RoboHelp2015 Table Styles not working properly

[lisabj4]

We are doing a conversion from WebHelp to Responsive HTML5 output. All the tables in our current topics were created with snippets and then converted to HTML so they could be edited. I created table styles for all of our tables and verified their definitions in my CSS to make sure they are all defined correctly. If I apply the new table style to the existing table or create a new table and apply the style, the style does not work properly. For example, in existing topics that have tables with the first row being navy and when I apply the new table style to that table the header row does not change to the custom color.

I also have embedded tables within tables. I know this is not a good way to look at content on a mobile device, but it isn't my decision to change the tables to text like it should be for readability. Anyway, I have table styles for these embedded tables but when I apply them they pick up the style of the "outer" table. For example, the embedded table style has left justified header row and the "outer" table has the header row centered. Because the outer table headers are centered it centers the embedded table header row regardless of the embedded table style defines the header row as left justified.

I'm trying to get these table styles to work properly so we can make color changes or whatever in the future instead of using snippets like was done in the past and not having the control to change the tables using the table styles. I've even had problems with changing the styles and creating new topics and making a new table and applying the style and it not looking like the table style I applied. I feel this table style feature is very "buggy" and makes things more frustrating.

I welcome any suggestions on getting my table styles to work especially the embedded table styles. I've spent many hours on getting things to work. We have over 500 topics to convert to this new table style look (color) and if there is a way to make this conversion easier I'm trying to discover that process as well.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

AFAIK there's no "conversion" to go to Responsive HTML5 from a WebHelp output - they're just different output formats. If something isn't changing when you apply a style to it, that suggests to me that there's something overruling the style - maybe in-line formatting or override CSS commands.

[Peter Grainge]

Am I right in thinking the bit about changing from webhelp to responsive is a bit of red herring? As Jeff has pointed out, they are just different outputs so you should be seeing the same issues in both types. Is that not the case?

Assuming they are the same, then the problem in tables within tables is as Jeff has said but it can a CSS nightmare to fix. Could you post some images of what you are seeing and describe how it is wrong?

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See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge

[Captiv8r]

Additionally, it would seem the fact that the tables are inside Snippets and have been converted from Snippets to HTML is likely also a red herring.

[lisabj4]

You're correct, it is just a matter of a different output format. What we do is use a snippet that contains the table we want with the formatting in it and when placing it in the topic we highlight the inserted table snippit and right-click and select "Convert it to HTML text." With the tables in our topics done this way there is no way to change the look of the table unless we use Table Styles or recreate the snippets like we want them correct?

Here is what we originally have as a sample table with embedded table:

Here are the tables created in a new topic using Insert -> Table. Everything works great except the first row (header) in the tables inside the larger tables should be gray even though the table style is defined gray. Also the embedded If/Then table style has the first row (header) defined as left justified, but it is ignored.

If I apply my table styles to the existing tables, the header row remains navy as shown in the first example and not in the lighter blue like I want and the If/Then table header centers which should be left justified. Because Table Styles weren't used in the first place, changing the look of these tables is really messy. I welcome any suggestions as to what is the best way to change the look of all these tables. We would like to be able to change their look in the future too. I hope I didn't make this too complicated to understand.

[Peter Grainge]

Tables within a table is something I had trouble with a few years back and needed to seek some help getting the CSS right. If you take a look at this topic in the RoboHelp Tour the table there works fine if further tables are added within. Where I am not so sure is the heading background and justification.

I could take a look if you create a brand new project with just one topic using your normal CSS and containing a table that looks the way you want it. Something where I can see the objective. The text does not need to contain real content, just something to show how it should be formatted. I will see what I can do to create a table that works as you want but I make no promises as this can be tricky and I am not sure the table editor can give you 100% of what you want.

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.

Do you have to generate printed documentation as well as that can be an issue with tables created using the editor?

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See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge

[lisabj4 · Accepted solution]

After playing around with the table style I ended up changing the first row from Left aligned to Right and it right aligned the header. I then went back and changed the header first row to left aligned again and the header left aligned itself like it should have in the first place. The table tended to use the style from the outer table automatically and it took some messing with the alignment to get it to take like I needed it to.

[Peter Grainge]

Glad you have it sorted. If you run into more issues, the offer remains. Do include a link to this thread.

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See www.grainge.org for free RoboHelp and Authoring information.

@petergrainge