Background images not appearing in chm output

[Guest]

We have an icon that is used for all our desktop shortcuts.  I know I can add it in the heading of a master page,  but it's small and I thought it would work embedded as a non-repeating background image for my h1 heading tag.  It looks great while authoring and appears as expected in the responsive HTML output, but the image is just missing in the chm output.  The heading is moved to the right to accommodate the image.  It just doesn't display.  Is this supposed to work?

Jim

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

You don't say what version of RoboHelp you are using. But if it's 2019 (Classic) or earlier, you may find that you need to add the image to the list of Baggage Files.

Yell back if you aren't sure how to accomplish this.

Cheers... Rick

[Guest]

We're brand new to RoboHelp and am not using the classic version.  The image is in the assets/image folder and the CSS finds it for display in authoring and output.  It just doesn't show in the chm.

[Captiv8r]

Hmmm

Perhaps give this a try. Pick any topic you want or create a new topic. Add the image to a topic. Ensure the topic is in the TOC. Then generate the CHM file and see if it makes an appearance.

Cheers... Rick

[Guest]

Rick,

I don't think you're understanding.  The image isn't part of any topic.  It's specified as a background image in default.css for the h1 tag.  I thought doing it this way looked better than putting the image into a master page.  This way the icon would be on the same line as the title for the topic.

[Captiv8r]

I actually believe I am understanding you. You are referencing the image in a way that isn't direct. It seems to work up until you produce a CHM.

I was hoping to see that you tried it and Voila! Your CHM now works! And if so, that indicates something that Adobe likely needs to address. Or that we need to factor in some bizarre workaround.

See, with this new RoboHelp, there are things aren't working as we expect them to. It's a whole new world. There are many things that still don't work quite yet.

As I understand it, the concept of "baggage" has been blown away and no longer exists with no real way of replacing that functionality. So this leaves a large hole for problems to fall into when we ponder how to make certain things we are long accustomed to doing, still manage to do their thing.

So if you would, please do give this a try and report back as to if the steps I suggested help the image to finally make an appearance in the CHM file.

Cheers... Rick

[Guest]

Sorry, I guess I was the one who didn't understand what you were after.  Yes, it would appear that the image needs to be recognized in the project by not only being in a topic, but having the topic being in the ToC.  I did try it both ways and the ToC entry does seem to be required.

[Captiv8r]

Cool, so we have established that it CAN work, but now all we need to sort is how to make that happen without the need for what I suggested, Right?

[Guest]

That would be nice, but at least it's a work around if it's going to require a patch to the program.

[Captiv8r · Accepted solution]

I'm wondering if perhaps you could do it this way.

Just add the image to the bottom of any topic. Just one topic. Then click to focus the image, and in the properties panel on the right side, expand the Layout section and configure the Display attribute to None.

My thought is that this will trigger the image to be included when generating the CHM file, but be completely hidden in the topic where you added it.

Cheers... Rick

[Guest]

Very tricky sir, but effective.  That did work.

[Captiv8r]

[Peter Grainge]

Rick's solution is a good workround for a bug that is being fixed. If I have followed correctly, the objective is to get the image into the output folder. All that should be required is to add the image to the TOC and then in the TOC Properties with that entry highlighted, click the Hide In Output checkbox.

Once the bug has been fixed, any other files you need to upload will not need to be put in a topic and set to Not Display.

Basically that's how baggage files work now.

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

@petergrainge