Search Error: Failed to initialize database

[Guest]

I have been using RH HTML version 8.02 for several months. Recently, after compiling, the Search results do not work. The Search tab shows Error: Failed to initialize database. This occurs when I compile locally and to the server. Running MJ's Diagnostics did not fix the problem.

Thanks.

Bill

[rajibdugar]

To nail down the issue, can you please share the following information.

1) Is your table of contents loading correctly?

2) Is it a browser specific issue? Which browser are you using?

3) Go the <Output Folder>\whxdata folder. Please verify that following files are valid xml files

• whfts.xml
• topictableindex.xml
• topictable_n.xml(where n= 0,1,2,3...)
• packageindex.xml
• package_n.xml(where n= 0,1,2,3...)

[Guest]

Please see my responses in brackets next to the questions. Thanks.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Better try that again - nothing came through in your post.

[Guest]

Sending again.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

If you are attaching something, please note that the forums disallow attachments because of security issues.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Guest]

Hi, Rick:

I am not trying to attach anything. Please see my responses that are built into the questions.

Please see my responses in brackets next to the questions. Thanks.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Nothing's showing up in your post - you'd better respond using the web interface.

[Guest]

I see from my posts that the message does not pick up the responses from the original message. I will attempt to type them here:

1) Yes, TOC is loading.

2) The error message appears on the Web page beneath the Search box. Using IE.

3) The project I am having a problem with does not contain the specified files. An older version of the same project does contain Packageindex, whfts, topictableindex appear in the folder; but not Topictable_n and package_n.

[Guest]

RoboHelp is stripping the xml files when I generate my project to the c:/local drive. I generated an older file with the Whfts, topictable and package xml files and they were missing afterwards.

[Guest]

RoboHelp is stripping the xml files when I generate my project to the c:/local drive. I generated an older file with the

Whfts, topictable and package xml files and they were missing afterwards.

[MergeThis]

Try deleting the target folder where you are generating the output, then generate the output again (RH should recreate the folder and populate it anew).

Good luck,

Leon

[Guest]

I generate it to here:

C:\Search Database Test\@WEMeHelp\Publish\!SSL!\WebHelp\WEMeHelp_Draft.htm

If I delete any part of the path, I get a message that says to Please enter a valid extension for the output file: .html/.html.

Or do you want me to delete the contents of this folder on my c:/drive?

Thanks for your response.

[Peter Grainge]

Try without the @ symbol in the path and try one of the supplied sample projects. Publish the latter to C:\publishtest.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[MergeThis]

...and lose the spaces in the folder names, too.

Good luck,

Leon

[Guest]

Test failed. I published one of my older project files with no @ sign or spaces in the name to: C:\Publish\!SSL!\WebHelp\WEMeHelp_Draft.htm

Rick, did you send a sample project to me? I did not see any attached to the email.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Bill

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

No, you've got a bunch of samples already installed in your RH installation. I seem to remember them being put in either you're my Documents\My RH Projects folder or in the \Program Files\... path. Clownfish school is one of them.

[Guest]

Test failed. I generated the CCC (Customer Contact Center) RH sample file to my c:/local drive.

I clicked the Search button and the Error: Failed to initialized database. Message appeared.

Should I try de-installing and re-installing RoboHelp?

[rajibdugar]

Please try following steps

1) Uninstall and then reinstall Robohelp

2) Now generate WebHelp output and see if the search works.

3) If it does not work, close RoboHelp Application.

4) Go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=3144b72b-b4f2-46da-b4b6-c5d7485f2b42&dis...

and download "msxml.msi" (MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 2, size 5.0 MB)

5) After downloading, install MSXML 4.0 by double clicking downloaded msxml.msi file.

6) Now launch RoboHelp application, open a sample project and generate Webhelp SSL.

7) Verify if search works and the error message goes away.

[Guest]

Test Failed.

I uninstalled and reinstalled RoboHelp, downloaded the msxml service package, and generated the two different sample projects.

Error message reappears.

[Guest]

Hi, Rajibdugar.  I am having the same problem as described in this thread.  I notice that in one of your replies, you mention that the user should verify that these files are valid:

• whfts.xml
• topictableindex.xml
• topictable_n.xml(where n= 0,1,2,3...)
• packageindex.xml
• package_n.xml(where n= 0,1,2,3...)

In my case, the files do NOT appear.  How do I get them or create them?  Any suggestions?

Thank you.

Gina

[Willam_van_Weelden]

Check the folder RoboHTML/WebHelp5Ext/template_stock/whxdata. Are there any files there?

Do you have a colleague for whom it is working? If so, copy the WebHelp5Ext folder from you colleague and overwrite it on your side. Does that solve it?

Kind regards,

Willam

[Guest]

Hi, Willam -- Thank you for your response.  The RoboHTML/WebHelp5Ext/template_stock/whxdata folder does have files in there.  The folder resides on my C drive.  Based on your "copy" suggestion, this is what I did...

The project in which the Search feature did not work was an updated version of an existing project.  In "old" existing project, as long as I did not recompile, the Search feature worked.  So, I copied the missing files from the old project and pasted them into the folder of the version I was updating.  Now, the Search feature works.

HOWEVER, when I start a brand new project, the following critical files are missing and I don't know how to make sure they are created.  I can't just copy these critical files

• whfts.xml

• topictableindex.xml

• topictable_n.xml(where n= 0,1,2,3...)

• packageindex.xml

• package_n.xml(where n= 0,1,2,3...)

from my current project since my current project is in no way related to the brand new project.

I'm using RoboHelp 9 and I see that RoboHelp 11 is the most current version.  Could that be part of the issue?  Is there any way to check as to why the critical files are not being created?

[Willam_van_Weelden]

If they are not created my guess would be that this is an installation issue. Can you uninstall and reinstall RoboHelp again? Make sure to install it yourself and don't use automated installers as those can give this problems after install.

[Guest]

Thanks, Willam -- I will try that.