EDIT: Peter and Adobe are now aware of these issues, and I'm working with them to find a solution. If anyone else experiences the problems I've found, they're working on it. Any updates or workarounds will be posted at the end of this thread. I have tried to generate Word output from the RoboHelp Reimagined project, but the result has multiple issues. These issues concern both the use of a CSS to generate the word styles, as well the use of a Word template to map the Word styles to. I have created a test project, where I start off by creating Word output by CSS only, and then step by step use a Word template to map the styles, style by style. I have added a lot of screenshots to show which settings are used, and what the result looks like in Word and which styling is used. You can find this project and its description here:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/109ytnkuZEcXCvrVYbHmu87TLnVLsQmvk Summary:When generating from CSS, RH also adds Heading1, Heading2, etc. and uses those styles, instead of the built-in Heading 1 etc. styles, which is confusing. Moreover, it still applies direct formatting to its own created Heading2 style to make it look like the CSS style.When generating with a template, and mapping styles, RH looks at the styles to see how the text should look, but then creates that look not by using the styles themselves but makes everything Normal + direct formatting.So while the generated Word document may look somwehat like the template, under the hood the styles are one big mess. The whole reason for generating in Word instead of PDF is to gain control, but if every style becomes Normal except the headings, there is almost no control whatsoever. Since they just added Word output, I'm not surprised it's still a bit buggy. But I hope they solve these issues in the near future.

Inspiring

Question

RH2019.0.9 New UI - Word output issues

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
November 27, 2019
11 replies
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EDIT: Peter and Adobe are now aware of these issues, and I'm working with them to find a solution. If anyone else experiences the problems I've found, they're working on it. Any updates or workarounds will be posted at the end of this thread.

I have tried to generate Word output from the RoboHelp Reimagined project, but the result has multiple issues.

These issues concern both the use of a CSS to generate the word styles, as well the use of a Word template to map the Word styles to.

I have created a test project, where I start off by creating Word output by CSS only, and then step by step use a Word template to map the styles, style by style. I have added a lot of screenshots to show which settings are used, and what the result looks like in Word and which styling is used. You can find this project and its description here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/109ytnkuZEcXCvrVYbHmu87TLnVLsQmvk

Summary:

When generating from CSS, RH also adds Heading1, Heading2, etc. and uses those styles, instead of the built-in Heading 1 etc. styles, which is confusing. Moreover, it still applies direct formatting to its own created Heading2 style to make it look like the CSS style.
When generating with a template, and mapping styles, RH looks at the styles to see how the text should look, but then creates that look not by using the styles themselves but makes everything Normal + direct formatting.
So while the generated Word document may look somwehat like the template, under the hood the styles are one big mess.

The whole reason for generating in Word instead of PDF is to gain control, but if every style becomes Normal except the headings, there is almost no control whatsoever.

Since they just added Word output, I'm not surprised it's still a bit buggy. But I hope they solve these issues in the near future.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Please check again after Update 10 has been released and applied.

www.grainge.org

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Erwin.TimmermanAuthor

Inspiring

https://tracker.adobe.com/#/view/RH-6194

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I just tested and got the same as you. For now the workaround would be to have both SVG and PNG or whatever and use tags.

I suggest the issue is reported as a bug. Please follow this link to report bugs or request features. https://tracker.adobe.com

Post the link to your bug report / feature request in this thread and others can vote for it. The more people who do so, the higher it gets prioritised.

There's no real need to start another thread as it's flagged here but it may make it easier for others finding the same issue to search for it. If you do, then obviously post the bug link there.

www.grainge.org

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Erwin.TimmermanAuthor

Inspiring

That's great! One other thing I found though: if my project contains svg images, these go missing from the Word file. PDF output works just fine with the same svg images.

Anyone else tried this and succeeded/failed? Can I add that to this thread or is it better to make a separate thread for this?

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

The issues raised here are being looked into by Adobe.

www.grainge.org

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

... while for me most styles are mapping and some are not! As Erwin says, we're on the case.

www.grainge.org

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Erwin.TimmermanAuthor

Inspiring

This indeed works for the headings, but for some reason not for the other paragraph styles, at least in my setup. These are still created as Normal + inline styling.

However, I'm working with Peter to resolve these issues, and Peter as well as Adobe are now aware of the extent of the problems. So if anyone else experiences the same, they're on it!

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

The reason the mapping was not working is because while the template contained the styles required, there is also a requirement to actually use them in the template.

By adding some text to the template and applying the styles, on generating the document Heading 1 mapped to Heading 1 in Word without any inline styling. Hopefully Erwin will confirm the same result.

I am grateful to the Adobe developer who resolved this at about 9pm!

www.grainge.org

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Word can only have the supplied Heading styles, you cannot create new Heading styles. Thus the Heading1 that RoboHelp creates is Normal plus formatting. The workaround I have given fixes that by converting all instances of a style to the correct Word Heading styles. Word's Heading 1 becomes correct and replaces the old Heading1 which is Normal + formatting. Also I have made Adobe aware of that.

I have also just gone through your project and the document and replied direct to you.

It is making it very difficult when you are posting to both the forum and direct and not allowing me some time to get back to you.

www.grainge.org

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Erwin.TimmermanAuthor

Inspiring

This only explains the first bullet point, not the second, which is much more important IMO.

If you read the description I've put in the link, you'll see that when using a template Heading1 etc. don't give an issue at all, because they are mapped. But all the other styles that RH does recognize aren't used, but they are recreated via Normal + direct formatting. See the EmphasisOne style. That completely defies the use of styles.

You've only taken up the first issue with Adobe, but not the second. If they only fix that, they're not even halfway there. My sample project and description show in great detail what goes wrong when mapping styles, I hope they can use it to fix things. I can't copy/paste all of it here, because there are too many screen shots showing what happens to include them in this post.

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