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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.

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Why does "Git help " not launch html help in my browser, like it says it should?

I am really enjoying my time with git. I'm operating on 2 machines with what I thought were pretty similar setups On my Laptop When I type "Git help SomeCommand" from the CLI, my laptop launches the html help in my browser and I am free to read up…
Rory Becker
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How to get Microsoft HTML Help 2 Compiler?

Where can I download the Microsoft HTML Help 2 compiler (or bounding SDK)? I want to generate HTML 2 documentation from my programming projects using Sandcastle Help File Builder and the Sandcastle Guided Installation wizard is instructing me to…
John K
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Delphi XE2: Jumping to an anchor in CHM?

In a Delphi XE2 program, how do I jump to an anchor inside a CHM help file topic? The anchor has the following format (extracted from the source of the topic page in HTML HelpViewer showing the CHM file): I tried the…
user1580348
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How can I manually register an html-help file into the Delphi (RAD Studio) XE6 online documentation?

When a delphi component installer like the Developer Express components runs, it registers html-help files into the Delphi IDE, using h2reg and an INI file, and some macro-magic. If I was an open source or commercial author of a Delphi component,…
Warren P
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How to use CHM HTML Help file with Delphi XE application?

Delphi - How to use CHM HTML Help file with Delphi XE application? http://edn.embarcadero.com/article/27842 article describes how to use CHM file. I did all the steps described there. Added const HH_DISPLAY_TOPIC = $0000; HH_DISPLAY_TOC…
Avrob
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Disable Print button in HtmlHelp

I'm performing maintenance on a legacy MFC application. We have a need to disable the Print button in the Help dialog. There is no printer connected to the system and the application crashes if the user presses the Print button in the help…
Frecklefoot
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What is the c++ approach for upgrading these c style casts for HtmlHelp API?

What is the c++ approach for upgrading these c style casts for HtmlHelp API? void CMeetingScheduleAssistantApp::DisplayHelpTopic(CString strTopic) { CString strURL = _T("https://help-msa.publictalksoftware.co.uk/") + strTopic; if…
Andrew Truckle
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Is there a way to automate compiling HTML Help files?

I'm working on writing a build script for the installer for this: http://github.com/imaginationac/belvedere. The installation package includes help in the .chm format. I can manually compile with Microsoft HTML Help Workshop, but from reading over…
Dorian Patterson
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Recompile CHM file

I'm working on a script that should be able to add additional information to a .chm file. After decompiling it with hh.exe -decompile outputFolder fileName.chm command, I get the html files, and other 2 files with .hhc and .hhk extension. After…
ERX95
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Use Id instead of Context

I use HelpNDoc for providing a chm-file for the context sensitive help in my application. In this software you define a help-ID and a corresponding help-context. The help-ID for example maybe "SystemSetup" and the help-context is 57. Now my…
GreenEyedAndy
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CHM help on network share won't open from application

I have a .NET WinForms application that uses CHM help file. Both executable and CHM are on a network share. I used http://www.helpandmanual.com/products_hhreg.html to create registry entries that could allow display of the help contents. If I open…
Daniel
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Open online help in one session of HH

I'm creating an online help in CHM for my application. To open the help from the application on the appropriate page, I'm starting this kind of command: hh path/to/help_file.chm::/the_page_i_want.htm#the_section The problem is that if the user…
gregseth
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Adding a help button to an InnoSetup wizard page

I have a setup script with a custom wizard page to get a choice from the user. It would be nice to have a help button and to supply a small CHM file with the installable so that I can provide a detailed explanation of what the choices are. Anyone…
rossmcm
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Using HTML Help Workshop 1.3 and HTML5 and Javascript DOM and targeting Windows 10 with HTML Help files?

I am working with HTML Help sources that were generated by converting an older WinHelp help sources (converted from the .RTF files that were edited with Word using a Microsoft conversion tool). This source has not been touched since it was converted…
Richard Chambers
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Where to specify topic id in c# windows application

I am new to C# windows application.I would like to add custom help file using help provider from the toolbar in Microsoft visual studio 2010 for windows application. I can add my help file and that is working fine. I'd like to context-sensitive…
HariPriya
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