Different ways of adding FrameMaker files

[eoprigjernt]

What is the difference between the following two ways of adding FrameMaker files to a RoboHelp project:
1. File > Import > FrameMaker document
2. Right-click project folder & select Add FrameMaker File (with Copy or by Reference)
??

[JainVivek]

One is an import which does not retain any links to FrameMaker documents, it is like any other import. Add by Reference maintains a link to FrameMaker documents and you can update the content in RoboHelp when FrameMaker documents change.

[Gloria_Mc]

This is an old thread, but the answer is not sufficient, so I'm raising the question again.

RoboHelp is maintaining some kind of knowledge about the FrameMaker files, because the icon on the folder holding the individual topic files for a FM file will change to red, indicating an update is needed. Update based on what? I can make a text change in the FM file and the icon won't change, but at some point in the process, will get the red icon indicating the files need to be updated. It does not seem to retrieve changes to text, but I had a topic in which I had replaced a large graphic with a linked thumbnail image, and upon taking the bait and "Updating" the files, the thumbnail was replaced with the original image. During the update, the message says "Processing FrameMaker Documents."

So does anyone have a clearer explanation about the Add FrameMaker File > Add by Copy is doing?And should I ever/never/sometimes update the files?

I have FM 8.0p277 and RH 7.03.001 (can't upgrade due to client request).

Thx.

[Gloria_Mc]

OK, in exploring the RoboHelp Help a bit more, I discovered that Add by Copy is copying the FM files into the Help project folder and maintaining the link to those FM files. To summarize the different methods:

• Import: Import/convert FM files (.FM, .BOOK, .TOC,  .IX etc.) to HTML. No connection with FM files after they are imported. See RoboHelp Help, "Importing FrameMaker Files."
  
• Add by Reference: If you have Tech. Comm. Suite, add FM files to your Help project and maintain link to original FM files. See RoboHelp Help, "Adobe Tech. Comm. Suite features in RoboHelp."
  
• Add by Copy: If you have Tech. Comm. Suite, copy FM files into the Help project folder, add FM files and maintain link to the copied FM files. See RoboHelp Help, "Adobe Tech. Comm. Suite features in RoboHelp."
  

[eoprigjernt]

Thanks for the answer to the question regarding different ways of importing FrameMaker documents. Is that in the RoboHelp documentation somewhere?