RH9 hangs while generating printed doc

[MM_Acton]

I was generating a printed doc and left my desk. When I came back, the laptop had gone to sleep. When I woke it, it was stuck on the last part, Updating Index.

I let it go for a while (the progress bar was showing that it was almost done and still processing topics). After 20 minutes, I tried to cancel by clicking Cancel. It ignored me. I killed it with Task Manager.

I waited a minute, then restarted RH. I tried again. It said the document was in use. I shut everything down, restarted Windows, and tried again. Got the same message. Went and deleted everything in the output folder for the printed doc. Deleted the .CPD file, just because.

Restarted Windows again. Tried generating the printed doc again. It's stuck at the same point, and it's been over a half hour.

I could go back to yesterday's backup without much pain (no major changes since then), but just in case this happens again and I don't have that option, what should I do?

It's a long weekend here in the States (Memorial Day) and I think it's a Bank Holiday in the UK (Spring Bank Holiday), so I'm sure you all aren't glued to your screens , so I'll be patient.

[Peter Grainge]

In order:

1. Use Windows Explorer to delete the content of the target location and try again.
2. Generate to a different location.
3. Create a new layout, not a duplicate.
4. Create two duplicate layouts and trash the different halves of the content.
5. Open a bottle.
6. Resign.

Seriously, post back if Steps 1 to 4 don't work.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MM_Acton]

  Will try, especially step 5.

Seriously, though, will do. I thought about printing to a different location, but, of course, not until after I shut down.

Another thing occurred to me. I complained to DH (Dear Hubby) about getting Java update checks all the time and he said, "Uninstall Java. If software needs Java, it will let you know."  I know I did that on Thursday, but I can't remember if I did it before or after the last time I generated a printed doc. I doubt that has anything to do with it, but it's another thing I can investigate if your suggestion doesn't work.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks!

[MM_Acton]

Okay, here are the results:

1. Use Windows Explorer to delete the content of the target location and try again. -- No, that didn't work.
2. Generate to a different location. -- No, that didn't work.
3. Create a new layout, not a duplicate. -- This worked, but the custom cover page I made is missing.Still, that's easy enough to re-create from an old version.

Thanks for your help!

[MM_Acton]

Ignore that last sentence about the cover page being missing. I found it.

[Peter Grainge]

Dang! So you didn't get to Step 5 then.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MM_Acton]

Actually, I *started* with Step 5  Friday evening.

[Peter Grainge]

Typical technical author, don't read the instructions!

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MM_Acton]

Update: This happened again. Although Task Manager didn't show me anything interesting, I wonder if it's a memory problem. I had 3 Word docs, Firefox, Outlook, and an ERP application running, which is probably what I would have run when this happened before.

I had to kill the task with Task Manager.

Once again, I couldn't delete the output Word doc.

I rebooted.

The Word doc was still there.

Tried to delete it. Nothing. Waited a few seconds, tried again. This time I could delete it.

This time I could finish generating Word.

(Darn, didn't get to step 5!)