Contradictory compilation messages and !chm_tmp_folder_0

[DEMestier]

What I understand from other posts in this forum is that if everything goes well during a compile, the !chm folder goes away after the file is successfully compiled. Mine does not go away, and it seems to contain a duplicate of everything in the root help folder, which is just wasting space as far as I can tell.

When I compile, I get an HHC5003 Error stating that compilation failed while compiling a specific html file that I simply cannot find in the folder. The "file" appears to be a URL. After the error, I get a message that the file did not compile, but I also get "Compilation complete."

The help file works just fine and I cannot figure out how to resolve an error about a file that does not exist.

To be complete, what happens in the output view is that while RH compiles the .chm file it lists  the .HHC and .HHK file, then the HTML files, the GIFs, and PNGs. This is what shows up after that:

RoboHHRE.lng

Prolith.hhc

Prolith.hhk

chip-prolith.html

HHC5003: Error:

Compilation failed while compiling http:\www.kla-tencor.com\lithography-modeling\chip-prolith.html.

Processing keywords...

Generating full-text search data...

Compacting file system...

The following files were not compiled:

http:\www.kla-tencor.com\lithography-modeling\chip-prolith.html

Finished compiling HTMLHELP in 166 sec(s)

Compilation complete.

I can categorically tell you that the www URL is a valid URL, but it does not appear anywhere in the help file and the "chip-prolith.html" file does not exist. Neither file appears in the !chm folder either.

I will appreciate your thoughts on how to resolve this HHC5003 error. I'd also like to know if it's safe to simply delete the !chm folder in the meantime.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

While I'm uncertain about the reason(s) behind the folder not being deleted I believe I may have an explanation for the message.

Have you enabled one of the two available buttons in your CHM window? I believe that when you do this, even though things are cool from the aspect of compiling the CHM, the link to the URL cannot be resolved at the time of compiling so an error or warning is issued. If memory serves, it's just a nuisance error and it is more an issue with the Microsoft HTML Compiler than it is with RoboHelp. In other words, it's just something we have learned to live with as the Adobe developers are incapable of changing a Microsoft tool behavior.

Cheers... Rick

[DEMestier]

Because I'm not sure what you mean by "CHM window," I can't say whether I've enabled the buttons you mention. Can you clarify?

[Captiv8r]

Hello again

I just created a small video to explain.

YouTube

[DEMestier]

Well, darn.

Rick, I appreciate that you're trying so hard to be helpful. Unfortunately, I can't see your video. It just shows me that the video is unavailable. I will take a look when I get home later, in case my work network is doing the blocking.

Dimi

[Captiv8r]

Sorry about that.

Seems it uploaded and was done but I forgot to click the "Publish" button.

Try again.

Cheers... Rick

[DEMestier]

Thanks, Rick. That was interesting info. I use RH 11 and had to look around a bit to find the Button options, but it turns out that they were not enabled. Is the point of the buttons to put a labeled button on the help output window? I don't particularly want to do that. I guess I'll just ignore the error, especially since I cannot find the URL anywhere in the files.  RH seems to be pulling it from thin air.

Do you think it's OK to delete that !chm_tmp_folder_0 folder when RH is not deleting it after a compile? I'm thinking that RH is not deleting it because of the error, but the error just doesn't make sense.

[Captiv8r · Accepted solution]

Hmmm, the plot thickens.

Personally, I'd have no qualms in deleting the folder. As for the message being related to why the folder isn't being deleted, I'm just not sure.

When you look at your Project Manager pod, you should see a folder in it that is labeled URLs. Is the URL listed in this folder?

If it is, try right-clicking it and perhaps you might find an option there to help you discern where the link is hiding.

Cheers... Rick

[DEMestier]

Ah ha! Now I know that the URL is used in the index in three places. All three places point to it correctly so I still don't see why RH is throwing the error. But at least the mystery is solved as to where the URL comes up. It has no topic links. I see other similar URLs and they are resolve properly, so RH is just hiccuping about this one for an unknown reason. I will leave it alone.

Thanks so much, Rick!

Dimi