Calling Map numbers in Responsive HTML (RH2020)

[Cara Bereck Levy]

I am very sad. I wanted to move over to Responsive HTML.

I have been generating chms for years for a desktop application. CSH with map numbers works perfectly.

I gave the developer this information, from Peter Grainge's fabulous site: 

>Using Map IDs

The call needs to be in the format - path/index.htm?rhmapno=123

Using URLs

To open the help with the navigation controls, you need a path that includes the start page of the help, by default that is index.htm.

You then append #t= followed by the rest of the path to the required topic. For example - path/index.htm#t=path/topic_name.htm<

 The developer ran some tests, and said that it would require rewriting all of the calls for each topic.

I have searched the community posts, Help Essentials, etc--I have found no other solution...

If anyone can tell me of a way to run the CSH using Map numbers, that does not involve having to redo all the calls from the application (there are hundreds)...I will be happy again.

May you all have a lovely day, thank you for listening.

[Peter Grainge]

Long time, no see. I hope all is well in your world.

You are right to want to change as CHMs now look so dated it detracts from the product and the new outputs have more features. 

I'm sorry to say though that the developer is right. Changing from any type of output to another requires changes to the calls.

If you can persuade them to change, then I suggest you change to Frameless rather than Responsive HTML5 help. It is where Adobe's development is focussed and it's much easier to edit the skins.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

[Cara Bereck Levy]

Thanks, Peter--yes, long time now see!
I must tell you: the main reason I rarely make an appearance here is because I always, always check your site first--thank you for having such a valuable resource for the community 🙂

Be well, and again--my thanks!

[Peter Grainge]

You may also want to point out to your developer that the Microsoft Help Comiler was last updated by Microsoft in 2004 and then only to apply security updates. That is when CHMs could no longer be run from a network drive for security reasons.

Furthermore, the compiler is no longer available from the Microsoft site. It can be downloaded from the Web Archive but do you really want to be using something that Microsoft no longer support and make you go to archived copies? See You may also need to reinstall the Microsoft Help Compiler.

Would your developer use tools like that?

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Usually the call for CSH is fairly simple when you've got a file of map numbers - the function is usually common and variables are used to read in the "location" within the program and find the corresponding Map # to place in that CSH call.