Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow

Questions tagged [html-help]

Microsoft HTML Help is a help system to use compiled HTML web content (in ".chm" files) for help topics. Use this tag for questions about using the "HTMLHelp" API and for general questions about designing and using the system. Questions about building HTML Help content with the "HTML Help Workshop" program should use the [html-help-workshop] tag.

HTML Help was Microsoft first help system to use HTML web content for help topics and was first shipped with IE4 and Windows 95 many years ago. Microsoft have created other help systems since WinHelp (.hlp) and HTML Help (.chm) but they are tied to various systems:

  • MS Help 2.0 for Visual Studio 2002/2003/2005/2008 & Office help.
  • AP Help for Windows Vista OS/OEM help (based on MS Help 2)
  • MS Help Viewer 1.0 for Visual Studio 2010 help.
  • MS Help Viewer 2.0 for Visual Studio 2012 & Windows 8 OS/OEM help.

So for offline (local) help, HTML Help is the only Microsoft help platform available for general application help unless you turn to 3rd party solutions or use web pages.

HTML Help is in maintenance mode, which means no new features are expected for either the runtime or the compiler. Only critical updates will occur from here on. All mainstream development on HTML Help has stopped.

HTML Help Workshop is used to compile the content to a .chm compressed help file. The Table of Contents file (.hhc) and Index file (.hhk) are authored using Microsoft's free HTML Help Workshop tool or other 3rd party solutions. The HTML Help viewer (part of Windows Operating System) can then open and display the contents of the .chm help file using hyperlinks and standard TOC/Index/Search tabs to navigate the help content.

The HTML Help runtime files (needed to view a .chm help file) are part of the Operating System (Windows 95 and higher). When you double click a .chm help file the HTML Help Viewer (hh.exe) runs and displays your help file.

HTML Help is an older ANSI technology. This means when compiling foreign language help you must be on a foreign language machine or have Windows regional settings set correctly in Control Panel. To neglect this will cause problems with sorting etc. Using Unicode HTML topics will also cause problems. Always make sure your translators work in ANSI format.

62 questions
2
votes
1 answer

Is the HTML Help Workshop still a viable choice for use with applications?

I am trying to plan the Help function for a new application (desktop WPF, but also asp.net website). I spent some time trying to research this and there doesn't seem to be a lot of information. I have seen a variety of solutions such as here, but…
Alan
  • 1,587
  • 3
  • 23
  • 43
2
votes
1 answer

HTML Help Workshop on Windows 10?

Has anyone successfully used MS HTML Help Workshop on Windows 10? I have run into a problem when I try to compile a package which has not caused any trouble on Window 7 for several years. On Windows 10, the processing apparently never terminates,…
Bo Johanson
  • 59
  • 1
  • 5
2
votes
1 answer

Want to create chm file from website html pages

I have some html pages which are integrated with a web site. Now the requirement is to create a .CHM file for the required pages. To do this task manually will take a huge amount of time. Please help me to extract the only html files from the…
Anant Walake
  • 29
  • 1
  • 2
2
votes
1 answer

open topic in merged chm file in master chm file window

I would like to open topic in merged chm file in master chm file windows. I have main chm file of application help. So this main chm file includes sub chm file. And I would like to open the topic in sub (merged) chm file in the window of main chm…
F8Kuniie
  • 21
  • 1
  • 3
2
votes
1 answer

How to create chm file using the directory containing html files

I have a directory containing multiple html files. Need to create chm file using all the html files of the directory. I am trying to create chm file using chmprocessor. (downloaded from- http://sourceforge.net/projects/chmprocessor/files/) I have…
user3804801
  • 21
  • 2
2
votes
2 answers

Is it possible to enable Visual Styles in a CHM (Compiled HTML Help) File?

When our Compiled HTML Help (.chm) file (created with Author-It) is opened, it looks 'dated' because the HTML Help application (even on Windows 7) doesn't appear to enable 'visual styles'. Is there a way to enable visual styles (common controls 6)…
davidm_uk
  • 658
  • 6
  • 19
1
vote
2 answers

Jumping to a topic in a CHM help file without opening another window

I'm including a cut-down CHM help with an installer and I want the help button on each page of the installer wizard to call up a different help page. If I open the help window from one installer wizard page by executing the command hh.exe -mapid…
rossmcm
  • 5,493
  • 10
  • 55
  • 118
1
vote
1 answer

HTMLHelp function crashes on 64bit application

I am integrating context specific help for my MFC winforms application. Calling following function crashes my application and hhctrl.ocx is the culprit as per crash log. I think the problem is with 64bit version of hhctrl.ocx in System32 bit folder…
Patel
  • 399
  • 5
  • 12
1
vote
1 answer

Linking to specific topics in HelpnDoc compiled CHM using Visual C++ HtmlHelp

I am confused here. I have migrated my CHM help from HtmlHelp Workshop to HelpNDoc. I compiled the CHM file and updated my MFC project to direct to the correct topic: HtmlHelp((DWORD_PTR)_T("msa-options-publishers-db.html"), HH_DISPLAY_TOPIC); The…
Andrew Truckle
  • 17,769
  • 16
  • 66
  • 164
1
vote
1 answer

Command-line options for HH and opening CHM Windows Help Files

I'd like to be able to write Inquisit scripts in Vim. In the standard Inquisit application for writing scripts, I can press F1 and it brings up help on the topic related to the word under the cursor. I'd like to set up the same functionality through…
Jeromy Anglim
  • 33,939
  • 30
  • 115
  • 173
1
vote
1 answer

HH.EXE can show HTML/JPEG files

Apparently, one can view HTML and JPEG files (possibly others, didn't try), with HH.EXE, i.e. Microsoft's CHM file viewer. Try "HH somefile.html". It was tested on Windows XP and Windows 10. Is this documented anywhere?
Peter Louwen
  • 11
  • 2
1
vote
1 answer

Understanding the purpose of the [ALIAS] section

I've been trying to convert a large WinHelp project over to HtmlHelp, for use with my MFC application. I've got things working mostly; however, I find that invoking help from many contexts within my app produce the completely unhelpful error…
Jonathan Wood
  • 65,341
  • 71
  • 269
  • 466
1
vote
2 answers

HTML Help indenting first line in

I'm creating an HTML Help file (yeah, yeah, I know it's old fashioned but Microsoft has yet to provide a newer replacement). When I open the file in a normal browser, the text appears how I expect. But when I open the file in the HTML help viewer,…
Jonathan Wood
  • 65,341
  • 71
  • 269
  • 466
1
vote
1 answer

HtmlHelp MS API search string

Does any one in 2017 knows how to implement calling HtmlHelp function that will open .chm file with "Search" pane and query string in it's listbox and will be able to execute this query? I try following: HH_FTS_QUERY query; query.cbStruct =…
brightside90
  • 243
  • 3
  • 13
1
vote
0 answers

Local html (RoboHelp) index online help file under MFC is not opened

I followed all the instructions that is referred here : http://help.adobe.com/en_US/robohelp/robohtml/WS5b3ccc516d4fbf351e63e3d11aff59c571-7f43.html My CMainFrame::HtmlHelp overiden handler looks like this : void CMainFrame::HtmlHelp(DWORD_PTR…
Maverick
  • 1,105
  • 12
  • 41
1
2
3 4 5