Re: Help needed with RoboHELP

Subject: Re: Help needed with RoboHELP
From: David Knopf <david -at- KNOPF -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 15:24:33 -0700

Melissa Fisher wrote:
>
> Hello! I realize this may not be strictly on-topic, but I hope that
> someone out there can help me or point me in the right direction.
>
> I am using RoboHELP 3.6 with Word 7.0a to create a Win95 help file. The
> files are exported from FrameMaker, where perfectly good index entries have
> already been inserted in the appropriate places. However, when I run
> RoboHELP's conversion utility, not all of the index entries are converted
> to keywords.
>
> Has anyone else experienced this? Is there something I can do other than
> re-insert all the index entries in Word? Please respond privately so as not
> to clutter up the list.

Problems like this crop up frequently in FrameMaker to RoboHELP
conversions. The first two things to look at are:

1. How many levels are in the Frame index? Your WinHelp index will only
have two levels. If the Frame document has three or more, you will lose
index entries when importing into RoboHELP. Solution: Limit the indexes
in FrameMaker to two levels if frequent importing into RoboHELP is a
part your business process.

2. How long are the index entries? RoboHELP 3.6 limits the total length
of your K-keyword string to 255 characters. FrameMaker doesn't impose a
limit like this, and so Frame indexes often conver to K-keyword strings
longer than 255 characters, thus causing you to lose entries. Solutions:
Suggest to tech writers working in Frame that they make fewer index
entries (usually makes them upset for good reason) or plan to spend some
time manually adjusting the index in RoboHELP.

Hope this info helps.

-- David Knopf

Btw ... seems to me this IS on subject for the list.


------------------------------------------------------------
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Knopf Online Fax: 415-731-8399 http://www.knopf.com/
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