RH HTML: File Missing from Topic List Pod

Question

I am working in RH HTML along with a co-worker on separate workstations but using a CMS. We basically check out all RH files to a local folder and check them back into the CMS for storage/backup.

My co-worker changed a topic name (with its HTML filename) in RH (via Topic Properties) and uploaded it to the CMS. When I downloaded the file (with the new filename) from the CMS to my local RH folder, the following occurred when I tried to insert a link from another topic to the (new) topic:

1) The Hyperlink dialog box still had the old topic name but when I clicked on it the Preview pane remained blank.

2) The new topic did not appear at all in either the Hyperlink dialog box nor the Topic List pod.

I imported the file/topic using File > Import, which solved the problem. But I seem to remember a file that RH uses to manage topics. I think you can delete it and have RH automatically generate it when you open a project. Does anybody know the name of the file?

Thanks.

Willam van Weelden · Accepted Answer

To me, I think you'd need to get the latest files because any topics that link to the new topic won't link for you. When a name is changed for a file, RoboHelp goes through and renames all of the hyperlinks or references to that file. Does the old topic still exist in your system? I'm thinking it might since you said that you imported the new topic. In my mind, RH on your computer would probably think that is just an additional topic, not one that was renamed because none of the other files were downloaded that were also updated with the name change. It would kind of like... if you have a printed manual in a binder that is numbered with the chapter number and page number 5-12. Let's say your partner changed the numbering system to be just page number. So now your page 5-12 is page 34 for the partner. They print that page and hand it to you. You stick it in the binder but now the page numbering is all different. After your page 5-11, the next page number to show is 34. (This makes sense in my head but I'm not sure if it does writing it out.)

However, don't do anything until Jeff or someone pipes in.

There's the CPD file, which is a temporary database with project information. That includes a list of topics. The topic list is stored in the *.fpj files in your project directory. If a topic is missing but all the links are still there, one of the *.fpj files got corrupted.

I have a free script that can rebuild the *.fpj files for whenever this happens: HelpEssentials » Missing Topics Fixer

KimberlyO · Answer

When you say you downloaded "the file" do you mean just the file that the co-worker changed? Did you also download the updated project or use "get lated version"? Changing the file name for a topic will also update every link that topic was linked to within the project. So if you just downloaded the changed file, the rest of your project on your local PC may be out of date too.

(Side note: I'm not collaborating with anyone on my projects, just a solo RoboHelp monkey here. So far, anyhow. Trying to get the other writer to move from Word to RH, but we don't work on the same product line.)

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