RoboHelp 11 Generates only 1 file from a linked FrameMaker Book

[CaptLauren]

I am using TCS to create a WebHelp project from a FrameMaker book. Ultimately I will convert the WebHelp to a CHM file for integration with an application. Generating a CHM file that way allows me to control the HTML Help window position.

From RH I linked to the FM.book file. RH converted the files in the book, but when I generated the WebHelp, it contained just one topic from one file in the book.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I think you missed the Conversion Settings that tell RH where to bust up the FM content into topics (pagination, it’s called) & how FM paragraph and character tags, and xrefs are to be handled. Check the Project Settings – edit FM documents button, make your changes and do a Force Update All to bring the FM content over again. You should have a bunch of topics depending on which Paragraph tags you told RH to split up the FM content.

[CaptLauren]

Hi Jeff-

Thanks for the fast reply. Unfortunately your suggestion didn't work for me. In fact, all the topics are displayed in the topic list, but RH generates only one of them. It's something like the tenth chapter in the book, and RH generates the same one each time!

After generating the WebHelp, the Output View lists all the topics (htm files) that were supposedly compiled. They appear in the project directory as well.

The FrameMaker document icons in the Project Manager pod display a blue arrow and the synched indicator. I'm thinking the blue arrow means that the file is linked rather than imported?

Thanks again!

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

So you’re seeing them split up properly in the Project Manager pod, but when you generate output, all you get is 1 topic (or folder)? Are you using conditional build tags that could be screening what ends up getting output? If you try another SSL output format - maybe HTML5 or CHM – does everything show up?

[CaptLauren]

That's correct Jeff- the topics are all listed.

There are no conditional build tags. Generating other Help types doesn't work either.

Oddly enough I had generated CHM files from the same FrameMaker book previously without any issues. The only difference between then and now is that in the interim I did some testing with creating Help directly from FM's native Publisher feature.

My next step will be to go dig up some files that were not used for those tests and see what happens.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

If you can share the content, I’d be willing to have a look-see at what’s going on. Shoot me a PM if you’re interested.

[CaptLauren · Accepted solution]

Jeff-

Thanks for solving my problem.

For those following this thread, Jeff discovered that RH had not generated a TOC from my linked book.fm file.

The solution was to use RH's automatic TOC generator to create a new TOC (and simultaneously delete the original "empty" TOC file).

After setting up the TOC, RH generated the WebHelp flawlessly.

Once I had the WebHelp set up, I was able to generate a CHM file from it. Doing so enables persistence in the Help window position on screen (i.e., the window "remembers" its last position once closed and reopened).