Broken links report
Broken links report
Hi,
I am using Madcap Flare 2019 and I am trying to run the broken link report. There seems to be a PDF report you can run, but now I don't see this option anymore. I only see the Analysis > Links > Broken Links report. I know that I have lots of broken links, but they are not showing up in this Analysis.
Please let me know what I am doing wrong. Thank in advance.
Kelly
I am using Madcap Flare 2019 and I am trying to run the broken link report. There seems to be a PDF report you can run, but now I don't see this option anymore. I only see the Analysis > Links > Broken Links report. I know that I have lots of broken links, but they are not showing up in this Analysis.
Please let me know what I am doing wrong. Thank in advance.
Kelly
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- Senior Propellus Maximus
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- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:57 am
- Location: Pittsford, NY
Re: Broken links report
Welcome to the forums!
If you are certain there are broken links but the dynamic broken-links report (the one available from the Analysis ribbon) shows nothing, then I would suspect that Flare’s database of dependencies has gotten corrupted. Shut Flare down, and then delete the project’s Analyzer folder, which stores the database. Reopen the project and give Flare a couple of minutes (depending on the size the project) to scan the project and rebuild the database. Is the dynamic report available now?
Regarding a PDF report of broken links, I’ve never known Flare to produce reports in PDF format. I’m guessing you’re thinking of Flare’s original static reports. Those are still available. On the Project Organizer, right-click the Reports folder and select Add report (or something like that; I don’t have access to Flare at the moment). There might be a report template already for broken links, but if not, I suggest that you select the Empty template. Then, look for the section for links and select the Broken links (or maybe it’s Files with broken links?) option and generate the report. If you want to get a printout of it, select the View in browser (or something like that) and then from there you can print the report (perhaps print it to PDF?).
HTH
If you are certain there are broken links but the dynamic broken-links report (the one available from the Analysis ribbon) shows nothing, then I would suspect that Flare’s database of dependencies has gotten corrupted. Shut Flare down, and then delete the project’s Analyzer folder, which stores the database. Reopen the project and give Flare a couple of minutes (depending on the size the project) to scan the project and rebuild the database. Is the dynamic report available now?
Regarding a PDF report of broken links, I’ve never known Flare to produce reports in PDF format. I’m guessing you’re thinking of Flare’s original static reports. Those are still available. On the Project Organizer, right-click the Reports folder and select Add report (or something like that; I don’t have access to Flare at the moment). There might be a report template already for broken links, but if not, I suggest that you select the Empty template. Then, look for the section for links and select the Broken links (or maybe it’s Files with broken links?) option and generate the report. If you want to get a printout of it, select the View in browser (or something like that) and then from there you can print the report (perhaps print it to PDF?).
HTH
Nita
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
Re: Broken links report
Thank you so much Nita. This is exactly the report I was looking for in Project Organizer. It is strange how MadCap Flare doesn't mention it in any of their documentations.
I am not too sure where the Analyzer folder is. I've attached a screen shot of my folders. Is this the correct folder to delete? The entire folder or just the items inside?
I really appreciate the help
Kelly
I am not too sure where the Analyzer folder is. I've attached a screen shot of my folders. Is this the correct folder to delete? The entire folder or just the items inside?
I really appreciate the help
Kelly
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- Senior Propellus Maximus
- Posts: 3669
- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:57 am
- Location: Pittsford, NY
Re: Broken links report
The old reports are covered in Flare's documentation, albeit rather buried: https://help.madcapsoftware.com/flare20 ... -Files.htm
The Analysis folder is one of the folders within the project. You need to work outside of Flare, with Flare not running. In Windows Explorer, navigate to where your project is located. Inside that folder, you will see Analyzer, Content, Output, and Project subfolders. (You might also see a FileSync subfolder.) Delete the entire Analysis folder. Then you can reopen the project.
The Analysis folder is one of the folders within the project. You need to work outside of Flare, with Flare not running. In Windows Explorer, navigate to where your project is located. Inside that folder, you will see Analyzer, Content, Output, and Project subfolders. (You might also see a FileSync subfolder.) Delete the entire Analysis folder. Then you can reopen the project.
Nita
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
Re: Broken links report
Thank you for the quick reply. I found the Analyzer founder and deleted it. I opened flare again and ran the same reports and the same results are coming up. The actual broken links are still not showing on the reports.
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- Senior Propellus Maximus
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- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:57 am
- Location: Pittsford, NY
Re: Broken links report
Are the links you know to be broken actually pointing to destinations outside of the Flare project?
Nita
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
Re: Broken links report
Hi!
I have links pointing to both inside Flare project (internal links to other documents within the project) and outside (external webpages).
I have links pointing to both inside Flare project (internal links to other documents within the project) and outside (external webpages).
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- Senior Propellus Maximus
- Posts: 3669
- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:57 am
- Location: Pittsford, NY
Re: Broken links report
Sorry, but you haven't (quite) answered my question. Are the broken links internal or external?
Nita
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
Re: Broken links report
Hi,
The broken links are both internal and external.
The broken links are both internal and external.
Re: Broken links report
Just to note, Flare doesn't report on broken external links - it doesn't test any links to external websites (that start with "http://").
Perhaps give examples of your broken links, and also how do you know the links are broken?
For example, when you build a target it might say you have broken links, e.g. if you have a link to a topic that's been conditionally excluded for that target.
But these wouldn't be reported as broken links in the project analysis.
Perhaps give examples of your broken links, and also how do you know the links are broken?
For example, when you build a target it might say you have broken links, e.g. if you have a link to a topic that's been conditionally excluded for that target.
But these wouldn't be reported as broken links in the project analysis.
Re: Broken links report
Thank much everyone! I will review and provide examples if still can't get this figured out.
This was very helpful, thank for taking the time to respond to me.
This was very helpful, thank for taking the time to respond to me.
Re: Broken links report
Hi Everyone!
Looking for help interpreting the broken link report. I don't work with anyone by the name of "Hoppity" Why is this coming up on the report? Also what is a Link Type "a"
For the second error, the img works fine in the document, why is it showing up in the report?
Thanks in advance!
Kelly
Looking for help interpreting the broken link report. I don't work with anyone by the name of "Hoppity" Why is this coming up on the report? Also what is a Link Type "a"
For the second error, the img works fine in the document, why is it showing up in the report?
Thanks in advance!
Kelly
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- Senior Propellus Maximus
- Posts: 3669
- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:57 am
- Location: Pittsford, NY
Re: Broken links report
(EDIT: If you read my earlier version of this response, I was much too hasty. Trying to juggle too many things at once. Let me try this again...)
The broken link is pointing to a file that is located outside of the Flare project. There's an absolute link looking for that exact path. Some user in the history of the Flare project had the username Hoppity. You need to open the snippet that contains that link and fix it. The link type of "a" means it's a standard hyperlink, as opposed to an "xref", meaning a cross-reference.
Regarding the image, the link that is trying to reference that image can't find the image in the path specified in the link. You need to open the snippet that contains the broken link and re-establish the link to the image.
The broken link is pointing to a file that is located outside of the Flare project. There's an absolute link looking for that exact path. Some user in the history of the Flare project had the username Hoppity. You need to open the snippet that contains that link and fix it. The link type of "a" means it's a standard hyperlink, as opposed to an "xref", meaning a cross-reference.
Regarding the image, the link that is trying to reference that image can't find the image in the path specified in the link. You need to open the snippet that contains the broken link and re-establish the link to the image.
Nita
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!