Framemaker 2020 to Robohelp 2020 Index

[Barbara Dumas]

Hello,

I am new to Robohelp, taking a project over from an ex-colleague. All seems to be going reasonably well, except I cannot seem to get the FM index into RH.   I have read messages indicating if the index.htm file does not show up in the RH content folder there is a problem, and I will agree with that statement - the index.htm does not show up in the content - but how do I get it there?  

Any and all help appreciated.

Barbara Dumas

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Are you using the Import FM content or Linking to the FM content method in your RH project?

[Barbara Dumas]

I confess that I feel really lost about what I am doing.  I thought I would be importing FM content into the RH project, and that is what I think I ought to do - but, bottom line, it seems I don't know how.    I am definitely missing something in the doc on one side or the other.

Thanks for replying.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

In the "Import" model, you do all the work in FM and create a new project in RH each time you want to create the output. The "linking" method sets up a RH project that is linked to the FM book(s) and any changes you make in them are then synched with the RH topics over in the RH project.
Personally, I've never had any luck with the "linking" method, so I import each time.
In the "import" method, you make sure you've created your TOC and any index you want in the book, then update it and save it and just sit with FM open at the welcome screen. Then you create a new RH project and use the Import files dialog to Import FM content - you point it at the FM book and it starts pulling all the content in - then you can choose how you want to divide up the FM content into RH topics (pagination), how you various FM paragraph tags and character tags will be treated as styles in RH, and if you want the FM index and TOC (and glossary) to come over too. You can export these settings out into a separate file (for reuse again) once you're happy you've got in all working fine.
Sometime after importing, there's a bit of cleanup needed in the TOC to get the structure looking right - your mileage may vary.

[Barbara Dumas]

Thank you, Jeff.  I have no choice but to confess that I took this project on in order to improve our documentation.  When our writeer resigned he left me two pages of documentation concerning the transition from FM to RH - with instructions to "never deviate".  I have carefully stayed within the lines for months and, until we noticed there was no index, it seemed to be going well.

You mention:   " if you want the FM index and TOC (and glossary) to come over too. You can export these settings out into a separate file (for reuse again) once you're happy you've got in all working fine."

I do get the glossary and the TOC, but no index.  

I do generate an index from FM: 

But in the RH settings, I see no mention:

Thanks,

Barbara

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Hmmm, looks like the New UI lost that "Import Index" feature that Classic versions used to have. One workaround would have been to run the auto-create Index feature in RH, but I know that's been tossed in the New UI as it was never very good at creating succinct indices (it would tag just about everything, and you'd spend more time cleaning it up).
As an experiment, I wonder if you could do the initial import and then do a second one that only grabbed the FM IX file. Not sure what it would look like or if any of the xrefs would survive.

[Barbara Dumas]

Hi,

Thanks.  Out of sheer frustration, I tried the linking method over the weekend.  It was fraught with issues and - after getting a fair amount completed, I updated RH with FM updates and the index was wiped from the planet.  I don't think I will return to that one. 

I will try grabbing the index file.

Regards,

Barbara

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Yeah, I never had much luck with that one either. Although I have to confess that I'm still using antique versions of RH and FM to create Responsive HTML5 output for one of my products - for that one, I author in FM12, and then import into a RH10 project, tidy it up a little bit, then upgrade it to RH11 for generating the HTML5 (because RH11 seems to choke on importing FM12 content).

One of these days I'll find the time to play with the latest versions and see how it behaves.

[Peter Grainge]

As you are using RoboHelp 2020, you must be on a subscription plan. I wonder if upgrading to 2022 for both products would solve the issue? My only concern is it causing some other issue. When you open the projects in 2022, they will get upgraded. However, you can back them up first and fall back to 2020.

Alternatively, there is always Adobe Support. See https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/enterprise-support.other.html#robohelp for your Adobe Support options. The email link tcssup@adobe.com is recommended as it reaches a team dedicated to Technical Communication Suite products including RoboHelp.

2020 is out of support but they may still assist. If you go to 2022, then you would be entitled to support.

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My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

[Barbara Dumas]

Thank you!  I will give this some thought.