are using Azure blob storage

jenna_frenak

Inspiring

I did get it to work using the method I mentioned above, but that would mean my team has to manually paste the PDF file into the output folder each time we generate the output. Definitely not idea, but it does work.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

This is untested, just a theory.

Create a button. In the URL the URL will be a web link to wherever you upload the PDF.

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jenna_frenak

Inspiring

The issue here is we don't currently have a designated spot where the PDF would be uploaded online. Something we may be able to do, but we're just in the beginning phases of including a PDF with our help as is.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Do you mean using PDF Download, linking to individual topics or something else?

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jenna_frenak

Inspiring

Hey Peter,

I am trying to accomplish something similar in RH 2022 - my team uses the Responsive HTML 5 output and I want to add a button that allows users to download a PDF from within the help. I've added the PDF to the assets/images folder within the project and added a new button to the template under Custom Buttons. However, I can't seem to figure out what to enter in the OnClick text box. I saw using window.open("x"), but am not sure what goes in place of x - if that is the correct code at all. I tried window.open("assets/images/filename.pdf") and window.open("filename.pdf") but neither worked. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

See what I put in this post.https://community.adobe.com/t5/robohelp-discussions/download-pdf-in-offline-mode/m-p/15163569#M156760

You simply add the PDF where I have shown. I'm not at a RoboHelp machine but I think that field is in the HTML5 preset. Assuming it it is, that's it, RoboHelp adds the button.

If the field is not there, post back and I will take a look tomorrow.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

If that still isn't working for you, let me know at which stage it fails. Also which template you are using.

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A

amrutha_3925Author

Known Participant

Dear Peter,

Thank you for the support.

We got the solution.

Regards,

Amrutha V Nair

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

There does seem to be an issue with this method. I am looking into it.

UPDATE

There was an issue with the skin I was using. Step by step this is how to make it work.

First create the PDF you want to download. As before, you can only link one PDF for the whole help.

In the Frameless preset go to the preset and click the search icon, then Local Files (unless you have already added the PDF to your project)

It will show the relative path but when you click Select, RoboHelp will change that to the Assets > Docs folder and import the file.

All I did then was generate to my template and click the download icon. That opens the PDF.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

If you add a single PDF where I have shown, the toolbar will automatically include another icon to download it.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Your other thread is lost in the mists of time as I indicated.

Please see my earlier answer in this thread for your options. I think the process is to create a PDF output so that the PDF has the whole help. Then add that output to Assets and link to it where I have shown.

Post back if that doesn't work and I will check the process.

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A

amrutha_3925Author

Known Participant

Hi Peter,

We tried the way you suggested and it did not work.

Do you have any alternative method to suggest?

Thanks,

Amrutha V Nair

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I created a PDF, browsed to it and RoboHelp imported it into Assets. When I generated, the download icon was automatically added.

Exactly what steps did you take?

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A

amrutha_3925Author

Known Participant

Dear Peter,

We are using Robo Help 2022.

We are asked to implement a download button in the output of the project.

Accordingly, we have brought a Download button, and tried to implement the functioanlity through the Java script.

Please have a look at the screenshot attached in the previous thread.

Though the Download button is available on the output, it is not working.

Could you please advise?

Thanks,

Amrutha V Nair

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I tried to merge your other thread with this one but it failed and is now lost. You should have included your post in this thread.

You haven't said which version of RoboHelp you are using. Please always start a thread with this information.

Please go to Help > About and include the full version number.

I will assume it is one of the new UI versions rather than Classic.

The Download PDF button is intended for downloading one PDF only, not a PDF for the selected page. Generally this would be a PDF of the whole help. What I believe you want is a PDF of just the page the user is viewing. For that you would have to create the PDF and put a link to it in the topic.

The only alternative I can think of right now is for the user to right click and then choose a PDF option in their list of printers. That would require training or a note in the topic guiding the user to do that. This way is not very elegant but it is an option.

If you go the PDF of the whole help, I believe you add the button and specify the path here.

________________________________________________________

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