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MarcoDBG
Participating Frequently
June 2, 2021
Question

Topics are not generated from Framemaker source document

  • June 2, 2021
  • 7 replies
  • 369 views

Hi,

 

I want to start using Robohelp (2020.2.29) to generate an online help from a Framemaker document. When I link or import the file I can choose from which style a new topic should be started, i.e. the styles are correctly read from my document. However, when I click on Update/Create Topics, only an empty folder is created and RH shows "Success - HTML generated" pretty qickly for the big document I'm importing. No topics are generated.

 

For comparison I tried a Word document. That worked fine. But even a small Framemaker file that I created for testing did not work. Any idea?

 

Thanks,

Marco.

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    7 replies

    Peter Grainge
    Community Expert
    Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 4, 2021

    @PaulJena It is only 2020.0 that will not update from the menu, @MarcoDBG is on 2020.2 so the IT dept should be able to update that.

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

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    Jeff_Coatsworth
    Community Expert
    Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 4, 2021

    Think you'd better tell IT to step on it 🤣

    Because I'm pretty sure you need to be all patched up to even hope that this will work.

    M
    MarcoDBGAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 4, 2021

    I'll do that and come back if it doesn't fix the issue.

    Thank you!

    Jeff_Coatsworth
    Community Expert
    Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 4, 2021

    You shouldn't have to have the FM document open in FM - just FM open sitting at the Starter screen is enough. I'm wondering if you should try it with a .book file instead of just a .fm file. Did you update your RH to patch 4? What's your FM2020 point version?

    M
    MarcoDBGAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 4, 2021

    I just tried it with the .book file. There I always get "Error during reading document". My FM version is 16.0.0.754. Unfortunately I'm working in a corporate environment where the updates can only be installed by an IT admin. I have requested it already, but that's going to take a while.

    P
    PaulJena
    Participating Frequently
    June 4, 2021

    I had the same issue. The release you have has a bug preventing FM to RH linking. It also has a bug preventing patch updates - the check reports No New Updates but it's not checking in the right area. The next patch will need to be manually installed.  

    Peter Grainge
    Community Expert
    Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 4, 2021

    I'll have to leave that part of the problem to @Jeff_Coatsworth 

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

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    Peter Grainge
    Community Expert
    Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 4, 2021

    Are you selecting Import > File or Import > FrameMaker Document? If the former, that would explain why you are not seeing the conversion dialog.

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

     

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    M
    MarcoDBGAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 4, 2021

    Usually I'm linking the files rather than importing them. But you are right, if I use "Import > File", then no conversion dialog is shown. If I select "FrameMaker Document", the dialog comes up. But then it's the same as described above - scanning the file fails if it's not already open in FM.

    Jeff_Coatsworth
    Community Expert
    Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 3, 2021

    I know there are issues out there in the FM to RH import and link methods because other threads have reported this. Are you selecting a FM .book file or a .fm file? Are you being shown the conversion screen to indicate what mapping is to take place between FM and RH? Have you selected your FM paragraph tags for pagination (basically where should RH break the FM content and create new topics at)?

    M
    MarcoDBGAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 4, 2021

    Hi Jeff, I imported a .fm file. The conversion screen doesn't show up automatically when I import the file. I have to right-click on the imported file and select Edit Settings. Then FM opens automatically and RH shows an error "FrameMaker Import - Error during reading document". Only if the .fm file is open in FM when I click on Edit Settings, then RH scans it successfully for styles and I can choose one for splitting the topics. I selected Heading2 to start a new topic.

    Peter Grainge
    Community Expert
    Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 2, 2021

    Our resident FrameMaker expert will be online later in the day.

     

    Meantime all I can offer is you should be on Update 4 of RoboHelp and you need Fm 2020 Update 1. 

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

    Use the menu (bottom right) to mark the Best Answer or Highlight particularly useful replies. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here.
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