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A
Anonymous
August 13, 2008
Answered

index.htm file

  • August 13, 2008
  • 4 replies
  • 1327 views
I just made a simple change to an existing help file using RH7 and compiled it. However, when I use index.htm within the Webhelp folder to view the change, it shows the pre-changed help topic. What do I have to do to get the index.htm to show my changes correctly? Thanks!
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Correct answer
Hi again

First off, my apologies to my fellow Adobe Community Expert Peter. I see he popped in probably about the same time I was replying. His post to the thread shows you were to find the page in RoboHelp.

Now for the redirect and why it may be there. We may as well face it, WebHelp output is really a Web Site. Albeit one with a special purpose. Many RoboHelp users are unaware of the ways a Web Site works when it exists on a Web Server. Lets say you have a folder that was provided by your Web Admin folks for you to store files. Sure, you could generate a WebHelp system named MyHelp and plop all the content into the folder. This would mean you have a MyHelp.HTM page that opens the WebHelp system.

Now lets say that someone knows that your output exists in the following location: http://www.mysite.com/mywebapp/help

If they simply typed that URL into the address bar of the browser and pressed Enter, they would more than likely see a list of files in the folder. But if you had a file named index.htm, the Web Browser would see it and immediately display it.

So someone probably created a redirect page called index.htm. And what it probably does is to redirect to MyHelp.htm (assuming my fictitious name earlier). This would allow you to call the WebHelp start page anything you like and have it still work.

Hopefully this made some sense... Rick
I feel like I've learned a great deal...you guys rock!

Thanks very much,
Mary Beth

4 replies

Peter Grainge
Community Expert
Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 14, 2008
Go the wizard that generates the help and look in the first field. What is the name of the file at the end of the path shown there?

Are you clear on the difference between the default topic and the start page? Sorry but has to be asked.

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I
ipblythe
Participant
August 14, 2008
I've had this too, opening FF or IE, clearing the cache and then loading the findex.htm file may give the right result.
Captiv8r
Captiv8r
Legend
August 14, 2008
Hi all

I'm not sure if IE supports this feature or not. But one of my favorite features of Firefox is the ability to configure it so that when you close it down, it empties the cache. At least it works that way in my Version 2. Then it's as simple as restarting the browser.

Cheers... Rick
RoboColum_n_
RoboColum_n_
Legend
August 14, 2008
Can you clarify what you mean when you say the help won't "open"? Do you see the TOC/Index/Search etc. or is it the topic content you can't see? Also can you confirm whether you are talking about the generated or published output. There is a big difference.
RoboColum_n_
RoboColum_n_
Legend
August 14, 2008
Are you referring to the generated output or the published location? Either way, check that you are looking at the correct location to ensure you are actually looking at the correct file. If you are, check the date stamp on the file.
A
Anonymous
August 14, 2008
Okay, let me try to be more clear. First, when I generate the help system and click the View Output option, the changes display correctly. So I know the help has been changed properly.

I would like to zip the Webhelp output, along with the index.htm file, and send it to the user for his review, prior to publishing. The index.htm file is not my start page. It's a file that RH creates at the root of the Webhelp output. When I double-click this file, it brings up the front page of my help, along with the TOC/Index/Search. However, when I navigate to the pages I've changed, I don't see the changes. The index.htm file is in the Webhelp I have just generated, as confirmed by the date/time stamp.

How do I clear the cache w/in IE? Maybe that's the problem. Thanks for your help, everyone!

A
Anonymous
August 14, 2008
I need to make a correction....the index.htm file IS the default help topic. I didn't realize this because I'm in the Topic Title view, and the title is different. That makes me more perplexed. Why would the help system's own default topic be pointing to the LAST version of the help? Frustrating...
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