WebHelp project won't generate and hangs on "Indexing references"

[brendan716]

Hi there,

On Wednesday I upgraded to the most current version of RH 2019. I believe (not positive) I was using a version two updates back. My issue is that WebHelp never completes. It hangs on "Indexing references" (image attached). I noticed another posted issue (https://community.adobe.com/t5/robohelp/rh-2019-full-upgraded-robohelp-project-fails-to-generate-ind...) that perhaps addresses what I'm experiencing. Problem is, if this is the same issue, I have a TON of image maps in my project that would be exceptionally time consuming to remove. Any thoughts? Many thanks!

[Peter Grainge]

Please always indicate New UI or Classic. In this case the image name gave me a clue. Also please use the photo icon to insert images into the body of a post. There are problems with attached images at the moment.

Image maps are not the only cause of hanging. In the preset go to the Search options and select all the file types to exclude from search.

Does the project then generate?

What skin are you using?

[brendan716]

Thanks, Peter. So, yeah, it kind of worked. After excluding file types from search, it didn't work using my custom skin. However, I changed the skin to Azure_Blue_(RTL) and it generates sometimes. I suspect I might find the pattern of misbehavior if I keep trying.

[Peter Grainge]

I'm guessing the skin is the issue. With a skin that does work, you could try deselecting the search options again to sort of prove it.

[brendan716]

Peter, the skin does not appear to be the issue. So, I used a different skin and it works the first time or two times I try to generate WebHelp, but then, at some point, after I've added a new topic or updated the TOC and try to regenerate, I get an error. It's quite inconsistent. But as soon as it fails once, it never seems to want to recover--and this is with using RH's prefab skin and excluding those files from my search.

Twice now I've copied over older versions of my Help to test and see this occurring. 

[Peter Grainge]

Next step has to be a new preset. Any joy with that?

[Peter Grainge]

Another possibility is the CSS that was upgraded. Create a new 2019 project and copy default.css from that. Rename to avoid overwriting if you need to.

In the Topic List report, select all topics and right click. Apply the clean default.css. Obviously it will screw up the appearance of your topics but it won't change their code. It will be OK when you revert to the correct CSS.

The point here is to rule out the CSS.

I have seen both the things I have suggested help in some cases.

[brendan716 · Accepted solution]

Okay, Peter, here's what I found ... 

The old adage, "when all else fails, reboot," is appropriate here. I was basically able to get it working by following your instructions. However, I needed to reboot between making changes (yes, I know it sounds odd). So, here's what I did in case someone else runs into this issue:

1) Edited the Webhelp Output Presets to use a new skin and select all options under "select files to exclude from search."

2) Saved and closed project.
3) Rebooted machine.

4) Updated and saved new skin.

5) Regenerated Webhelp.

I have not yet worked through each option in "select files to exclude from search" yet.

Thanks much for your assistance.

[Peter Grainge]

You might not thank me when you read this. I have found to my own cost, if that's any consolation, that applying a CSS from the Topic List adds it to a project but does not and, as far as I can see, cannot remove a CSS.

Also the Find and Replace tool would not find the line with the CSS link I wanted to remove. I think it should be possible to write a regular expression that would do it but in this instance it was easier to just edit the topics.

A quick and dirty method of working with two CSS files applied so that you do not get the cascading effect would be to open the CSS you don't want and in source view just delete all the content. That way whilst it is still linked, it's not doing anything.

Needless to say I have taken this up with Adobe. I won't be suggesting that fix until a better method is found. My apologies.

As to the various search options, I found it only helped if all options were selected. The cause is known and will be fixed in the next update. I don't know when that will be.

Keep us posted with progress.

[Peter Grainge]

Just to add that if you don't have a find and replace tool to strip out the extra CSS and if you can share the project, then one of my F&R tools seems to do the job.

If you can share it, then see the Contact page on my site and send the project as instructed there. Do make sure you include a link to this thread and please do not email the project direct.

[brendan716]

Uh oh. 

I'm not seeing two CSSes applied. Perhaps I'm missing something? When I look in the CSS output folder (WebHelp/assets/CSS) I only see one.

While I definitely appreciate your offer of me sending files to you for fixing, my corporate policy will not allow it.

[Peter Grainge]

To check what CSS is applied, look in the Topic List report.

If more than one, fix it in the topic source code or Topic Properties.

[brendan716]

Peter, I'm only seeing one style sheet in my report.

[Peter Grainge]

Phew! At least that's not an issue. It's late here so let me read the thread again in the morning.

[Peter Grainge]

If I have reread this correctly, you had resolved the problem and the thread only continued because I raised the possibility of me having messed things up by adding a second CSS. In the event, that had not happened so all is now OK. Correct?

[brendan716]

Yes, I got it to work, but there's still something amiss with leaving the "select file types to exclude from search" unchecked.

Again, I really appreciate your help.

[Peter Grainge]

Yes but that's a known bug. I can't help with that.