RSC input error

[Guest]

Greetings,
Our project was created by an outside consultant using RoboHelp 6. I have RH7/RSC client installed on my PC.
In RSC when I click on the project objects I often get a pop up box saying 'Input string was not in a correct format.'
It can happen in the folder tree or in the file window. It doesn't happen with every folder or file; length of folder or file names does not appear to matter. It may be that clicking on a folder does not produce the error, but moving from the folder to another and then back again will produce the error. Other colleagues with a similar installation (software versions) claim not to get this error. I have uninstalled and reinstalled RH7 and RSC with no change. I also changed my local path to a shorter path location. Does anyone know what is causing these errors and how to fix them?
Thanks
mcbritt

[Gravenstein]

Welcome mcbritt! You say that you RH7/RSC installed on your PC, but that the project was created in RH6. Which version is the RSC server installation? If it's the older one, perhaps the discrepancy between your PC version and the server version might account for the problem.

Other thoughts: does the db name have numbers in it? Another post here uncovered the fact that RSC does not tolerate numbers in the db name. Another thing that RSC *might* not tolerate is a db name that has fewer than 4 characters. This was true in the X5 version of RSC, but I don't know if it's still true today.

G

[Guest]

G,
Thanks for your reply. I'm looking into the RSC versions; naturally the tech who set up the db and software on the server is no longer with the company. The database name is four alpha characters so that should be fine.
Will inform when we have this solved.
Glad to know you're out there!
mcbritt

[Gravenstein]

Here's another line of thought for you. Does this project need to be source-controlled? Do you need the RSC history for that project? If not, you could simply take a copy of the project files from your local pc and sever that copy from RSC. Once you've done that, you can access it as a plain, vanilla-flavored, independent RH7 project. Or you could even upload it into a new database that you know is current level.

That might be simpler and easier than fighting with it. There are instructions on this forum for removing a project (or its clone) from source control.

G

[Guest]

G, I like the way you think! Unfortunately there are 5 people adding content to the help tool between US and Europe, but each person except me does have their own module. I am the lead content manager / QC / publisher. There is some discussion about using Documentum (company standard for regulatory docs) instead of RSC for version control but that has a few people worried. Still the idea of abandoning RSC and just communicating about updating activities may be workable. None of us does this as a full-time responsibility.
Thanks again for your thoughts.
mcbritt

[Gravenstein]

OK...so source control is definitely appropriate for you! The question about whether you need the version history might still apply, though. If you're not concerned about resurrecting historical information out of this project, you could start fresh with a new RSC database for this project. (You would want to make a clone of the project, remove it from source control, and then upload it to the new database.)

With your current situation, I'm also wondering if perhaps there are issues with login names, passthrough security, and/or permissions on various servers. It might be educational to create a test database with a generic project uploaded to it to check whether the problem really is associated with that project or whether it's systemic.

G

[Guest]

Agreed. We uploaded Clownfish to the database and saw the same error appear. We are now looking for a server to host a new database installation for testing. Will inform when we get the input error to disappear.
Thanks
mcbritt

[Guest]

Postscript:  After many uninstalls and reinstalls my PC was finally re-imaged and RH/RSC completely reinstalled.  The input string error is no more.

M. Britt

[Gravenstein]

Glad to hear that your problem is resolved. Thanks for posting a followup!

G