You can convert RoboHelp  projects created with RoboHelp Html or RoboHelp for Word to HelpServer folders and topics preserving links and context-sensitive help. After conversion you can edit and maintain the information in HelpServer.

In the following steps we use a sample project from the RoboHelp trial CD. We use RoboHelp Html but the same principles apply to the conversion of a RoboHelp for Word project.

First, generate the project as ‘WebHelp’ in RoboHelp Office. This will generate a bunch of files in the \!SSL!\WebHelp directory in your RoboHelp project directory. HelpServer will operate on these files.

Next, perform the follow steps in the HelpServer Workbench.

Importing a RoboHelp project

Popup the menu of the folder under which you want to add the converted content select ’Import > RoboHelp Html’.

 

Selecting the file

Step 3

Select the correct xpj file if you are using RoboHelp Html or the hpj file if you are using RoboHelp for Word. Click ‘OK’ to continue.

Starting the import

Step 4

Click ‘Start’ to start the convert process.

Should the content to convert contain any files (images, audio, video, …) then the import process should be able to add these to the correct project gallery folders. That’s why the ‘Project gallery selection’ window will open. On this window you can see and change the different gallery folders. To enable you to convert content in the mass, this window will always open prior to the actual convert process.

The project gallery folders

Just click ‘Add now’ to continue. The purpose of the ‘Add later’ and the ‘Browse’ buttons on this window is explained in the section ‘Importing an entire tree with files’ of the chapter ‘Importing files and folders’.

Should you have selected the option ‘Let me select the classes’ on the ‘Import window’ as in this example then you will be prompted to select the class structure step by step. If that option is not selected, the default class structure is used. Since the default class structure is not always suitable, we advise you to choose the classes manually as demonstrated in the next steps.

Assigning the main folder class

Folder and topic class selection on level 1

Topic class and topic type selection

Should you have selected the option ‘Let me select the language’ on the ‘Import window’ you will also be prompted to select the language. Else the default working language will be used.

Language selection

Entering the project name

If you have selected a project folder class then you will have to assign a unique project name.

Next, the files in the project will be loaded.

File loading

The window will automatically close as soon as all files are loaded correctly and the import will continue by transforming the styles.

Mapping editor styles

You can use the two lists in the upper part of the window to map new incoming styles to styles that already exist in the HelpServer environment.

If you have the required privileges you can select all or some of the missing styles in the lower list. These will then be added to the active HelpServer editor style set. Click ‘OK’ to continue.

If you are not able to map all the new styles (or you did forget one) and did not add the remaining new styles, the following message box will popup.

Message about missing styles

If you click ‘No’, you can review the mapping. If you click ‘Yes’, the convert will continue.

Eventually a message will inform you that not all styles are converted.

Message about inactive styles

The administrator can always reorganize the styles later. The next image shows the converted RoboHelp project in the Workbench.

A converted RoboHelp project

Should the RoboHelp project contain any map Ids then these are converted to pointers and eventually resource IDs.

Map Ids converted to pointers with resource IDs