I'm still fighting with this issue. It seems the Edit Map IDs dialog box is worthless. I've found myself manually editing both BSSCDefault.h and whcshdata.js files. And even after the edits, I go into the dialog box and find problems, such as the Map ID I just edited is not assigned to a Topic. So that I do via the dialog box.

I think Adobe dropped the ball on this interface.

Plus, Jeff_Coatsworth, RH11 does not have an !SSL! folder. In my project, which was setup using default settings, the BSSCDefault.h file is in a top-level folder called Adobe RoboHelp 11 while the whcshdata.js file is in a folder called WebHelp, which is a subfolder of the <project_name> folder.

One more think: in the Advanced tab of the Topic Properties dialog box, the Assigned Map IDs text box has Map IDs that cannot be updated and don't seem to don't always reflect reality.

Jeff_Coatsworth

Community Expert

If you create new RH project in the “best practices” location of c:\projects\project_name\ - when you generate WebHelp, the default location for the output will be c:\projects\project_name\!SSL!\WebHelp\ etc.

Yes, I agree that the Edit Topic IDs screen is wacky – a couple versions ago I discovered you can resize the screen, but there’s no visual indicators that it’s possible. I’ve found that if I save a new project and then come back to it later, that all the topic names in the left pane are all missing, even though the Map IDs are still there.

johndaigle

Legend

Hi. These two files both relate to Context Sensitive Help, for different uses.

The "BSSCDefault.h" is a text file that "maps" (associates) topics to Topic IDs (alphanumeric) and/or Map Numbers (numeric) so that application developers can call the relevant help topic at the right time for the end-user.

You can create your own custom "map files" (sometimes called header files or .h) or use the BSSCDefault which is created (empty) whether you want it or not each time you create a new project. The cryptic BSSC initials are a throwback to the original "Blue Sky Software Corporation" which first created RoboHelp back in 1991.

The whcshdata.js is a Javascript related file which translates the map file information for use with the CSH API. (The author does not have to manually create or do anything with this file. It is generated automatically each time you generate a fresh batch of WebHelp. It will be published (along with the rest of the output) from the !SSL! folder to the Webserver. You can read a lot more particulars on these pages:

The online help has a wealth of information for both the author as well as the application developer.

Adobe RoboHelp 11 * Context-sensitive Help

Also good, are these resources from Peter Grainge and Willam VanWeelden

Calling Webhelp

Context Sensitivity | WvanWeelden.eu

John Daigle

Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor

Evergreen, Colorado

www.showmethedemo.com

John DaigleAdobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate InstructorNewport, Oregon

R

rphox2003Author

Inspiring

Thanks.

Can I assume that:

RH updates BSSCDefault.h with all Map IDs every time I generate a CHM file?
RH updates whcshdata.js with all Map IDs every time I generate Webhelp?

johndaigle

Legend

Yes. When you generate any Single Source Layout (WebHelp, CHM, Printed Docs, whatever) the content of the !SSL! output folder is first emptied and then completely filled with the most current content and ready for publishing. Whatever changes you make to Map Files are reflected in the newly generated content.

John Daigle

Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor

Evergreen, Colorado

www.showmethedemo.com

John DaigleAdobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate InstructorNewport, Oregon

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