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Question

How to successfully create merged index for master file in Asian languages

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
May 15, 2023
8 replies
492 views

Hi,

I use RH 2019 to maintain HTML Help (chm files) projects for our proprietory software in multiple European and Asian languages. For every language, the multiple chm files are merged into a master Help file that gets displayed on clicking Help button of our software app's ribbon bar. There us no issue with Europeam languages that use thr Roman script (English alphabet). But with Asian languages, the index tab of the master file are a huge pain point. The webpages are rendered correctly; the merged Table of Contents is also rendered correctly. But click on the Index tab, it displays a merged set of indexes full of garbage values displayed. It needs to be pointed out that these display text of the indexes are garbage values but they function correctly by displaying the corresponding Help webpage when you click them.

Here are the hygiene factors I maintain and yet receive a very garbage outcome (taking Japanese language as example):

1. I run Windows OS in the same language as the Asian language when generating the chm output for the master file containing multiple merged chm projects.

2. In Project settings and "HTML Help Options - Microsoft HTML Help" settings, the language settings of the specific Asian language are assigned before generating chm output.

3. All child chm projects are added to the master RoboHelp project as baggage files using "Import baggage>>File" command in context menu of Project Files node.

4. In Project Settings dialog box, under the General tab, the "Binary Index" checkbox is checked for the master file. (For child projects, the chm files have been successfully generated with this option unchecked.)

When I generate the chm file, Table of contents and individual webpage content is correctly rendered but merged Index is full of garbage values.

Please help. Our Japanese customers are demanding a clear-cut index display instead of the diseased index display view that they currently get.

Regards,

Ashwati Nath

HCLTech

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

By reading the post where I gave you that information. 🙂

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

So you mean the individual projects work but not the merge, regardless of whether or not the checkbox is selected.

If you are using 2019 Classic, there were very few differences from 2017 Classic so one option might be to try going back to that. Do so with a copy of the project on a different machine. However, if that doesn't fix it or you don't want to go that route, I can't help you further. You will have to go to Support.

If you are using the new UI version of 2019 and have a subscription, you could try upgrading to 2022 but I am dubious it will help.

Sorry but I can't offer anything more on this one. Hopefully someone with knowledge of merged CHMs using Japanese can help.

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A

AshwatiAuthor

Inspiring

I don't like the Ui of RH 2022. Neither did any of the member sin my Tech. Writing team. Hence, we didn't shift to 2022.

We are using 2019 Classic. I tried out of your advice and tried it out on my associate's machine but the problem stubbornly persists.

Please let me know how to approach support.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Looking again you are now saying the index is OK with the checkbox unchecked. I'm confused.

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AshwatiAuthor

Inspiring

Let me put it clearly to clear your confusion:

Name of the 5 child chm that are successfully generated in Japanese with Binary index checkbox unchecked:

milling.chm

turning.chm

techdb.chm

techtips.chm

tbm.chm

Windows OS language when generating these files: English or Japanese. Correct results are observed in both language versions of Windows.

Name of master file containing the above-listed chm files as merged chm files (and with the "binary index" checkbox in checked status) :

master.chm

Language of Windows OS when generating the master.chm file: Japanese

The incorrect output is observed even in English Windows.

And I also need to let you know I started facing this problem after migrating from Adobe RH 2017 to Adobe RH 2019 a couple of years back. The output for master file was correct in 2017.

So, please let me know the solution to my predicament. Our Japanese customers are unhappy about it.,

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

The thread started with the check boxes being unchecked and you got a garbage index. You are now saying that you are getting that with the check box selected. In other words the setting makes no difference, correct?

My next step would be to set up a new simple merge with just a couple of projects with just a couple of topics in each. Does that replicate the issue?

Armed with that information I think you need to go to Support. See https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/enterprise-support.other.html#robohelp for your Adobe Support options. The email link tcssup@adobe.com is recommended as it reaches a team dedicated to Technical Communication Suite products including RoboHelp.

I haven't worked with CHMs for 20 odd years and never with other languages.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Maybe it does but try with all checked.

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AshwatiAuthor

Inspiring

Hi Peter,

I tried generating the chm if child files with this option checked. What I observed was that when checked, the index contained garbage values. When unchecked, the generated chm file displayed proper index values.

Also, in th emaste rfile, if you add merged files, then the "Binary index" checkbox gets auto-checked. You cannot uncheck it.

So, please help me arrive at a feasible solution.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I said "for 4" not "by 4". See your point 4.

4. In Project Settings dialog box, under the General tab, the "Binary Index" checkbox is checked for the master file. (For child projects, the chm files have been successfully generated with this option unchecked.)

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AshwatiAuthor

Inspiring

Hi Peter,

If I keep "Binary index" checkbox unchecked for the master file, then it fails to merge indexes. The parentheses next to this checkbox clearly mentions that this checkbox must be checked ifuser intends to merge multiple chm files. Hence, I place a check in this checkbox only for the master file. For all child chm files, it is unchecked. The indexes of these individual child files get displayed correctly. It is only when they are merged within the master file that they become garbage values.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I would have thought that all the projects should be the same for 4.

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