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A
Anonymous
April 27, 2010
Question

Swapping images that have image maps

  • April 27, 2010
  • 1 reply
  • 1163 views

Using RoboHelp 8, I'm embedding images and adding half a dozen image map shapes with links to distant topics in my help project. Every time I modify an image, it seems I have to swap it out with the image I put in previously (unlike, say, in InDesign, where you can create an automatically updating link to an image). And every time I delete the image, the maps disappear and need to be re-created.

1. Is there a way to link images in RoboHelp to avoid the manual delete and replacement?

2. Is there a way to store image maps so they needn't be re-created every time their underlying image is replaced?

Thanks much.

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    1 reply

    Captiv8r
    Captiv8r
    Legend
    April 27, 2010

    Hi there

    The key here is to avoid using RoboHelp to replace the image.

    If you simply replace the image using Windows Explorer and using the same file name, the map areas will be retained. RoboHelp should be none the wiser. If the dimensions of the image changed during editing, you will need to right-click the image and choose Reset Size. But the map areas should still be present.

    Cheers... Rick

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    A
    Anonymous
    April 27, 2010

    Rick,

    I'm not seeing it. My workflow is that I created the initial gif image from Microsoft Visio, inserted the image into a topic and saved it. Then I modify the image in Visio, save with the same name, replacing the file in the same location, then I generate my project again in RoboHelp and the old image is still in place.

    What must I do to tell RoboHelp to refresh the image?

    A
    Anonymous
    April 27, 2010

    Rick,

    The answer is both: I'm trying to update the image and have the image maps remain in place. I'll give you more detail.

    In Visio, I create the SampleDraw image and save a gif copy of it into my RoboImages folder (SampleDraw.gif). I quit Visio.

    In RoboHelp, I create topic SampleTopic and insert image SampleDraw.

    I create a few image maps on top of SampleDraw in SampleTopic.

    I save my RoboHelp project and quit.

    Now I open SampleDraw in Visio, make some changes, and save it as SampleDraw.gif in my RoboImages folder. I get a message warning me that an existing drawing of the same name in the same location exists. I OK the overwrite, and the old SampleDraw.gif is gone, replaced by my modified gif of the same exact name.

    I open my RoboHelp project and launch SampleTopic. The old images is there, and the image maps are also in place.


    Rick,

    Sorry, some weirdness happened and my last post got posted before I finished.

    Here's a more detailed scenario.

    I open Microsoft Visio and create SampleImage. I save it as a gif to my RoboDrawings folder. Now, in the RoboDrawings folder, there is an image called SampleImage.gif.

    I quit Microsoft Visio.

    I open RoboHelp and create a project in which a topic is called SampleTopic.

    I insert an image, go to the RoboDrawings folder and select SampleImage.gif.

    I create a few image maps linking to various other topics.

    I save everything, generate html help and close down RoboHelp.

    Now I open Microsoft Visio again, open SampleImage and change it drastically without resizing anything.

    I save my Visio drawing under the same name, perform a Save As and go to the RoboDrawings folder to save the image as SampleImage.gif. I get a message warning me a file of the same name exists, and I choose to overwrite it, eliminating the old file.

    I shut down Visio.

    I open RoboHelp, view SampleTopic and the old image is there with image maps in place. I generate html help again, and the old image is still there with its maps in place.

    Without deleting the old image in the SampleTopic and manually inserting the new one (same name, though), how do I get RoboHelp to acknowledge that the image has been updated?

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