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Inspiring
October 25, 2021
Question

RH2020 entering map ids doesn't work very well

  • October 25, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 209 views

The MAP FILES editor of RH2020 does not work very well. Creating MAP IDs from the topics with automatic MAP NO creation is no problem, but editing the MAP FILE is almost impossible. I want to do the following:

- Changing the MAP NO of topics to get topics of a chapter in a certain range, e.g. chapter 1 with map ids 1xx, chapter 2 with map ids 2xx, etc

- Adding MAP NO for topics that do not exist but that could be required in the future. E.g. the text for a dialog with 3 parts is now small enough for 1 topic, but in the future I could make 3 topics of it. I want already to define the MAP NOs now, so that the software developers can already include these NOs to call the help. When the help is extended later, then they don't have to change the software anymore. For this, I drag the same topic several times to the map list, each with another MAP NO and rename the MAP ID.

 

These are the problems that I have encountered while trying to edit the map file:

- Renaming one MAP ID simultaneously starts to rename another one!

- Renaming a MAP ID sudenly erases the typed text if is is equal to an existing MAP ID. I was not yet finished typing!

- When you click a MAP ID or MAP NO to edit it, then the pointer must stay on the field or you can't enter anything

- When you rename a MAP ID that already exists, you get an error (which is ok) but MAP ID is erased. It would be better to leave the new name and allow to correct it. Now one has to retype it completely.

- RH seems to remember MAP IDs that have been entered before and while such MAP ID no longer exists, it still says that it is already used.

 

Note:

It is not possible to edit the .h file outside RH like with RH10. It is only possible to export it. An import is required!

 

I did not yet succeed to create the map file the way I like. I have been trying to get it right for too long now.

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    3 replies

    D.DesmetAuthor
    Inspiring
    October 25, 2021

    As a workaround, I opened the .ali map file and edited it with Notepad. I saved it (after closing the RH project) and then reopened the project. RH shows the changes correctly. My mappings are now the way I wanted them to be.

    D.DesmetAuthor
    Inspiring
    October 25, 2021

    I created the output and tested as described by Peter Grainge with .../index.htm?rhmapno=<number>. This works fine.

    Peter Grainge
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    October 25, 2021

    Is that attitude necessary at this stage? It is working for others so perhaps it is something at your end . Normally I would look so that I could help but I'm travelling without a RoboHelp machine. Hopefully someone will help but if not, try 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.

    ________________________________________________________
    See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

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    D.DesmetAuthor
    Inspiring
    October 25, 2021

    Sorry Peter. You are right. It was too much struggling with a feature that worked fine with RH10. Meanwhile, I found a workaround that works. If someone could test this, then we can figure out if this is a general problem or local.

    D.DesmetAuthor
    Inspiring
    October 25, 2021

    I removed everything and restarted creating map IDs/map NOs in my project. Everything looked fine. I exported the .h file and did not find the same MAP NOs. Then I saved the RH project again, closed it and reopened it. Now the map file is completely different. MAP IDs as well as MAP NOs have changed. Thank you Adobe RH team! Did you really test their software thoroughly before asking money for it?