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L
LarryTX
Inspiring
September 4, 2009
Question

Stop RoboHelp from Trashing CSS

  • September 4, 2009
  • 13 replies
  • 3542 views

I very much like producing help systems with RoboHelp 8, but it has a very ugly way of trashing custom CSS, whether inline or external. Specifically, when I write inline CSS in the HTML window in RoboHelp, it changes it to something that definitely does not conform to XHTML standards, commonly accepted CSS standards, or anything that I would want. (Yes, it changes the actual properties in my CSS!)

To make matters worse, I tried to import a CSS stylesheet that I use else where to apply to my current RoboHelp project for consistency. RoboHelp, first, rewrote the entire stylesheet, appending its rewrite under my original stylesheet. So, I deleted its rewrite. Then, RoboHelp deleted the entire contents of the stylesheet.

How can I get RoboHelp to stop messing with my stylesheets?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sick and tired of this!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I could use RoboHelp's internal CSS editor, but it's tedious to use for someone who writes CSS all the time. It is extremely apparent that I know CSS far better than RoboHelp does. In addition, it's incredibly tedious to try to coax RoboHelp's internal CSS editor to use ems, rather than points. No one has used points in CSS for at least a decade. Points, as a unit of measure, make accessibility impossible, among a vast number of other things. They are much more than antiquated; they should be abolished! To show just how antiquated the internal CSS editor is, it renders many/most/all HTML selectors in uppercase, in total defiance of XHTML standards.

How can I get RoboHelp 8 to stop messing with my CSS?

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    13 replies

    Willam van Weelden
    Willam van Weelden
    Inspiring
    September 4, 2009

    Hi,

    To stop RoboHelp from messing with your css, simply don't use Robo's internal css-editor and do not use inline formatting. W3C also advises to use the strict DTD whenever possible, so even when Robo doesn't support it, you can still act like it does

    Try creating a new style sheet with Robo, then copy your style sheet over Robo's css. As long as you don’t try to open or edit the CSS in Robo's internal css-editor, it leaves your css alone. Modify it using the internal editor, and it rewrites your css. -> Edit using an external editor.

    Yes, the internal editor doesn’t offer you the full package, but if you want all what css has to offer, you'll have to code it yourself anyway, so why bother with the internal editor? Also, for most people a term like 'em' means nothing at all, while points are much more common. And I wouldn't use ems myself, better go for absolute sizes as 'small', 'medium' and 'large', which are the W3C's choice.

    Please keep in mind that Robo isn't a fully fledged html editor/web design tool, it's a HAT. It offers the basics that most authors will find usefull. If you want to use some more 'advanced' css, like suckerfish dropdowns, tamed lists, etc, you'll have to use an external editor for both css and html. Since these techniques aren't very common in help systems and the like, I have no problem with Robo not supporting them.

    Greet,

    Willam

    L
    LarryTXAuthor
    Inspiring
    September 4, 2009

    I guess you missed the part of my original posting which said:

    To make matters worse, I tried to import a CSS stylesheet that I use else where to apply to my current RoboHelp project for consistency. RoboHelp, first, rewrote the entire stylesheet, appending its rewrite under my original stylesheet. So, I deleted its rewrite. Then, RoboHelp deleted the entire contents of the stylesheet.

    This style sheet was not created in RoboHelp, and I never edited it using RoboHelp. I never opened RoboHelp's internal CSS editor. Yet, RoboHelp rewrote the stylesheet, then completely trashed it. All I ever did was select styles from the stylesheet. So, yes, RoboHelp does mess with CSS stylesheets even if you don't create or edit them using its internal CSS editor.

    As to inline styles, they are not absolutely prohibited by the standards, but you are right, they are strongly discouraged. However, I was using them because of deficiencies in the internal editor. (And no, I'm not talking about anything as elaborate as suckerfish menus. I am talking about very simple formatting that the internal editor won't maintain.)

    So understanding that RoboHelp trashes stylesheets created externally even if they are never opened in RoboHelp, I go back to my original question:

    How do I prevent RoboHelp from trashing my CSS?

    RoboWizard
    RoboWizard
    Inspiring
    September 4, 2009

    Hi there

    As you claim to know CSS so well, you likely don't need the RoboHelp WYSIWYG editor to help you with the HTML either, no?

    You are able to code pages using Notepad if you like. Then nothing messes with your CSS. I think RoboHelp 8 also allows you to specify a .CSS file during generation. I'm not sure if it messes with it or just uses what is there.

    Cheers... Rick

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    L
    LarryTXAuthor
    Inspiring
    September 4, 2009

    Yes, I know that RoboHelp allows you to specify a CSS file when you create a topic. (It's in the Appearance tab of the dialog box that displays when you create a topic.) Apparently, you missed what I said in my original post:

    To make matters worse, I tried to import a CSS stylesheet that I use else where to apply to my current RoboHelp project for consistency. RoboHelp, first, rewrote the entire stylesheet, appending its rewrite under my original stylesheet. So, I deleted its rewrite. Then, RoboHelp deleted the entire contents of the stylesheet.

    Yes, I can code in Notepad when I need to. However, WYSIWYG editors do have their place. Authoring systems such as RoboHelp also reduce the labor considerably by doing things like the layout, automatic indexing, search, glossaries, and the like, but if you have to spend huge amounts of time fighting them to get things to look the way you want (and stay the way you put them), then that labor savings is greatly reduced. The problem is that, I have used stylesheets created externally with HTML pages that I have coded externally. And RoboHelp rewrites both, trashing both the XHTML code and the CSS code. So, I go back to myh original question:

    How do I prevent RoboHelp from trashing (and rewriting) my code?

    RoboWizard
    RoboWizard
    Inspiring
    September 4, 2009

    Hi there

    No, instead it is you that missed what I meant!

    When you generate your output in RoboHelp 8, there is an option that allows you to specify a specific CSS that is used.

    Sure, you can choose a CSS when you create topics and RoboHelp will likely rewrite that one. I'm not sure about the one you specify here, but as you are choosing it immediately before creating output, perhaps RoboHelp will leave that one as you wanted it.

    Cheers... Rick

    Helpful and Handy Links

    RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form

    Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 within the day - $24.95!

    Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training

    SorcerStone Blog

    RoboHelp eBooks

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