Question

I want to create a chm file for my application. Which is the best and easiest free software available? I tried HTML Help Workshop, but it is very tough. Is there any free software available?

Answer 1

CHM help file is what? The original software is used by most of the extension HLP help file ( WinHelp ), but with the development of the Internet, this format help files have been difficult to adapt to the need of software online help, as well as more and more humane and simple and easy to view the need, therefore a new help file system HTML Help from Microsoft takes the lead in the use of Windows98 the. Because it is a compressed webpage collection, not only reducing the file size, more conducive to the user downloaded from the INTERNET, and also supports HTML, Java, JScript, ActiveX, Visual Basic Scripting and a variety of image formats ( . JPEG, . GIF and . PNG), thus quickly by the majority of software author and software users. However, its use is far more than these?

Here, we have to” siege” novels made into an easy to read the electronic version of the novel as an example, a step by step to let you understand CHM to help document the entire process of production, through this introduction, I believe you will certainly be able to make more of their own whim to electronic documents. ” The public who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools.”, or to introduce our production tools. Produced CHM files tool most commonly used is the most easy to use than the Microsoft HTML Help Workshop, it fully installed after only 4.6M, comprises two groups: HTML Help tool set Workshop and HTML Help Image Editor. The former is today we will use good Dongdong, the latter in the webpage making used to edit and modify the graphics file.

Install HTML Help Workshop in the start menu, you can | program | HTML Help Workshop to open it. To establish a CHM help file must first be we all want to appear in the help file contents into relatively independent webpage file (HTML file ), these can work in HTML Help Workshop to complete, can also be applied to other webpage editor ( such as FontPage or HotDog ) to make.

For example, we here as examples of the” siege”, can according to the different sections to make. In addition, the HTML file should be linked to each other, as each chapter should be retained and between a and the next chapter super link interface, these relatively independent webpage production is completed, save them to a new folder.

First we introduce some will use transition file:

1.hhp file, which is one of the most common types of documents, it is actually” HTML Help project” the abbreviation, said HTML help documentation project, it is the most used directly to generate CHM file a class file, need to have only one HHP file can be compiled according to its corresponding CHM files.

2.hhc file, it is “HTML Help table of contents” the abbreviation, is expressed in HTML help file directory, we usually in the CHM file browser on the left side of the window to see the directory content it provided, of course, it does not directly be compiled into CHM files, but must be integrated into a HHP file to play a role in.

3.hhk file, it is “HTML Help Index Keyword” the abbreviation, provides us with a CHM file keyword indexed search function, also a easy to view the help file is an indispensable part of, with HHC files, it can direct the compiler to generate the corresponding CHM file.

4.hhj file, it actually does not belong to us today to discuss the content, because it belongs to another help files in the system Win Help, in Win Help system, the HHJ file is equivalent to the role of HTML Help in the HHP file, here is not to make more detailed introduction.

We now know that to build a CHM file, the first to establish a HHP file. The first Workshop in the” file” menu select “new” a project, then there will be known as the” new project” window, there will be a” Wizard” prompted whether you will use for the WinHelp project file ( i.e. . HPJ ) to create new projects, can be ” converted WinHelp project” options is ticked off, click “next” and then specify the will to establish the HHP file name and the complete path, then enters the” next step”, this time there will be three complex options, they are expressed in the existing HHC, HHK, HTML file to create a HHP file, since there is no readily available HHC and HHK files, so we can only choose one last ( HTML Files ), click “next” to be in the subsequent ” new project — HTML files” window, we have already made good the web documents in order to add to the list of files, click “next”, you can see the pleasant” completed” button, but this doesn’t mean that be accomplished, because this step is just set up a HHP file, there are still a lot of work for us to do it.

A HHP file form, will be in the Workshop | project window displays the document structure, double-click the window [OPTIONS ] option, you can modify the project structure, for example to specify the title of the item, the specified CHM file for the default home page files and text encoding type and font, in the document window, also can be specified to be generated by the CHM file name and path, specify compile-time required HHC and HHK path and name etc.. Above we have introduced the HHC, HHK document, they need not, may according to need to decide whether to generate the include directories and search help documentation, in general, the total number of pages less help file can omit the content and function of. Control the electronic version of the novel” Besieged City” pages, we decided to simply first, then can perform the ” file” menu” compile” command, Workshop in confirming the HHP file path and name. Soon, an electronic version of the novel was generated so, although it is a separate file, but it can be completely out of your machine, run from Workshop ( requires more than IE4.0 support ).

A relatively simple CHM help file ( no directory, no index ) production process is that, if you want to make including contents and index of the help file, can be separately produced a HHC file and a HHK file, and then in the last step will add them into the appropriate project in may. HHC established and edited in two ways, one is in the “file” menu and select new a” table of contents”, in the subsequent appearance of the edit window to edit it; another method is formed in the HHP file editor window click on the ” directory” window, select “create a new directory file”, and named the corresponding editor.

After the introduction, now you can edit their own production to help document and electronic document it, Workshop uses there are many, one of the other has to say is: it can not only build a CHM file, can be on existing CHM files decompile, so that we can more directly from the and the use of some of the production of very fine to help document some of the highlights, sometimes a bit of” take-ism” feel good.