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A
Anonymous
August 31, 2007
Question

Tabs in HTML output

  • August 31, 2007
  • 1 reply
  • 453 views
We have a very large RoboHelp for Word project (24 source files, 2500 topics). Do to Vista issues we are converting from WinHelp to HTML output.

In the Word source files, allignment (within lines) is controlled by left Tabs. The WinHlep output is fine. It appears the the tabs (as well as multiple spaces) are ignored in the HTMLoutput. A review of the HTML spurce code reveals that tabs are coverted to &nbsp on compilation.

What are my options?
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1 reply

RoboWizard
RoboWizard
Inspiring
August 31, 2007
Hi TEB008

You asked: What are my options?

At the risk of sounding crass and totally snarky, I'd have to say: Get used to it!

Seriously, the world of HTML is a brave new world as compared to the older WinHelp. After you get used to its seeming quirks (as compared to the world of WinHelp) you may find that you really don't miss those old ways of working after all.

I do suppose there is always the option of continuing to author using RoboHelp for Word. After all, you may use this to produce HTML Help and WebHelp outputs too. But if you are creating HTML outputs you may as well be using a tool created to work with such files, no?

Cheers... Rick
F
frmage
Known Participant
September 3, 2007
> I do suppose there is always the option of continuing to author using RoboHelp for Word. After all, you may use this
> to produce HTML Help and WebHelp outputs too. But if you are creating HTML outputs you may as well be using a
> tool created to work with such files, no?

With all due respect, Rick (and much is indeed due in the right contexts) this doesn't help the original poster. The tabs issue is as you point out a quirk of the HTML world, and the only benefit of moving to an HTML editor in that respect is to make it apparent up front that tabs can't be handled sensibly. As you say, get used to it - if you are using HTML-based output, you can't line things up with tabs. You can use tables, but that's a major editing operation with 2500 topics whatever tool you are using to write the help. I suppose the dignity of the problem depends on how important the lining up is in the final output.

I may be reactionary, but I stick to Robohelp for Word even when I am generating Webhelp format. Sure, there are drawbacks, but IMHO Word offers a vastly superior authoring environment to one-topic-at-a-time HTML editors. The HTML editor might be a tool created to work with HTML files, but that doesn't automatically mean it's a good tool for the job.
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