RoboHelp 2017 doesn't launch

[PeterNG]

I was able to install RoboHelp 2017 and run it, but the application does not launch on subsequent attempts.  It dies silently in the Task Manager.

If there is a log file for startup errors, I will be happy to look for it.

[kglad]

[moved from Downloading, Installing, Setting Up to RoboHelp]

[Peter Grainge · Accepted solution]

No but calls to Support are free for installation problems.

First though I would try an uninstall and reinstall. You must have admin

rights.

[PeterNG]

Of course I tried uninstalling and reinstalling. The problem keeps manifesting.

I did find a similar post where the poster said a tech discovered it was a licensing issue.  There was no further description given, and I do have a license to use the software.

Is there a dedicated support line other than the general one under Contact Us?  I called it prior to posting.. whereupon I was directed to post on the forums.

[Stefan-Gentz]

please send an e-mail tcssup@adobe.com with techcomm@adobe.com on CC. Someone from support will then get back to you and can also do an online session with you to look at it together.

[Peter Grainge]

Believe me, there's no "of course" when dealing with forum posts. We've all been the route of assuming someone would have done what seems to be obvious, as you did, only to then find they didn't. Nothing in your post to indicate whether this is your first time with RoboHelp or the zillionth.

Stefan has provided you with an email link. I'm guessing the phone call got you through to Customer Support rather than Technical Support, I believe they are separate. However, they should have given you the correct details rather than bouncing you to here.

Please post back if the end result is something that users can undertake without support being involved.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring information

@petergrainge

[PeterNG]

A tech remotely accessed my machine.  The problem was fixed by installing RoboHelp using an account with admin privileges (rather than using a normal account and supplying admin login info on demand, which is what I usually do), then running using Run As Administrator (when not on an admin account).  There was some cleanup of old Adobe files done as well, but I would say letting the installer have full access rather than relying on Windows to prompt as needed is what fixed it.

[Peter Grainge]

I did say uninstall and reinstall with admin rights in my first reply.

[DCA]

I had the same problem and it was solved (with the help of Adobe chat line) by doing the following:

"Install RH 2017 as a trial. Once Rh 2017 is installed as a trial try to launch it and check if you are facing the same issue or not. If you are able to launch Rh successfully as a trial then you can click on "license this software" and can enter the serial key to activate Rh as a full version."

[lucasli]

I'm having the same problem, I installed the RoboHelp 2017 twice already, is there any one know the cause? and how to solve it?

[Peter Grainge]

There is a solution that worked for one person above your post. Have you

tried that?

[lucasli]

I just re-installed Robohelp 2017 (totally 3 times), so far so good, probably I need use more time to see. The following are brief status of my 3 tries.

1st time: Install with Trial license, after using around 20 days, I got the license and activated it. It can’t launch after a few days (I’m not sure if I closed this system or not during this period)

2nd time: Uninstall existing software, and re-install with the license directly (without trial), it works fine in last Friday but can’t work in today.

3rd time: Uninstall the existing software, and re-install with trial, check if everything works. Re-launch and input the product license to activate this system. So far so good, I’ll revert back if it reproduce again.

Regards,

Lucas

[Eric_E_Swanson]

I've just had this happen to me.  I was able to fix it without doing an reinstall.

1. Stop the AGSService (Adobe Genuine Software Service).
2. Rename the C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\SLCache folder to something else (for backup in case this didn't work... I'm sure you could just delete it, but I'm not going to recommend it).
3. Restart the AGSService.
4. Launch Robohelp (RoboHTML.exe), it'll prompt for you to login and enter your license key.

I've been running for about a day now without issues, but I'm not sure what caused the issue to begin with.

The AGSService will recreate the SLCache folder after restarting.

This is the same solution as Solution 5 from this URL: Stop Creative Cloud from reverting to trial mode

I'm sure Solution 2 from this URL could also be done: Lightroom doesn't launch or closes automatically after splash screen

The above links also have solutions for Mac OS

[lucasli]

This solution make more sense. Thumbs up, thanks for sharing.

[Peter Grainge]

This should be fixed by just applying the recent update. That can be done

without RoboHelp running as obviously you can't run Help > Update.

[asloan]

FYI: I just encountered this issue when trying to start RoboHelp 2017 after installing the trial version of Technical Communications Suite 2019.

The solution provided by Eric.E.Swanson​ solved it for me.