Targets: Unable to Create (v8)

[pdambrosio]

I seem to have lost the factory template file that is necessary to create a new target.
--When I try to go to Proj Org > Targets, r-click and select Add target, I see an error message that states: Failed to load persistent dialog settings: Illegal characters in path. The Add File window appears wheen I close the error message. this window shows no pane under new from template and it is missing the type of target to add field.
--I go to Tools > Manage Templates. The Template Manager displays no templates.
--I check my Madcap 8 folder and I see targets.

The Word target that I created continues to work. But I cannot create the additional targets for my project.

Please advise ASAP.

Thanks!

[LTinker68]

Did you try reinstalling Flare?

[pdambrosio]

No Lisa,

Is there a reason why I should reinstall? Wouldn't there be a simpler solution such as adding the template? What do you think the reinstall would do to resolve the issue?

This being said, many thanks--we have considered this option,

Pat

[Msquared]

I'm going to suggest something quite different which may get you going, although it won't solve the underlying problem.

First of all, I'm not so sure that seeing no templates in Tools > Manage Templates means that you have lost the factory templates. It just means you haven't defined any templates in your current project (neither have I yet!).

What it looks like to me is that there is some error stopping the Add Target dialog box opening. I'll make a few wild guesses about why this may be in a minute, but if you just want to add a new target, try doing it without using Add Target. Go to Windows Explorer, copy an existing target (any target, even from another project if you have none in this project yet) then edit it to have the settings you require. Job done.

As for why the Add Target dialog box won't open. I'm a bit suspicious about the "Illegal Characters in path" bit.

Could there be something wrong with one of your file paths somewhere? For example, have you recently moved your entire project structure? If so, is there any chance that you have a file/folder name that is longer than the maximum Windows filename length (it's something near but not quite 255 characters, but I can't remember which - 260 for the full filename and 248 for the folder bit rings a bell, but I may be wrong, and I'd have expected 255 to figure in in somewhere - perhaps it does and my memory is faulty).

Alternatively, could you have a file name with a # in it somewhere where Flare may be wanting to look while adding a target? Flare really does not like # characters in filenames (although Windows is quite happy). If you are a Perforce user, and have extracted specific older revisions of Perforce files, you will have got files that end in #n. If this applies anywhere in your project, get rid of those and try again.

[pdambrosio]

I thought about the illegal characters and my research turned up variables names in headings that were converted to illegal characters (for these purposes) and displayed as the topic titles when I display the whole book as a list of topics. Could this be the problem?

Many thanks and I intend to try to copy and paste a target.

[Msquared]

Not sure - anything that Flare thinks is illegal could cause problems, so best remove them temporarily and see if the problem goes away.

I created a "target" with a name that ended in #2.fltar, and Flare reported an error when I tried to delete that, although having that file present didn't stop me from creating another new target in the Targets folder.

You could also try to narrow down the problem. For example, Can you go to the TOC Folder and do "Add Table of contents", or does that fail too?

In the Targets pop-up menu, can you select one of the other options, for example "New Folder" or "Add batch target", or does that fail?

What about New > Target from the Project tab? You could try this when you aren't even in the Targets folder in Project Explorer.

[pdambrosio]

Many, many thanks! I was able to copy and paste a target. I am still unable to add one, and am able to add TOC etc. But at least I can put out my books and meet current deadlines. I'll post again after I investigate further. (Since I'm from text analytics, I'm very aware of illegal characters... we will see....)

[Msquared]

Thanks for the update. Glad you are able to meet your deadline. Do let me know what you find - it's always good to learn more about Flare.

When you do investigate further, it may be helpful to find out whether you can create targets in other projects (perhaps even in a new project), and whether other people can create targets in a copy of your project. Then you will know whether the issue is to do with your project, or with your installation of Flare.

[rob hollinger]

It sound the window (dialog) state is off.
To get Flare to return all its window states to factory settings:
Close Flare
Open Windows Explorer to the following location:
C:\Users\[USER NAME]\AppData\Roaming\MadCap Software\Flare\CatapultMdiEditor
Select and delete each folder in here.
Open Flare and see if you can now add a new target.