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th72
Known Participant
March 2, 2017
Question

Extra package files in whxdata folder

  • March 2, 2017
  • 1 reply
  • 690 views

Hi there,

I'm using RoboHelp 2015 (12.0.3.428) currently. Many times I will use my older help files as a starting point for the new ones. And sometimes these help files span two versions of RoboHelp. So I'm wondering if this has anything to do with what I'm seeing in my compiled help folder whxdata.

I seem to now have two versions of the package files, one with the .xml extension and another, identically named, but with an additional .js extension added on. Please see the image below.

Do I still need these older original (notice the date) .xml files? Can I safely remove them from the whxdata folder and still have a valid set of help files?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Tom

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    1 reply

    Peter Grainge
    Community Expert
    Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 3, 2017

    When you generate, all the content in the folder is deleted before the generation starts. If you also publish, that doesn't happen so old files can remain.

    Are you showing the generation folder or the publish folder?

    See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring information

    @petergrainge

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    T
    th72Author
    Known Participant
    March 3, 2017

    Hi Peter,

    I am Generating, not Publishing. Interestingly, the Publish item is grayed out (unavailable) throughout the app for me, no matter which SSL Output source I select. So my only option is to Generate.

    Peter, you jogged my thoughts to try something. I moved/copied my existing target directory to another location on my computer. I then recreated the folder into which I generate my files (just an empty folder). I opened RoboHelp and generated the help files once again, into the new (well, to RoboHelp, the same) location. Lo and behold, the new generate did NOT contain the old package .xml files, only the new _xml.js versions. I haven't deleted anything yet but it appears that the old files are not needed any longer. I'll get with my developers and let them test this version on their product servers. But I think that answers my question.

    Any further thoughts on this from you would be appreciated.

    Thanks again,

    Tom

    Peter Grainge
    Community Expert
    Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 3, 2017

    Odd as when you generate RoboHelp used to trash everything in the target folder before it started to generate the new output. Perhaps that needs to be tested.

    In addition to what Rick has covered, Publishing also had the advantage of not deleting anything from the target folder. That was useful as it allowed you to put in additional files that RoboHelp didn't know about for some reason.

    Odd but problem solved.

    See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring information

    @petergrainge

    Use the menu (bottom right) to mark the Best Answer or Highlight particularly useful replies. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here.
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