Internet Explorer Script Error

Report · Sep 24, 2009

Dear Experts,

After compiling the Microsoft HTML Help in RoboHelp (which runs through perfectly fine), when I try to view the output, I get the following error message when I click on some of the chapters (not on all):

Interestingly, if I click yes, the message appears again, and after confirming the same message 2 or 3 times, the content of the page is displayed. Do you have any ideas how I can fix this?

Thanks in advance for your help!

André

Report · Sep 24, 2009

I forgot to add, the only thing that changes in the error messages is the "line" number. Even after confirming the error message several times and then finally seeing the page content, the book itself still does not open, so you can't access the topics in the book.

Report · Sep 25, 2009

Does this error occur if the CHM is opened on more than one PC? If so, there may be something inside the topic that is causing this error. Look at the file shown in the message and see if there is anything untoward.

I did notice that the path is on the D: drive. Is this a network drive or a partition? If the former, try on your C: drive.

Read the RoboColum(n).

Report · Sep 25, 2009

Dear Colum,

I have a compiled CHM version on my laptop and one on a server. A colleague of mine also has the same CHM on his laptop (we work with RoboSourc Control for joint development) and the error message appears on all 3 machines. Our laptops and the server are all partitioned with the "D" drive for data, i.e. documents & settings folder with the C-drive only used for the operating system as well as program and system files. Interestingly, on my laptop, RoboHelp is installed on C-drive with the project and output folders on the D-drive. Even if I copy the CHM file to the C-drive, this makes no difference at all, the error still appears. On the server, RoboHelp is installed to "D" and generates to "D", so all within the same partition... therefore, I don't think this is the reason.

Also, we don't have anything fancy on the topic pages other than an image with a couple of image maps + links to the content and a small script in the header and footer of the file generating a banner with hyperlinks in it as well as the file name and last change date. The scripts shouldn't be an issue, as they have worked unchanged in numerous other projects without any difficulties.

Report · Sep 26, 2009

Hi, André,

Would be interesting to see the HTML source of one of your topics, and the content of your script (.js) files.

It doesn't sound like it is a factor in your case (because you can reproduce the problem on multiple computers), but you will get script errors like this if you've used an instance of the HTML Help ActiveX control in a topic, and the control is incorrectly registered on your computer. When this is an issue, reregistering the HTML Help viewer components with MJ's Help Diagnostics should fix the problem.

http://helpware.net/downloads/index.htm#MJs

Pete

Report · Sep 28, 2009

Hi Pete,

I've attached on of the HTML files, where this error occurs as well as the Java Script file and am thankful for any advice. I tried the MJ Help Diagnostic, but to no avail. It also would surprise me if all three PCs where not setup correctly, as until recently the Microsoft HTML Help worked fine. I just can't pinpoint what caused the change, as we only discovered this error by accident - the MS HTML Help is our "offline help" with Webhelp Pro our primary layout and therefore drawing all our attention.

Thanks in advance for your help and kind regards

André

Report · Oct 01, 2009

Dear Colum, dear Pete,

Did the files I uploaded provide you with any clue as to the reason for this error?

Thanks again for your help and kind regards,

André

Report · Oct 01, 2009

Hi, André,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you; I've been overwhelmed with work recently.

I can see nothing in those two files that would cause the problem you describe, and I cannot reproduce it when I compile them into a test Help file. If you're willing to send me your Help file, that should make it a little easier to spot where the problem lies. You can email me by clicking my user name at the left.

Pete

Report · Oct 04, 2009

Dear Peter,

Thank you ever so much for your kind offer, which I really appreciate. Unfortunately, the content of our project is subject to a Non-Disclosure Agreement and I'm therefore afraid that I cannot send it to you. I had just hoped that someone might have had a similar error before and happens to know the reason for it. With no further clues at the moment, I will do two things to test the handbook. One will be to install a trial version of RoboHelp 8 (which I am considering to upgrade to anyway) and see if compiling the project in this version fixes the issue. The other approach I'll try is creating a blank project and rebuilding my project by importing all HTML files again and re-compiling.

Nonetheless, I am thankful for any further ideas as to possible reasons and solutions for the above mentioned error.

Best regards,

André

Report · Nov 17, 2009

Andre,

Did you make any headway into this problem?

I too, am receiving the same system messages. And, like you, if I click through the messages, I eventually wind up in my help system.

Whilst working with a developer, we determined that the lines in the topic that were causing the problem were directly related to breadcrumbs and highlight search. When we commented those lines of code out, the messages no longer displayed. (And, once we got through those particular lines, we would get them in the next topic, followed by the next, etc.)

Great, I had a work-around. But that makes me nervous. These specific lines of code are auto-generated by Robohelp, so, in theory, they must be useful for something.

Peter Grainge recommended I do a search in the Troubleshooting Tips on the RH HTML forum and/or the HTML Help Forum. I haven't had any luck there yet.

10570Fan

Report · Nov 17, 2009

Try this post.

http://forums.adobe.com/message/2227577#2227577

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Follow me @petergrainge

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

Report · Nov 17, 2009

Thanks for your help, Peter.

We are going to try this and get back to you with our results.....

Noreen

Report · Dec 15, 2009

I think I've solved the issue in my specific case: My RoboHelp template contained a header with pop-ups ("About the project" and "Change History"). It seems that the java scripts for these pop-ups are causing the scripting error in the CHM file, no matter if you use auto-sizing or custom-sized pop-ups (I tested this). BUT: If you change the pop-ups to simple hyperlinks (e.g. to open the respective files in a new window), then the error doesn't appear anymore. The funny thing is, that pop-ups in the body of a topic file (so not in the header or footer) don't cause this error.

Best regards,

André