Before you open existing projects

When RoboHELP version 7.00 was released in 1998, it featured a new folder structure identical to the one used in the Windows Explorer. This folder structure is now a standard feature in all releases of RoboHELP.

The folders you create in the program are just like the ones you see in the Windows Explorer. Earlier versions of RoboHELP used a flat folder structure — you only worked with custom folders inside the program. From the Windows Explorer, all project-related files were stored at the top folder and your custom folders were not displayed.

Before you open a project created in pre-7.00 releases of RoboHELP, you are prompted to do one of the following:

OR

Create standard folders

If you decide to create standard folders, RoboHELP will create folders that use the same name and structure as the custom folders you created in the earlier version. All Help topics that you saved in the custom folders are saved in the new folders so you know exactly where to find them.

Your project won't really look any different than it did when you used it in an earlier version of RoboHELP. The only difference is that you will also see your files arranged in these folders if you view your project from the Windows Explorer.

However, if you save your Help project in a document management program such as SourceSafe, your project structure will change. Therefore, it's a good idea to create a backup copy of your existing Help project before you open it in the new version of RoboHELP. After you convert the project into standard folders, create a new SourceSafe project based on the new folder structure.

Save all Help topics in a folder called HTML Files (Topics)

If you decide to save all topics in a single folder, you'll find all of your topics saved in the folder called "HTML Files (Topics)." At the Windows Explorer, these files are saved in your project folder. You won't find them saved in HTML Files (Topics) because this is still a flat folder that you only view and use in RoboHELP. You can create new custom folders (these will be treated as standard folders) and move your existing files into them after you open the project in RoboHELP.

WARNING! Do not use the Windows Explorer to create subfolders and to add, move or rename files. RoboHELP will not recognize the changes you've made to these files if they take place outside of the program.