Rh2020 - Why is my index file (default.idx) empty?

[Sandra42]

Hi There, 

I've created a project from the beginning of release 2020 (a few upgrades have occurred since). My content is nearly ready for going into translation, so I'm checking the glossary file and the index file to send to the translation agency.  And surprise: the default.idx file is empty, while I have some content in the Robohelp GUI and in my Output.... 

Is it a known issue?

Is there a way to 'regenerate' that .idx file?  

I've checked the samples projects: the .idx file of 'Compass travel' looks ok, but the one from 'About Robohelp' is also empty on my side... 

Thank you in advance for any hint... 

[Peter Grainge · Accepted solution]

The index keywords are now stored in the topic so there shouldn't be anything but what you see in the idx file.

In your local language file is the index working when you generate, if it is then all is well.

If you are using the translation feature in RoboHelp, what goes to the translator should work as the process is aware of how things work.

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[Peter Grainge]

What you are seeing in Compass Travel is because some of the keywords have had condition tags applied to them.

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[Sandra42]

Alright, thank you. 

I read this on your website indeed, but I wasn't sure what it meant....  I've had a better look in the topics and indeed I can see this: 

• a meta tag in the header: <meta name="rh-index-keywords" content="Expanding Text,Dropdowns" />
• some link tags in the body: 

  <h2><a id="bookmark_ProcessArea1" data-indexterm="Process area"></a><a id="Process_area1" data-indexterm="Tab bar"></a><a id="Process_area4" data-indexterm="Viewer toolbar"></a><a id="Process_area"></a>Process Area</h2>

I just hope the translation agency won't miss it (I'm not sure how their tool is going to show those tags). I've sent them a question about it.... 

I haven't got any translation files to test it yet.  

I intend to work with the html files instead of the xliff, because in the tool of the translation agency, we can see the rendering is not optimal for xliff (funny long tags).  

So, I suppose, the best option for me now is to arrange a test file with the translation agency. 

Thank you very much for your help. 

[Peter Grainge]

I am not sure how it is going to work if you are not using the XLIFF method built into RoboHelp. There is an Index Report and you can download that into a CSV file the agency could translate.

Would it not be worth speaking to the agency and using the XLIFF method?

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[Sandra42]

Thank you for the Report tip, I hadn't explored that part.  

However, the report shows 18 index terms while in the UI I have created 30....??  another mystery... ;-). Maybe for another ticket? 

Regarding the xliff or html files, yes, I think I need to discuss further with the translation agency.  

I must admit I'm mostly dubious about the whole process... 

Cheers. 

[Peter Grainge]

I wouldn't log a ticket until the discrepancy has been explored. So far I have not seen any issues with the Index report not tallying with what is seen in the index panel. Identify a keyword that is not in the report and check the generated output to see if it works there. Let me know.

There have only been a few posts about the process and I think I am right in saying there is just one issue that that is being fixed in Update 4 due to be released soon. Dubious because of fear of the unknown or for a specific reason?

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[Sandra42]

Ok, I think I found out the reason of the discrepancy between the index report (18) and the index panel (30).  

First, the output reflects the index list of the index panel (30), that is why I didn't notice any discrepancy earlier I guess. 

Second, the words missing in the index report were not properly linked to the topic (not appearing in the meta tag in the head). I made the link to bookmarks in the topics (the <a> tag in the body).  So now I corrected for the two link instances to be included in the topic. And the index report is correct now. 

Cheers. 

I'm dubious because of fear I guess ;-). 

[Peter Grainge]

1. The translation does not touch your local language project so there's nothing to lose. That said, there's no harm in creating a backup before you start.
2. Assuming it all works well with the agency, it should be a better way going forward.

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[Sandra42]

Thank your for your reassuring words.  🙂