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A
Anonymous
May 26, 2009
Answered

Is there an auto-correct setting in Robohelp 7?

  • May 26, 2009
  • 2 replies
  • 1270 views

I am wondering because I notice that when I write html code and then view it in the design view and then go back to html view there are new tags that have been inserted like this: <robohelp>&#8212;</robohelp>. What does that mean? Can I turn that feature off. I have been writting html code for about two years so I don't think I'm a pro but I know how to valiadte html code before I publish it and  it is very anoying  when the program tries to correct what I'm doing. If I do something wrong I would like that it just doesn't work, that way I can find out what I did wrong and fix it. But when the program automatically "fixes" what it thinks is a mistake it actually makes things worse. I understand the idea of creating something thats easy to use, but if you haven't taken the time to learn html or css or JavaScript ect. then you shouldn't create web pages.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer AmyGfromNZ

    Hi all

    @idesofdecember

    If you don't want RoboHelp mucking with your code and you don't like using the WYSIWYG editor, why not just configure Notepad as your default editor in RoboHelp? If you do this, Notepad will open and you may freely edit your HTML and JavaScript to your heart's content. Nothing will change any code on you.

    Just thinking out loud here... Rick


    If you don't want RoboHelp mucking with your code and you don't like using the WYSIWYG editor, why not just configure Notepad as your default editor in RoboHelp? If you do this, Notepad will open and you may freely edit your HTML and JavaScript to your heart's content. Nothing will change any code on you.

    Oh, if only that were so.

    It's definitely true that you can can avoid a lot of the infuriating rewriting-to-something-noncompliant-and-unwanted by using a different editor (and aggressively version-controlling). Sadly, you can't avoid all of it this way: the generation phase also does some rewriting (for example, of tables).

    I have been frequently frustrated by RH's rewriting of correct, standards-compliant HTML/CSS into code that is non-equivalent and often noncompliant. I have an entire arsenal of techniques and scripts for working around it, but I still need to come up with new ones from time to time as new issues arise. It's annoying, no doubt about it.

    2 replies

    A
    Anonymous
    May 27, 2009

    Well I guess Robo Help has a different standard for displaying symbols, which is a little anoying. I respect your opinion about programs like Robo Help but I have to say that I disagree. The programming culture now is changing. People are not learning how to program all they are learning is how to copy and paste. I beleive that it is fueled by companies that do not want to pay for qualified programmers. Its bad enough to have to deal with outsourcing. I understand the business logic behind why companies would use Robo Help, but I still think that its in a persons best interest to lean what the code behind the page means. Also Robo Help could have an option that lets you use just a text editor and doesn't try to "fix" what you do.

    Peter Grainge
    Community Expert
    Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 27, 2009

    Well on JavaScript I think we will have to agree to disagree. One of the main requirements of the authoring job is being able to write clearly and not in developer speak. Often the people who can write JavaScript will tend to think more along the lines of a developer and write accordingly.

    On HTML and CSS, I don't disagree it is useful, I am just saying it is possible to do the job using the Design Editor only. For smaller companies that can be sufficient. Where the author is full time, then they should learn HTML and CSS but here my thinking was you can learn as you go, you don't have to know them before you start.

    The main of this reply though is to say that you are not the first person who would prefer their code not to be corrected. Post a feature request for "Don't mess with my code" here.

    http://www.adobe.com/go/wish

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    A
    Anonymous
    May 27, 2009

    Well maybe we can agree to disagree. I do agree with you somewhat. I do think that HTML and CSS can be learned as you go and I don't think that a person must know them to be able to create a good looking web page. "Don't mess with my code" is exactly how I feel unless you're going to tell me why. And thats what is most frustrating. If  there is a better way to do something I'm all ears, I just don't like when the computer changes my code and doesn't tell me why. Its that whole "I know better than you becuase I say so." attitude that computers have that gets my goat.

    Peter Grainge
    Community Expert
    Peter GraingeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 26, 2009

    &#8212; represents an emdash.Seehttp://www.w3schools.com/tags/ref_symbols.asp for more information on that.

    The short answer is that you cannot stop RH rewriting the code. Are you saying that you had not wanted an underscore? What had you entered where it is appearing?

    You state "I understand the idea of creating something thats easy to use, but if you haven't taken the time to learn html or css or JavaScript ect. then you shouldn't create web pages."

    I don't agree with that. Learning HTML and CSS will certainly help but the whole point of editors like RoboHelp is that you do not have to go into the HTML code or the CSS. Doing so because you understand the code is useful and enables you to do things that those without such knowledge cannot do. That does not mean you have to write at code level as if that were the case, you might as well use Notepad. Many topics can be produced using the WYSIWYG editor alone, indeed whole help systems can be produced that way. Also using the WYSIWYG editor and then looking at the code is a good way to learn. A lot of my learning came from using Dreamweaver in Split view so that I could see the code being produced while I worked in the WYSIWYG editor.

    As for Javascript, it is definitely not necessary to be able to write Javascript. I don't and I seem to be doing OK. Making using of JavaScript is another matter and being able to do that again falls into the category of useful but not essential.

    It's all rather like saying you have to be able to fit a new clutch into a car before you drive one. You only need to be able to use it, not fit it.

    See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

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