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dawno97706509
Known Participant
August 31, 2016
Answered

TOC missing from Responsive HTML5 output (Robohelp 2015)

  • August 31, 2016
  • 3 replies
  • 1791 views

Problem: When I generate Responsive HTML5 output using a conditional build expression, there is not TOC in the output.

I know the right content is included in/excluded from the output based on searches that I perform in the output. The only problems seems to be there is no TOC.

What could be causing this issue?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

Dawn

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Peter Grainge

I deleted all tags from all my folders in the Project Manager and then, to make sure, deleted any tags from the TOC. Some TOC items had tags (which I deleted), but none of them were Test 911.

So, then I reapplied the 911 tag to User Desktop (TOC and topics) and regenerated with the Test 911 expression. Every TOC book in the project was included in the output (and, I think, all topics as well). But only User Desktop should have been included.

When I look at the properties of the Test 911 tag, it’s only applied to the TOC and topics that belong to User Desktop. I’ve tried deleting tags from the entire project, and I’ve successfully deleted some, but I intermittently get the “encountered an improper argument” message.

When I apply the Test 911 tag to another TOC book “Document Central,” and all its associated topics I’m also getting every single book (and I think all the topics as well, I randomly checked). This is different from before, when I was getting about half of the project content.

So, I'm signing off as well. This is Labor Day weekend for us, and I'm out of the office Friday and Monday. We're getting ready to move, so I'll be busy, but I'll check in when I can, in case you've had a chance to come back. Thanks so much!

Dawn


I will check it later but it looks like you are missing one essential point that I made in my previous reply (16 in the thread).

You have said you removed all tags except one from a few topics. I said to apply some other tag to the topics that you don't want included but you didn't do that, you just applied 911 to what you do want and then the TOC included everything. That is normal and covered in the page on my site I referred you to. http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/build_expressions/expressions.htm

Build Expressions

The last point there under Untagged Topics reads:

Note that any topic that does NOT have a tag will be included in the output.

Thus what you are reporting in your previous post is expected. I'm pretty sure that tagging all the unwanted topics with any other tag will fix things.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring information

@petergrainge

3 replies

D
dawno97706509Author
Known Participant
September 1, 2016

Thanks for your reply, Peter.

I tested all my back up versions and didn't find one that worked.

I then removed all tags from all topics and TOC entries (no content at all is tagged in the project now), and created a brand new tag, which I applied to just 3 topics. When I generated the output, random sections of the TOC were available, (about half of the content). I couldn't see any rhyme or reason as to what content was excluded or included.

The output is still just fine when I select "none" as the Conditional Build Expression. Do you have any more suggestions? Thanks so much!

Dawn

Peter Grainge
Peter Grainge
Braniac
September 1, 2016

Wine and/or prayer?

1. Trash the CPD and reopen the project.

2. Send me the project. See Contact page on my site and follow instructions

there. Because of my availability, asap.

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.
D
dawno97706509Author
Known Participant
September 1, 2016

LOL! I was going to try sobbing while rocking back and forth in a corner, but I like your suggestion better!

Just started the process of transferring the file. Thank you so much!

Dawn

D
dawno97706509Author
Known Participant
August 31, 2016

Rick, I don't know if you're still available for my questions, but here's what I've tried this afternoon:

I've tried compiling with several different conditional build expressions and keep getting the same result: the TOC shows the same two books, regardless of the expression I use, and the entire help file is available through search (i.e. I should only be able to find topics included in the expression, but all topics are available, regardless of how they are tagged.)

When I select "none" for conditional build expression, the TOC for the entire help system displays as it should, and all content is available.

I have one tag "3.16" that is applied to all topics/TOC books in the project. I tried to delete that tag and got the message shown below. For some reason, I think this tag may be the problem. I can delete other tags applied to multiple topics with no problem. Thanks again, for your help thus far!

Dawn

D
dawno97706509Author
Known Participant
September 1, 2016

Update on this issue: (I think my project is corrupt!). Please let me know if the following steps make sense to you, and if you have any other suggestions!

  • I know my version of RH 2015 works perfectly because I tested the use of conditional build tags and dynamic content filtering on a different project. (a much, much smaller project, don't know if that makes any difference)
  • NEXT STEP: I will try the last backup version of the help system and keep going back to earlier and earlier versions until I find one where I can successfully apply CBTs and dynamic content filtering.
  • If/when I find a backup version of the project that seems allright, I'll make a copy and import a few topics at a time from the latest version, testing each time to see if the project goes corrupt. Then, theoretically, I'll know which topic files are corrupt or bring corruption to the project and can recreate the content as new topics.

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer!

Dawn

Peter Grainge
Peter Grainge
Braniac
September 1, 2016

I think that if your project was corrupt, you would have problems with all outputs, not just those involving expressions. Usually any such problem is down to something related to the tagging or the expression.

That is not to say though that there is not a problem topic but that's different to a corrupt project.

I think what you are doing seems to be the best next step.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring information

@petergrainge

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.
Captiv8r
Captiv8r
Braniac
August 31, 2016

Hi there

Is it possible that somehow you have managed to tag all entries in the TOC with the tag being excluded?

Have you tried creating a new TOC and specifying that one as the one to use when you generate?

Cheers... Rick

D
dawno97706509Author
Known Participant
August 31, 2016

Thanks for the reply, Rick!

I’ve tried it with just one tag included as shown in the screen shot below. I know only a handful of topics have this tag applied. I have tried creating a separate TOC and selecting that one when I generate the output. Still no luck!

Dawn

A
acroftfoodog
Inspiring
August 31, 2016

Maybe you inadvertently modified the 'Show TOC' property?

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