RoboHelp 2020 - No Search results found in Microsoft HTML Help output

[Scott Tompkins]

Hello, I cannot get the Search tab to find any results after outputing a RoboHelp MS HTML Help file (.chm).  I've looked everywhere for an output setting or flag that I might be missing.  The Search tab is present and although I have plenty of content and keywords, no matter what I search on, it always results in No Topics Found.  I've also tried enabling Advanced Search but that produced the same results.

Is there something I need to do to get RoboHelp to index the content files and so MS Help can produce search results?

I'm using RoboHelp 2020 update 7, on Win 10, but had the same issues with update 6.

Thanks!

Scott

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

If you get the same result when trying the sample project, then contact RH support - see https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/enterprise-support.other.html#robohelp for your Adobe Support options. I'd recommend using the tcssup@adobe.com e-mail address as it reaches a team dedicated to Technical Communication Suite products including RoboHelp.

[Scott Tompkins]

Thank you for the suggestion.  I tried the Compass Travel example and it too did not have any search results.  I'll try tcssup@adobe.com and post the results here in case it can help someone else.

[Peter Grainge]

I'm not at a RoboHelp machine right now but try a search of this forum. The issue sounds familiar. 

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

[Scott Tompkins]

Hi Peter, I did do several searches here as well as on Google.  Nothing definative to help.  Thanks!

[Scott Tompkins · Accepted solution]

Update, I found the solution.

Problem: Not all of the Microsoft HTML Help Workshop components were installed or registered correctly.

How Resolved: Reinstalled Microsoft HTML Help Workshop 1.3.  Note that after installing, it displayed a message saying I already had a newer version of the software on my system.  Regardless, it still installed everything I needed to fix the issue.

Using the Adobe Support chat, it pointed me towards a related conversation (Peter you were correct that this issue had already been discussed): https://community.adobe.com/t5/robohelp-discussions/full-text-search-doesn-t-work-in-chm-help/td-p/7...

However, the links in the conversation were bad.  Here is an update on the links:

MJ's Diagnostics: http://kb.helpwaregroup.com/ms-html-help/mj-s-diagnostics

Microsoft HTML Help Workshop (not easy to find on microsoft.com):  http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/A/9/0A939EF6-E31C-430F-A3DF-DFAE7960D564/htmlhelp.exe

After installing MS Help, re-output your HTML Help file from RoboHelp.

Thank you everyone for your responses!

-Scott

[Kdale2]

I'm still getting an error on your link for the HTML Help Workshop link... any chance there's a typo or? In my case, some things are showing in search and some are  not. But the main thing I noticed is that my Location column is missing in Search (for .chm help) and the ability to select a topic in Search and then go back to the TOC and it be on that topic. That was very helpful.  Thanks for any help!

[Kdale2]

or tell me how to navigate to that link to download it? I'm looking in downloads but not finding it

[Scott Tompkins]

Sorry about that.  Here is the actual link to get the file:

http://web.archive.org/web/20160314043751/http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/A/9/0A939EF6-E31C...

-Scott

[Kdale2]

Thanks so much Scott! Ok, I got the file, but I'll probably have to get my IT person to apply it bcz we don't have permissions. Are there steps of where/how to apply these files? Sorry if I missed that. Thank you again. 

[Scott Tompkins]

The file unzips into an executable installation file.  You'll probably need admin privelages to install it.  Once it's installed, it should properly fixe the problem files.  I didn't have to move any files at all.

-Scott

[Kdale2]

I'm so very sorry to bother you again, but that .zip file only has .chm files in it and one .lib...did you send me the wrong zip file? What am I missing?

[Scott Tompkins]

Does this link work?:

http://web.archive.org/web/20200918004813/http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/A/9/0A939EF6-E31C...

-Scott

[Peter Grainge]

It looks like it can be downloaded from this link.

Alternatively, it can be downloaded from: Microsoft HTML Help Workshop

When you land on that page click away from the highlighted text and you will see that the string Microsoft HTML Help Workshop is a link.

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

[Kdale2]

Thank you both so much. Ok, I got the file and my IT person installed it, but it didn't seem to fix my issue. 😞  (I even rebooted twice) My issue is that in the previously generated .chm files, I had the Location column in the Search window and now that's gone. That Location information was very helpful in finding where that topic is in the massive help file. Also, you could select the topic and then select Contents and it took you to that place in the TOC. Any thoughts on this? Thank you for your help!

[Peter Grainge]

I'm guessing that is controlled by this Window setting.

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

[Kdale2]

That's IT!  You're a genious and I need to dig deeper into this new version. THANK YOU! I'll be going back to your demos to see what else I missed. Looking at using Favorites possibly now.

[Kdale2]

I'm not as I misspelled genius LOL (well typo)