Help Express Dialog

Introduction | WebZip | Window Controls | Main Menu

This window is available from the Authoring menu in the main window. You can also right-click a folder in Windows Explore select "Compile to HTML Help with FAR".

Introduction

This dialog provides the quickest and most automated way to create HTML based help, either HH (HTML Help 1.x) or H2 (MS Help 2.x). Simply select the folder containing the web files and folders you want to make into a help file and press Create Help. FAR will search for all web files and creating a single compress .chm (HH) or .HxS (H2) help file.

Exactly what type of files does FAR add? This is controlled by the Global Search Filter found in the FAR Preference dialog (HTML Help page).

A TOC (Table Of Contents) and Index is created using the HTML files and any sub folders found.

You simply provide a source folder and destination help file. These extra project files are also generated.

HTML Help 1.x MS Help 2.x Description

Name.CHM Name.HxS You provide the output Help file name. All other project file names are created automatically, in the selected folder, using the name provided.

Name.HHP Name.HxC Project file - Automatically generated. The Help compiler uses this file to produce the destination help file. The project file contains settings and references to all other files (file list, TOC and Index file).

Name.HHC Name.HxT Table of Contents file - Automatically generated using the HTML files and sub folders found.

Name.HHK Name.HxK Index file - Automatically generated using the HTML files and sub folders found.

--- Name.HxF File list file -- Files to be included into the destination help file. For HTML Help 1.x the file list is part of the .HHP project file.

Note: All these files (not the help file) are text files and can be opened in a text editor such as NotePad.

WebZip

If you open this window from the 3rd party program WebZip then some fields will be disabled and read-only. This is so that WebZip can find Help files in the future. You can circumvent this read-only WebZip mode by selecting "File > Bypass WebZip Mode".

Note that WebZip does not support the creation of MS Help 2.

For information on WebZip see
http://www.spidersoft.com/

Note: SpiderSoft offer FAR + WebZip bundles at reduced prices.

Window Controls

Help System Choose the type of help you want to create. MS HTML Help is very simple to use and very portable, however it is quite fragile. HH may crash during compilation if it incorrectly identifies a binary file as an HTML file. (EG. file001.h1.gif).
MS Help 2.x is more robust but is not very portable. You cannot simply relocate a HxS help file, as HxS files require registering with the MS Help 2 system. When FAR creates a HxS file it registered it automatically under the Namespace = 'FAR.' + File name (no ext).

Folder Displays the name of the folder to compress to a single .chm help file. Click the folder select button (right) to change the source folder. All files created (help, project, TOC, Index) are created in this folder.
Note: In WebZip mode the folder select button is disabled.

Title of Help Window Enter a title to be displayed in the help window title bar.

Home Page Enter the name of the home page. This is the page that the help file will initially display when opened. It is also the topic displayed when the help windows "Home" toolbar button is pressed.

Destination Help File Enter the name of the destination help file (with no directory info). This name is used in naming all other project files automatically created. Click [...] to select a help file from the file system.
Note: In WebZip mode this field is read-only and the file select button [...] is disabled.

HH Build Template 16-Feb-2007 - FAR Build 664
Under the FAR.exe install directory (usually c:\program files\Helpware\FAR\) you will find a folder called "\hhTemplates". The Template dropdown is filled with the .HHP (HTML Help Project) files found in this folder. The selected .HHP file is used as a template when Express Help creates help. IE. Most settings are read from the template file, so now you can control help file format.
You can put your own .HHP files into this folder, or better still make a copy of an existing template and edit that using the FAR project editor. Open one of these template files using notepad and you will find that many of the settings = %. Express help replaces the % character with the default express setting. You can leave the % as is, or replace with you own setting. Note however that some fields (CHM output filename, Title, Home page) are always set using the Express dialog fields. Also if you add a [Files] section to a template file it will also be ignored.

Tip: As always with HTML Help projects the way to exclude a TOC or Index is to leave the TOC and Index fields blank.

Select the first item in the list, "<default Help file>", if you want the standard help file that FAR used to create before templates were introduced.

Create Help Button Click to generate all help project files and compile the help file. The source folder and all its sub folders are searched for web type files. All files are compressed into the single help file.
Note: In WebZip mode the host program WebZip passes the file list and filenames to FAR via a HHP project file.

View Help Button After you create the help, click View Help to view your new help file.

Advanced Help Button Closes this dialog and moves you to either the FAR Help Wizard, or to the full Project Editor, where you can fine tune settings and edit your table of contents and index.

Main menu

File > View Compile Log MS HTML Help compiler generates a log file containing compile information, errors and warning messages. Usually you can ignore this file, however if you do not get the desired result then this file may help you track down the source of the problem.

File > Bypass WebZip Mode Select this command to turn off WebZip mode -- show the main form and enable all controls. When WebZip opens the Express Help window, the main window is hidden to simplify the interface, and some fields are disabled.

Help > Online Help Display this help.

Help > MS HH 1.x Error Info Opens a page containing info about all HH 1.x compile time errors.
(This help comes courtesy of the wonderful folk at www.keyworks.net -- see KeyTools utility).

Help > MS Help 2.x Error Info Opens a page containing info about all Help 2.x compile time errors (You must have VSHIK installed).

http://www.HelpwareGroup.com/

HTML Help 1.x	MS Help 2.x	Description
Name.CHM	Name.HxS	You provide the output Help file name. All other project file names are created automatically, in the selected folder, using the name provided.
Name.HHP	Name.HxC	Project file - Automatically generated. The Help compiler uses this file to produce the destination help file. The project file contains settings and references to all other files (file list, TOC and Index file).
Name.HHC	Name.HxT	Table of Contents file - Automatically generated using the HTML files and sub folders found.
Name.HHK	Name.HxK	Index file - Automatically generated using the HTML files and sub folders found.
---	Name.HxF	File list file -- Files to be included into the destination help file. For HTML Help 1.x the file list is part of the .HHP project file.

Help System	Choose the type of help you want to create. MS HTML Help is very simple to use and very portable, however it is quite fragile. HH may crash during compilation if it incorrectly identifies a binary file as an HTML file. (EG. file001.h1.gif). MS Help 2.x is more robust but is not very portable. You cannot simply relocate a HxS help file, as HxS files require registering with the MS Help 2 system. When FAR creates a HxS file it registered it automatically under the Namespace = 'FAR.' + File name (no ext).
Folder	Displays the name of the folder to compress to a single .chm help file. Click the folder select button (right) to change the source folder. All files created (help, project, TOC, Index) are created in this folder. Note: In WebZip mode the folder select button is disabled.
Title of Help Window	Enter a title to be displayed in the help window title bar.
Home Page	Enter the name of the home page. This is the page that the help file will initially display when opened. It is also the topic displayed when the help windows "Home" toolbar button is pressed.
Destination Help File	Enter the name of the destination help file (with no directory info). This name is used in naming all other project files automatically created. Click [...] to select a help file from the file system. Note: In WebZip mode this field is read-only and the file select button [...] is disabled.
HH Build Template	16-Feb-2007 - FAR Build 664 Under the FAR.exe install directory (usually c:\program files\Helpware\FAR\) you will find a folder called "\hhTemplates". The Template dropdown is filled with the .HHP (HTML Help Project) files found in this folder. The selected .HHP file is used as a template when Express Help creates help. IE. Most settings are read from the template file, so now you can control help file format. You can put your own .HHP files into this folder, or better still make a copy of an existing template and edit that using the FAR project editor. Open one of these template files using notepad and you will find that many of the settings = %. Express help replaces the % character with the default express setting. You can leave the % as is, or replace with you own setting. Note however that some fields (CHM output filename, Title, Home page) are always set using the Express dialog fields. Also if you add a [Files] section to a template file it will also be ignored. Tip: As always with HTML Help projects the way to exclude a TOC or Index is to leave the TOC and Index fields blank. Select the first item in the list, "<default Help file>", if you want the standard help file that FAR used to create before templates were introduced.
Create Help Button	Click to generate all help project files and compile the help file. The source folder and all its sub folders are searched for web type files. All files are compressed into the single help file. Note: In WebZip mode the host program WebZip passes the file list and filenames to FAR via a HHP project file.
View Help Button	After you create the help, click View Help to view your new help file.
Advanced Help Button	Closes this dialog and moves you to either the FAR Help Wizard, or to the full Project Editor, where you can fine tune settings and edit your table of contents and index.

File > View Compile Log	MS HTML Help compiler generates a log file containing compile information, errors and warning messages. Usually you can ignore this file, however if you do not get the desired result then this file may help you track down the source of the problem.
File > Bypass WebZip Mode	Select this command to turn off WebZip mode -- show the main form and enable all controls. When WebZip opens the Express Help window, the main window is hidden to simplify the interface, and some fields are disabled.
Help > Online Help	Display this help.
Help > MS HH 1.x Error Info	Opens a page containing info about all HH 1.x compile time errors. (This help comes courtesy of the wonderful folk at www.keyworks.net -- see KeyTools utility).
Help > MS Help 2.x Error Info	Opens a page containing info about all Help 2.x compile time errors (You must have VSHIK installed).