Problem with compilation crashing

Report · Jul 25, 2011

Hi,

I'm having an issue with RH9 when I try to compile a CHM.

Fo a start, it's getting very agitated about the variable code for some reason, but just for the master topic:

Normal2.htt :
The HTML tag "?rh-variable_start name="title" format="default" v..." is not a valid HTML tag (it does not begin with an alphanumeric character).

But it also hates a lot of my images:

Button_Print_Preview.gif :
The HTML tag "ïMž\ã|ÅR£dPœ$s …U„ ]¸y\¸Ù³w®›,[‘”<‹ ÈÈ”CÆ ¢J„f‹œ Þ..." is not a valid HTML tag (it does not begin with an alphanumeric character).

I've checked the image, there is no HTML even close to it like the compiler is describing.

When it gets part way through the images it crashes.

The images were made with PSP 4 and 8 (I'm having trouble getting funding for newer versions) and have transparent sections.

If I rename and replace the image names that sometimes work in clearing the issue, and sometimes not. I've tried remaking them...no dice.

There is nothing in the HTML to suggest what could be tripping up the compiler, is this an IE9 issue?

To further complicate things, this is a file that was once RH9, then had to be downgraded to 8, then upgraded to 9.

It's also a template for WebHelp that I've stripped back down to complied help. I'm pretty sure that any of those things could have screwed it up, but I just can't see what has screwed up!

For example:

HHC3002: Warning:
Button_Print_Preview.gif :
The HTML tag "c" is missing a closing angle bracket.

The code is:

Tip: You can use <img src="../../Images/Button_Print_Preview.gif" alt="Button_Print_Preview.gif" style="border: none;" border="0" /> Print Preview to view the data you are about to print out.

I've 'deleted' the XPJ, no effect. Any ideas?

I'm on Windows 7, with IE9

Nicola

Report · Jul 25, 2011

Hi and welcome to the community,

1. The tag starting and ending with question marks are XML processing instructions. Nothing wrong with that, see http://www.w3.org/TR/xml/#sec-pi.

2. The HTML tag for the print image is just a lof of gibberish. Is that exactly what you're seeing?

A few thoughts:

- Are your project AND your output directory both on your local drive?

- Do you use long filenames/folder names? Long file paths may give trouble.

- You have deleted the XPJ. Have you also tried deleting the CPJ? Make a full backup, remove the CPJ and open the project again.

- Can you run the W3C compliance tool to see what problems might be in your code? (File > W3C Compliance > Validate all)

- You say this is a 'file' that was RH9, went back to RH8 and is now back to RH9. Do you mean a single file or the entire project? What did you do to 'downgrade' the file/project?

I doubt this is an IE9 issue. I've tested Robo 9 with IE9 and I didn't have any problems. If you get errors that certain tags are incomplete, there might be something wrong with the code in your topics.

Greet,

Willam

Report · Jul 25, 2011

Willam means CPD, not CPJ.

To repair damage done by deleting the XPJ, see Opening Projects on my site.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@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 · Jul 25, 2011

Oops. Thanks for the vigilance Peter.

Report · Jul 25, 2011

Hi,

I've figured it out.

The project was stored in My Documents, when I removed it to the root C drive, it compiles perfectly.

This could be because I have shared the folders to my fellow TAs, so acts like an external folder would???? It's certainly not on the network as I can access it when I'm off line, and there is no synchronisation.

Thank you so much for your help, it was your suggestion about it being on the network that prompted me to look....

Nicola

Report · Jul 25, 2011

Yes indeed. The My Documents folder shared in this way would be the same as if it was networked. Glad you got it sorted.

The RoboColum(n)

@robocolumn

Colum McAndrew

Report · Jul 25, 2011

Hi there

Certainly I could see if "My Documents" was a roving folder that it could present an issue. By "Roving", I mean that some IT types will configure your My Documents so that it actually lives on a network drive. The defining question to ask to determine this is generally this: Are you able to walk up to any computer in your company, log in and have your customized desktop follow you around from PC to PC? If not, it's not very likely that your My Documents is actually on the network.

Assuming your "My Documents" is on your personal C drive, just sharing it may or may not present an issue. Certainly if others had files in use I could see it causing a problem.

However, based on what I've seen in this thread, the most likely issue in my own mind would simply be related to the location of the My Documents on your own C drive. This is something I touch on in every RoboHelp HTML class I facilitate. It's a good idea to create a folder named "Projects" right off the root of C.

Example:

C:\Projects

Then for each project, you create its own folder inside that.

Examples:

C:\Projects\FirstProject

C:\Projects\SecondProject

C:\Projects\ThirdProject

Even when "My Documents" is on your C drive (for example, a home PC with no network in the picture) the path is fairly long. And long path names can lead to trouble.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links

RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form

Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day!

Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training

SorcerStone Blog

RoboHelp eBooks

Report · Jul 25, 2011

Hi Rick,

As I said, the My Documents folder isn't a roving one. It seems as though the share we have created for various authors across our network is causing this issue. I'm assuming because it's got its own network path (just had a peek) that it is now a roaming folder

All my career I've stored projects on C, but when I moved here we wanted a central point to put our projects and My Docs seemed the obvious place for it.

Oh well, back to plan A!

Nicola

Report · Jul 25, 2011

Hi William,

2. The HTML tag for the print image is just a lof of gibberish. Is that exactly what you're seeing?

I can't view the output because the compiler crashes before it can generate the CHM. I can generate WebHelp without these issues.

- Are your project AND your output directory both on your local drive?

Yes.

- Do you use long filenames/folder names? Long file paths may give trouble.

Typical path: "../../Images/Button_DocumentsStandard.gif"

I don't think that's excessive!

- You have deleted the XPJ. Have you also tried deleting the CPJ? Make a full backup, remove the CPJ and open the project again.

Can't find a CPJ, did you mean the CPD?? I've done that, no change.

- Can you run the W3C compliance tool to see what problems might be in your code? (File > W3C Compliance > Validate all)

I could, do you mean on the source or output? I don't have the output code (RH deletes it), and the source looks ok to me... nothing fancy.

- You say this is a 'file' that was RH9, went back to RH8 and is now back to RH9. Do you mean a single file or the entire project? What did you do to 'downgrade' the file/project?

Sorry, the project got downgraded. I can't remember what I did to downgrade it, this was a while ago.

If you get errors that certain tags are incomplete, there might be something wrong with the code in your topics.

I agree with this, but can't see anything wrong with the code.

Thanks,

Nicola