RoboHelp 2020 Contents Layout Default Structure

[srmsrm]

I just upgraded to RoboHelp 2020.

I imported an old project and under my assets and css folders, I had multiple nested assets and css folders / files. Using the RoboHelp Unused file report, I was able to see what files were not being used and clean up the structure.

My question is how is the structure supposed to work. In below, when I add a new topic (!!!!!- Added Manual Test) and imported an HTML file (!!!!! - Import Test), the files are at the same level as the folders (e.g., snippets). The topics from the previous version of RoboHelp (e.g., Application Settings) look to be one level higher.

As I have multiple RoboHelp files to convert, what is correct? If the default should be as the manual file test and import test, I can highlight all the topics and move them under assets to be the same as the manual and import test. That would be one less step when adding / importing files.

I just want to be sure of the structure before converting other projects. 

Thank you.

Shawn

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

What point version of RH2020 are you running? Latest one (March 2022 is Patch 7).

[srmsrm]

Jeff

Thanks for the response.

I am using 2020.7.46

Please note I did have an issue with RoboHelp 2020 not working. Not sure if that issue is related to this question.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/robohelp-discussions/robohelp-2020-crashes-not-functional-upon-starti...

Shawn

Shawn

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Ok, so did you try this upgrade of an old project after uninstalling & reinstalling RH2020?

[srmsrm]

Jeff

1. I installed RoboHelp 2020 and imported the project yesterday. All was OK. I was editing files, etc.
2. I ran into the issue today where I could not use RoboHelp 2020. I tried the items noted in the other article and by completing searches online. Nothing helped.
3. Per Peter, I uninstalled / reinstalled and then started to move through the software, etc. learning how to use it.
4. I had run the Unused file report again and noticed some of the files I was using was listed in that report. That is when I started expanding the folders in CONTENTS, seeing how it worked, added new topics, etc. which generated asking questions in this post.

Shawn

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I would be tempted to re-upgrade the project again to ensure that it converts fine before making changes to it.

[srmsrm]

Jeff:

How should it update?

I can easily make a copy of the old project and covert it again as a test.

Shawn

[srmsrm]

Jeff:

I converted the project again and the result were the same as I noted earlier.

I think the main item is I'm not sure what level the topics are supposed to be added. Even when I add topics, RH says they are not in use. Maybe I'm miss understanding what is meant by as files in use as both files in and out of Assets folder are being marked as unused.

Shawn

[Amebr]

If you are upgrading a RH Classic project you should open Robohelp and select "Upgrade Project" from the start page. This is the correct method for upgrading a Classic project.

If you are upgrading from 2019 New UI or earlier patch version of RH2020, you open the project as normal. I think you get a prompt that the project was created in an earlier version, but I think you just click OK to procede with the update.

If you select File > Import HTML Topic, the html file you select will be imported into whatever folder you have selected in the Contents panel. I'm not sure if the HTML code is changes when you do this or not - you might find you have legacy RH Classic code in your topics that could cause problems or require a lot of manual cleanup.

Can you confirm which method you used?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

What was the structure of the project before updating it? The update should have preserved what was there from before.

[Peter Grainge]

@Jeff_Coatsworth 

"As I have multiple RoboHelp files to convert, what is correct? If the default should be as the manual file test and import test, I can highlight all the topics and move them under assets to be the same as the manual and import test. That would be one less step when adding / importing files."

@srmsrm is referring to "Import" in the first post and manual file test and import in the quote above. I'm wondering quite how they are upgrading. It doesn't look the correct Upgrade Project you are pointing to, which is the way to do it.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

[srmsrm]

Thank you all your help, butI'm not sure how to proceed.

The image is the RH file I imported from an older version of Robo Help. In the image, the manual topic and import files I created as a test to see where they are created. These files even though created in the project are also noted as Unused. The location of these files is under assets and not the same level as assets (other files from the older file imported).

I also tried to create a new RH project. New topics and imported topics are also noted as Unused. Is there something I need to do to mark fiels as Used in the project?

Does it matter where th efiles are located in the CONTENTS display. I beleive they have al ben moved to the Contents folder with subfolders for other data.

Again , thank you you for al your help.

Shawn

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Shawn - you don't need to import anything - just follow @Amebr 's instructions and upgrade the old project. The process is non-destructive - it leaves the original (pre-RH2020) project intact.

[Peter Grainge]

It's important we get the terminology correct. You upgrade Classic projects using the Upgrade Project on the Start Page. Import is something you do in a new UI project, not to create it.

That will give you your Contents as shown here.

The structure of your topic folders is exactly as it was in Classic with the addition of a folder called Assets.

The whole process is described here. RH2020 Upgrading from Classic Versions (grainge.org)

The highlighted section Converting the Project to Adobe RoboHelp Format describes what goes into Assets. For anything that is moved by the upgrade, RoboHelp changes the paths. You should thus be good to go.

You also need to be aware of a big change in the new versions. Just because a topic is in the Contents, it does not mean it is part of a build. In Classic all topics got generated unless tagged out. Now they have to be in a TOC. I'm guessing you have not got all the topics in a TOC so many of them will be "unused". All topics to be generated must be in the TOC you create but the user does not have to see them when they look at the TOC. You use the Hide option. See RH2020 The Table of Contents (grainge.org)

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

[srmsrm · Accepted solution]

Thank you. I apologize for the the miss-communication (mixing import and upgrade) on my end as I am using both.

I used upgrade Classic projects. That worked OK.

I am also importing HTML files and can move the imported files between folders as required.

The USED explanation concern TOC is exactly what I needed, thank you. I was not aware of the change.

I'll read the topics you provided.

So for CONTENTS,  I can use any format of the folders and tables. There is a default structure (what you provided), but I can configure the Folders the way I want to. Is that correct? That was part of my confusion. I thought I had to follow and exact format in CONTENTS and where folders / files are located.

Shawn

[Peter Grainge]

Within the Contents panel you can create folders at top level or you can create folders within a folder. What you see in Assets can be moved to any other folder but I recommend that you only move images.

Tables are something within a topic so I'm not clear on what you mean there.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

[srmsrm]

The text "and tables" in my previous reply - "So for CONTENTS, I can use any format of the folders and tables" was a copy / paste mistake.