Generating either Multiscreen or Responsive HTML5 from command line (RHCL)

Report · Aug 01, 2014

Has anyone had any luck getting either of the HTML5 default layouts to generate using RHCL.exe with RoboHTML 11? We try to keep the source files checked in, then generate the output at build time.

To test, I generated a project based off the "Knowledge Base" template, then updated the the associated screen layouts with the screen profiles. For Responsive HTML5, that was "Theme1_Standard", and for Multiscreen HTML5, that was "Desktop_Knowledge". Both of these layouts generate fine through the RoboHTML UI, but when generated from the command line, they fail. With Responsive HTML5, RHCL does not acknowledge that the layout exists. For Multiscreen HTML5, RHCL crashes (null reference exception) when processing the project's index. (Keep in mind that I haven't modified the index from the template at this point).

I'd be happy with either of these two layouts working with RHCL, as we're still fairly early in the process of creating the online help. Our only requirement is that it is web-based and cannot use frames (like WebHelp layout does).

thanks,

-mike

Details:

[For "Responsive HTML5" layout]

C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 11\RoboHTML>RHCL.exe c:\src\svn\ba-asp\branches\RB_2.36\src\TestProject\TestProject.xpj -l "Responsive HTML5"

Adobe (R) RoboHelp Project Command Line Compiler version 11.0.0.179

Error: Layout "Responsive HTML5" does not exist.

The project contains the following layout(s).

Adobe AIR

FlashHelp

FlashHelp Pro

Microsoft HTML Help

Multiscreen HTML5 (Primary Layout)

Printed Documentation

Responsive HTML5

WebHelp

WebHelp Pro

XML Output

eBook

[For "Multiscreen HTML5" layout"]

C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 11\RoboHTML>RHCL.exe c:\src\svn\ba-asp\branches\RB_2.36\src\TestProject\TestProject.xpj -l "Multiscreen HTML"

Adobe (R) RoboHelp Project Command Line Compiler version 11.0.0.179

Project: c:\src\svn\ba-asp\branches\RB_2.36\src\TestProject\TestProject.xpj

Layout: Multiscreen HTML5.

Output: !SSL!\Multiscreen_HTML5\index.htm.

Scanning project for compilation....

Scanning finished.

Warning: No baggage file description.

Starting compilation...

Multiscreen HTML5 preprocessor 11.0.1.235

Clearing output folder...

Compiling c:\src\svn\ba-asp\branches\RB_2.36\src\TestProject\!SSL!\Multiscreen_HTML5\desktop\index.htm ...

Preparing to create Multiscreen HTML5 output...

Preparing files for Multiscreen HTML5 output...

Copying files...

Updating files...

Finished preparing in 1 sec(s)

Initializing compiler...

Generating MULTISCREEN (11.0.1.235)...

Processing TOC data...

Updating topics...

Updating Reference/PhoneNumbers.htm...

Updating Hardware/WidgetMax_2000.htm...

Updating Software/WidgetMax_Installation_Issues.htm...

Updating ProblemsAndSolutions/WidgetMax_Issues.htm...

Updating First_Topic.htm...

Updating Project_Background.htm...

Updating Splash.htm...

Updating Whats_New.htm...

Finished updating topics in 0 sec(s) : total 8 topic(s).

Processing index data...

Crash occurs at this point. For what it's worth, this is the faulting DLL's info:

Fault Module Name:	HtmSingleSourceMultiScreenHelp.dll
Fault Module Version:	11.0.1.235
Fault Module Timestamp:	53631bf0

Report · Aug 11, 2014

Can you try generating with the following Responsive layout? (Adobe RoboHelp: Responsive Layout with TOC only | WvanWeelden.eu) This is one that has not Index. I'm curious to see whether the index is giving trouble here.

Does command line generation work if you try one of the supplied example projects. Perhaps there is something in your content that RoboHelp can't handle.

Kind regards,

Willam

Report · Aug 20, 2014

I generated the HTML5 Multiscreen using a default layout with the same RHCL compiler (and the project includes an index).

I couldn't generate Responsive HTML5 using RHCL.exe. It fails at the same point as your example, not recognizing the layout. As it's the Responsive HTML that I'm wanting to automate I'd be interested if anyone's got it working.

Regards

Paul

Report · Sep 01, 2014

I just tried and I got the same error as you 😞 It seems Adobe didn't implement Responsive HTML5 in the command line. I would qualify this as a bug. Please report it to make Adobe aware of this: https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform&product=38 Adobe has been fixing many bugs in the past two patches. So perhaps they can fix this in an upcoming patch. And the more people report a problem, the more likely it is to get fixed.

One way around this issue would be to use a script. Call RoboHelp from the command line to open a script and let the script generate the output. Not the best way to go, but at least you can make it work...

Kind regards,

Willam

Report · Sep 29, 2014

This is working now.

Just install this patch RH 11.0.3 from Help>Updates.

And run the same command as above.