Topics are not generated from Framemaker source document

[MarcoDBG]

Hi,

I want to start using Robohelp (2020.2.29) to generate an online help from a Framemaker document. When I link or import the file I can choose from which style a new topic should be started, i.e. the styles are correctly read from my document. However, when I click on Update/Create Topics, only an empty folder is created and RH shows "Success - HTML generated" pretty qickly for the big document I'm importing. No topics are generated.

For comparison I tried a Word document. That worked fine. But even a small Framemaker file that I created for testing did not work. Any idea?

Thanks,

Marco.

[Peter Grainge]

Our resident FrameMaker expert will be online later in the day.

Meantime all I can offer is you should be on Update 4 of RoboHelp and you need Fm 2020 Update 1. 

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I know there are issues out there in the FM to RH import and link methods because other threads have reported this. Are you selecting a FM .book file or a .fm file? Are you being shown the conversion screen to indicate what mapping is to take place between FM and RH? Have you selected your FM paragraph tags for pagination (basically where should RH break the FM content and create new topics at)?

[MarcoDBG]

Hi Jeff, I imported a .fm file. The conversion screen doesn't show up automatically when I import the file. I have to right-click on the imported file and select Edit Settings. Then FM opens automatically and RH shows an error "FrameMaker Import - Error during reading document". Only if the .fm file is open in FM when I click on Edit Settings, then RH scans it successfully for styles and I can choose one for splitting the topics. I selected Heading2 to start a new topic.

[Peter Grainge]

Are you selecting Import > File or Import > FrameMaker Document? If the former, that would explain why you are not seeing the conversion dialog.

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[MarcoDBG]

Usually I'm linking the files rather than importing them. But you are right, if I use "Import > File", then no conversion dialog is shown. If I select "FrameMaker Document", the dialog comes up. But then it's the same as described above - scanning the file fails if it's not already open in FM.

[Peter Grainge]

I'll have to leave that part of the problem to @Jeff_Coatsworth 

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

You shouldn't have to have the FM document open in FM - just FM open sitting at the Starter screen is enough. I'm wondering if you should try it with a .book file instead of just a .fm file. Did you update your RH to patch 4? What's your FM2020 point version?

[MarcoDBG]

I just tried it with the .book file. There I always get "Error during reading document". My FM version is 16.0.0.754. Unfortunately I'm working in a corporate environment where the updates can only be installed by an IT admin. I have requested it already, but that's going to take a while.

[PaulJena]

I had the same issue. The release you have has a bug preventing FM to RH linking. It also has a bug preventing patch updates - the check reports No New Updates but it's not checking in the right area. The next patch will need to be manually installed.  

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Think you'd better tell IT to step on it 🤣

Because I'm pretty sure you need to be all patched up to even hope that this will work.

[MarcoDBG]

I'll do that and come back if it doesn't fix the issue.

Thank you!

[Peter Grainge]

@PaulJena It is only 2020.0 that will not update from the menu, @MarcoDBG is on 2020.2 so the IT dept should be able to update that.

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information