How to import a PDF for a page in Robohelp 2020

[Stephen250667231w0e]

I want to use PDF files as my help contents. How do I import PDFs?  I have loaded them in my docs, but cannot link in the pages.  I have also tried in the project manager and ado not see prompt like the older Robohelp versions.

The only options I get for from the main top menu FILE/IMPORT menu is

Word
Framemaker
|Adobe Captive Demo
HTML 

Markdown file

I do not see another area where I can import, add, copy or past from PDF into a topic or sub topic.
Any help woudl be appreciated. All Robohelp help files concerning this topic seem to have the older versions function listed but nothing for Robohelp 2020.

I tried to link the documents and that does not work either.

Thank you

[Amebr]

I just learnt you can import pdfs in Classic. 😄

You haven't said with patch version, but it's usually best to make sure you're on the latest update. Update 8 was just released (end of June 2022). If you're on the first release of 2020 there's a bug with the initial release and you'll need to download the patch manually: https://helpx.adobe.com/robohelp/kb/robohelp-downloads.html

If there's no option to import a pdf and you're okay linking to the pdfs you should just be able to copy the pdf files into the project using FIle Explorer, then link to the pdf files as normal. 

You can request features and report issues here: https://tracker.adobe.com/
Post the item number in the discussion so people can easily vote if they want the same functionality.

[Peter Grainge]

If I recall correctly, the old import PDF in Classic resulted in a bit of a mess, at least with my attempts. Possibly why it didn't come through to the new UI versions.

While linking to a PDF will work, it means everytime the user clicks a link, they then have to open the PDF and search within that rather than having the content split into more usable topics.

With the right PDF tools you can export PDFs to Word and you could then import those. A warning though. Most tools create a Word document that looks great but it's all inline formatting and not done with Word styles. That means you cannot map the content when you import the Word document.

Adobe Acrobat DC does about the best job in converting the PDF with proper styles but it's not free.

________________________________________________________

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

[Karin Albrecht]

Which version are you using? I am on RH2020.6.76 new UI. You can simply select the uppermost entry "File", then, also the document type PDF will be shown in the explorer. After importing the PDF, it is shown in the project manager and can be included in TOCs or linked to by other topics.

Kind regards

Karin

[Peter Grainge]

@Karin Albrecht It will still be a PDF though surely?

BTW. Update 8 is out now. Hopefully fixing the issues you had.

________________________________________________________

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

[Karin Albrecht]

Yes, it is still a PDF then.

Update 8: great, good news! Thanks for the information 🙂

[Stephen250667231w0e]

I am using version Version 2020.8.34, no PDF option in document type.

[Stephen250667231w0e]

Thanks. I am using Version 2020.8.34, there is no "PDF" document type listed in that area

[Peter Grainge]

@Karin Albrecht Where are you seeing PDF?

________________________________________________________

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

[Karin Albrecht]

Right mouse click in the Contents panel, then select Import, then select File:

Now, the file explorer opens providing a large number of file types, including PDF.

[Stephen250667231w0e]

Hi Karin, there is no PDF in your content panel in your import feature.

[Amebr]

Karin is doing the following:

1. Right-click in Contents panel.

2. Select Import > File.

3. In the file type list in the bottom right of the dialog box, select Documents (*pdf, *.doc, *.docx, etc)

[April Bosworth]

Once I followed Karen's steps, I was able to add a hyper link to a local file (I stored my pdf in my project contents folder) and it appears to work as I wanted: Opening the pdf when the link is clicked. 

[Peter Grainge]

OK that brings the file in but without the functionality of linking.

________________________________________________________

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

[Karin Albrecht]

Apparently I misunderstood the requirement. My proposal indeed only adds the PDF to the project so that it can be used in outputs and also referred to from other topics. However, it stays a PDF and always will open as such. Sorry.