Exporting Style Mapping

[octechwriter]

Hi. I'm having trouble exporting my style mapping from one project to import into others. I have several projects that need to use the same style mappings from FM8 to RH7. I've mapped the styles manually for my first project, and according to RH's Help, all I have to do is click Save As and save the style mappings as an XML file.

I saved the XML file to a network location outside of the project folder. I started my new project, clicked Load on the Style Mappings window, and selected the XML file, but nothing happened. I opened the XML file in Notepad to determine the cause of the issue, and the XML file is empty.

I've gone back to the original project and exported the style mappings to an XML file several times again, and each time, the XML file is empty.

What have I done wrong?

[JainVivek]

The "Save As" as an XML file works and the mapping is also shown. I verified this again after seeing your post. The XML file shows the mapping as expected.

Are FrameMaker files on the same machine as yours? Is RoboHelp project folder on the network? If yes, please try this with a simple FrameMaker file on the local machine.

[lcolby]

Actually, it doesn't always work. I have had the problem of the style mapping xml file being saved as an empty file for a while for several projects. I just verified it again. None of my files are on a network - they're on my local machine - and i tried saving the xml file in an enclosing folder and also in the project folder. This did work on the first project I was working on back in Dec., then at some point in that project it stopped for no apparent reason (at first, since I wasn't checking the mappings files, I didn't realize that they weren't being saved properly). I am working on RH projects being generated from Framemaker books. Perhaps a re-install is in order, but I've been on a deadline for a while and haven't had time to do anything about it. I've just been re-entering the style mappings for each new project from scratch. So, the functionality *can* work (it's not a bug that is universally reproducible), but obviously under some circumstances it doesn't work.

Linda
P.S. I'm on Windows XP professional, latest SPs and so on.

[octechwriter]

quote:

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Originally posted by: JainVivek
Are FrameMaker files on the same machine as yours? Is RoboHelp project folder on the network? If yes, please try this with a simple FrameMaker file on the local machine.

---

I copied a FM file to my local hard drive. I created a new RH project. I diligently mapped the styles. I clicked OK to save my changes. I reopened the Style Mappings window and clicked Save As. I saved the XML file to my project folder on my local hard drive. And still no dice.

I am also running Windows XP with the latest service packs. I hope the style mapping feature is fixed in a 7.1 release of RH, because this is a pain.

Can someone attach the code of a sample XML style map, so I can try to hand code my own styles? At this point that option seems easier than wrestling with RH.

[JainVivek · Accepted solution]

Please try the following workaround for copying the style mapping information from say Project A to Project B

1. Take a backup of Project B
2. Copy the RHFrameStyleMappings.APJ file of project A to project B (this file is present the project folders of project B)
3. Delete the CPD file of the project B
4. Start RoboHelp project B
5. The style mappings show up in the RoboHelp project in the dialog

Please confirm if this works for you.

[octechwriter]

That worked. Thank you very much.

[PaulB1234]

Jain,

I also encountered this nasty bug so thanks for the workaround. I discovered that if I did not choose Cross-reference styles from the Style Mapping Type drop-down menu in the Styles Mapping dialog box, then I could successfully export the paragraph mappings to a xml file. But after I chose Cross Cross-reference styles from that menu and specified a mapping, the xml file was empty. Nothing I did after that could change it to be anything but empty.

Jain, please log this as a bug so it can fixed in a new release soon (if it's not already logged).

-- P.

[octechwriter]

I just removed the Cross-Ref styles, and you're right, RH exports the style mapping XML file just fine.

[Guest]

This thread provides a work around to the a thread I have been plugging at the last few days -- missed this one till now.

This is a nasty bug.

[Guest]

Also PaulB1234's 01/29/2008 05:46:56 PM message is the current best answer to this issue.