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E
ElBeBe
Known Participant
September 28, 2018
Question

Updated user defined variables are not updated in compiled HTML

  • September 28, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 816 views

I'm working on a project that employs user defined variables as placeholders for some unknowns that I'm updating as decisions are made on the content. However, when I compile the HTML, the user variables are not updated in all places. For example, User_Variable_A is updated on 28 of 35 pages.

When I open the topic in RoboHelp and check the HTML, the changes I've applied are prevent, the variable is coorectly updated. Consequently, the changes are correctly displayed in Preview mode. HOWEVER, when I compile the project, the HTML doesn't match the project HTML. The compiled HTML includes obsolete content, as if it's reusing an old .htm file.

How can I trust that the content RoboHelp is generating actually reflects the changes I'm making? This is extremely frustrating and I sure hope there's a solution for this. I found a topic describing a similar problem eight years ago. Unfortunately there was no definitive solution and "edit the HTML manually" is not acceptable. I can do it, but it's time consuming and I shouldn't have to.

Helpful solutions and suggestions are very much appreciated. Thanks!

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

Jeff_Coatsworth
Community Expert
Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 28, 2018

First off, the project HTML view pages will NEVER match the compiled output - RH adds a mix of template files and JavaScript secret sauce to them to create output. Next thing is - where are you generating the output to? Have you ensured that it's empty? That could be the reason behind the "old" values still being present.

E
ElBeBeAuthor
Known Participant
September 28, 2018

Okay, let me be clear. The _text content_ that is the actual written instruction (in this case, the variable that I have defined) does not match. It is a problem. It is correctly updated in the project but not in the compiled HTML. Here is a thread to someone experiencing the same problem. User-Defined Variable not Updating at Generate Layout They found a solution through masterpages, but the project I'm working on doesn't employ master pages, so I'm at a loss as to why the variable updated for some pages and not others.

I have deleted all content from the SSL folder and the secondary folder I publish to.

Jeff_Coatsworth
Community Expert
Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 28, 2018

What version of RH and what output? All up to date? If you look at the generated output, are there any hints as to what's happened to still leave the old value in there? Are you able to create it in one of the sample projects? If so, then you've probably got a bug on your hands & it should be reported.

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