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Contents and Index won't render after compiling RH10 HTML help

Explorer ,
Sep 05, 2018 Sep 05, 2018

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Hi All,

I have been maintaining an RH10 HTML project for several years. I have compiled it many times to update content and it has worked well when opened from the web application it documents. Recently, however, when we replace the help files with the files from my latest compile, then open help from the application, the Contents, Index, and Search tabs have no content. The tabs appear, but the area below them is blank rather than filled with Contents or Index entries or the Search field.  I notice that there is a spinner in the upper left corner of the help window, which suggests that help is trying to render Contents, Index, and Search content, but can't for some reason. When we replace the latest compiled files with an older version of these same files, the Contents, Index, and Search content renders correctly, so the issue seems to be with the compiled files themselves, not with the application (which is in active development at the moment) nor with the configuration of the server on which it is running. I've tried re-compiling several times in case it was just a bad compile, but that hasn't helped. I have not consciously changed any aspect of the Single Source Layout settings.

I would be grateful for any suggestions of what to look for or what to try to resolve this issue.  Thanks!

Bill

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Community Expert ,
Sep 05, 2018 Sep 05, 2018

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You're generating WebHelp? I would suspect that you've fallen victim to browser security changes. Is it happening with sample RH projects across all browsers?

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Explorer ,
Sep 05, 2018 Sep 05, 2018

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Thanks for your quick response, Jeff. Yes, I am generating WebHelp.  The fact that an earlier compile of my Help project runs fine on the same server and in the same browser when opened from the same build of the application, but my current compile does not, would seem to argue against browser security changes being the culprit. The two Help compiles are very similar. I just corrected some typos before compiling the latest version of the Help project. I did just try opening Help while running the application in Firefox and Edge, rather than Chrome, but the Contents, Index, and Search still don't show any content.  The one difference I see in these browsers is that I don't see a spinner in the upper left corner.  Any other thoughts?  Are there specific files in the compiled project that I can look at to determine if the Contents or Index files are corrupted or missing? That wouldn't fix the problem, but might be a clue to finding the cause.  Thanks again.

Bill

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Community Expert ,
Sep 05, 2018 Sep 05, 2018

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Presumably you're generating into a local \!SSL!\WebHelp\ folder - if that launches fine with no issues, then it sounds like the final location is missing some files. Are you using the RH Publish function to transfer the built output to someplace?

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Explorer ,
Sep 05, 2018 Sep 05, 2018

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I am generating into a "\compiled" folder. When I View>Primary Layout, my default topic does not open. I don't think that's new behavior, though. I do not use the RH Publish function.  Never have. A colleague copies all of the files in the \complied folder to the proper location on the application server.  I don't have access to the application server. I don't doubt there's a better way to move the files, but our old fashioned way has worked fine in the past.

Unless you have other suggestions, I'm going to pursue as a next step comparing the list of files that comprise the older help version that works with the newer help version that doesn't and see if we fined any differences.

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Community Expert ,
Sep 05, 2018 Sep 05, 2018

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If you launch (outside of RH) the index page of the generated help, you should get whatever you told it to show as the first page. Yes, I would definitely look to see what's different.

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