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robogirl62
Known Participant
July 8, 2009
Question

Linking to External Files

  • July 8, 2009
  • 1 reply
  • 3896 views

It's been a while since I've worked with .CHM files, so I'm hoping someone can answer this right off the top of their head. I have a disaster recovery plan that I've created in RoboHelp 8 with WebHelp output. It contains links to numerous external documents (Word files, Excel files, and PDFs) that I have copied into the project (not linked by reference). I would like to generate a .CHM file for the project since it would reduce the many files that are distributed with WebHelp. The plan is being distributed on a CD.

When I tried generating a test CHM file, the links to the external docs no longer work. When I click the link, I get the File Download dialog box asking me if I want to open or save, but it does not open or save the document. The link to the document looks like this:

mk:@MSITStore:C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\zzjwalker\My%20Documents\My%20RoboHelp%20Projects\Corporate_Business_Resumption_Plan\!SSL!\Microsoft_HTML_Help\Corporate_Business_Resumption_Plan.chm::/SunGard_DDA_form_121208.DOC.

I tried inserting a shortcut (Insert > HTML Help Controls > Shortcut) to one of the external files (I made sure there was a copy of the file in the output folder), and that worked (after I had registered the hhctrl.ocx file). But I really don't want to have a bunch of buttons that link to these files. I just want text links.

Am I better off having two separate project files, one to generate the CHM from and one to generate the WebHelp output from? Or is there some way to make them both generate and work successfully from a single project file (after all, that is what single sourcing is about . Are there any other issues that I should be aware of related to CHM files?

I appreciate any help/advice.

Jodee Walker

Germania Insurance

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

R
robogirl62Author
Known Participant
July 8, 2009

After searching around the forums a bit more, I did find several postings related to this topic. Now I remember why I quit using CHM files. I guess they're really not worth the trouble!

RoboColum_n_
RoboColum_n_
Legend
July 9, 2009

Hi Jodee.

That file path sure is long. Perhaps you could try shortening some of the folder/file names. It is also a good idea to have all your RH projects directly off your C: drive (e.g. C:\Source) as your My Documents folder can be networked which is never a good place to keep RH source.

Read the RoboColum(n).

Captiv8r
Captiv8r
Legend
July 9, 2009

Hi all

Why the aversion to CHM files? I find they are a marvelous way to distribute information.

Regardless of which output format you choose, you will discover that there are certain limitations imposed by each one. That's not a RoboHelp, Adobe, Personal or other thing. It's just a fact of life. You choose to drive down Maple Avenue and there is no grocery store. You have to drive down Elm for that.

Okay, the Shortcut controls. You don't have to simply settle for using the button. If you know what you are doing, you can actually use a very simple process to click these controls using Text links. I've described this process at the link below.

Click here to read it

I did notice you mentioned you are using version 8. This version brings along with it a certain quirk. One that I really hope hordes of you all out there report to Adobe as a bug. This is because you will likely find it doesn't exactly name the control properly. So you have to jump through a hoop or two to make the process linked above work.

Cheers... Rick

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