Participant

Question

Failing to generate HTML Help

Forum|Forum|18 years ago
May 29, 2007
10 replies
1282 views

I have written ha help document in Word 2003 and compiled and added to it serverlal times.
After I added the last topics in my document it won't compile the chm file. I get the following output and an immediate
halt of the compilation

Result: HTMLHelp has been generated
-------------------------------- Layout : Microsoft HTML Help --------------------------------
Starting compilation...
Clearing output folder...
Starting compilation...

No explanation is given for the abortion of the generation
Previous compiles saw a lot of information after this but no the last time.

My .rtf file is 130 699 Kb in size

I have made several attempts to generate primary output
In my folder i have the following files:
help.rtf
help.rtf(1).rtf
help.rtf(2).rtf
help.rtf(3).rtf
help.rtf(4).rtf

I believe that ony the first one should exist.

27 of 84 topics have been converted to html format

Is there any limitations on the size of either the .rtf or the .chm file. The last version that compiled had a .chm file size of 2796 Kb.

have tried to install the robohelp trial on two separate computers with different word version but with the same result.

The difference between the last successful compile and the failed one is that I have added printscreens from my application on 8 topics. the number of topics and everything else is the same.

Can anyone explain why this happens?

RH for Word

This topic has been closed for replies.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Are you willing to send me the Word document? If you are, visit my site.

I thought you called topics in FlashHelp the same way as webhelp. Anyone else?

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

So now if you switch between WYSIWYG and TrueCode you see all the images and then they all convert to code?

I don't think you can turn off the tooltip. Will have to defer to someone who uses RH for Word regularly.

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M

mt_trev

Participant

If I switch to WYSIWYG it works but if I switch back to True Code it doesn't do anything, however if I convert the document it does work but then I loose the names of my images as it re-exports them again.

Looks like something I'm gonna have to live with :(

Thanks for your help though.

I don't suppose I can be cheeky and ask if you know anything about linking to flash to you in topic Link

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I would consider taking a backup and then trashing the extra files. However, that is a side issue.

In the context of "I managed to get it to work by using RoboHelp then Convert Document ", what is "it"?

The problem seems to have changed. Can you clarify the current issue. Is it compiling or just the tooltip issue?

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M

mt_trev

Participant

I've managed to fix the conversion problem by inside word clicking Robohelp then Convert document as converting to Truecode doesn't work so the problem does still exist (didn't explain it very well - sorry). However doing so re-exports by WYSIWYG images and gives them generated names when I sat and named them all.

The reason I named then is because hovering over the images in FlashHelp or compiled HTML help displays 'images\ex98402.jpg' so I would be happy with my random image names if I could turn this tooltip off as a work around.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

What matters is that when you start to generate the help, the images are not displayed. If they are, then above a small number, the generation will fail.

If you insert the images the correct way, via the RH menu in Word or using the icon, then they will convert cleanly between WYSIWYG and TrueCode. If you pasted them in, they will not convert and you will not be able to generate.

This should be been apparent way back in this history of creating your help. When you say the folder is over 2gb, that is not the project folder is it. I am assuming it is the project in one folder within another and the other folders for the backups.

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M

mt_trev

Participant

Its the project folder that is 2 Gig, but there are loads of
file_rtf(1).rtf
file_rtf(2).rtf
etc, etc

We haven't created them Robohelp has done it itself.

I managed to get it to work by using RoboHelp then Convert Document however then I lose the images I have named, is there a way I can get around this? Or can I turn off the tooltip that is displayed when hovering over an image?

Thanks.

D

DaveVT

Participating Frequently

Thanks for your help, My soul is saved for now...pffff....

Captiv8r

Legend

Hi DaveVT

One thing you may wish to consider for the future is to move from Word to RoboHelp HTML. This move will definitely save you from those hair tearing moments. Creating HTML based help from Word is sort of like opening a can of beans using a hacksaw. Yeah, you can do it. But why would you want to?

Just a thought... Rick

D

DaveVT

Participating Frequently

Thanks for your advice. This (was) is my first project using Robohelp, so I'm still exploring. In the mean time I have to work with deadlines which do not give me enough time to really get to know all details of the program. But I like it...

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I suspect our posts have crossed but yes to your question. Whether or not that is reliable going on is another issue.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

It is not a document giving you the trouble. It is the fact that you have pasted the images in instead of doing it via the menu. Doing it that way has caused problems documented in forums going back over ten years. You have only got away with encountering the effects of working the way you did because the total was within the limits.

There is no defined limit. It is a mix of the size of the graphics, your PC etc but you have exceeded the limit for you.

The safest solution of all is to put the images in the correct way, that is via the menu. At the moment you have split the document into two and that is working for you, at the moment. I cannot guarantee that will continue. It may or may not.

I guess the easiest way forward, assuming two documents is acceptable is to make sure all future graphics are inserted via the menu. It's not the right way but that's your call.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

See my first reply in this thread. That is the cause of your problem. I know it worked before, it did for the original poster. The project gets to a point where it can no longer work that way. You have reached that point.

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D

DaveVT

Participating Frequently

Well, what can I do? I have 260 pages in my project, over several documents.
Should I split documents or what can I do to solve it. How can I find out which document gives me the trouble.

I had the problem before, when I started the project. I simply split the document in 2 documents and it worked again. Is there a simple solution to this?

D

DaveVT

Participating Frequently

I managed to get it working!!!
I have split the latest document I was working on in two documents and it was working again.
So, my conclusion, correct me if I'm wrong,...When a document get's to large (by pasted pics???) , Robohelp won't be able to compile anymore. If you decrease the filesize. It will work again...

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Welcome to the forum Dave.

Are images viewable in Word when you generate or do you switch to true code first via the RH menu in Word?

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D

DaveVT

Participating Frequently

All images are viewable in Word.
I didn't switch to true code

It worked before, but suddenly it doesnt work anymore.
If somebody can help me, I can arrange a VNC connection

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Fair guess.

How did you add the screenprints, by pasting them in? It is important that first you use the RH menu or icon to insert the image. Also that having done that, you use the Convert to True Code option before you compile.

Do it that way and I think it will compile just fine.

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D

DaveVT

Participating Frequently

I experience the same problems, but I have finished 260 pages yet. So, it's like starting all over again. There should be another solution to this problem as I could generate a chm file even before yesterday. Just added a few topics today and yesterday... This issue is really urgent as we have to deliver the package in a few days, please help me out...

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