• 15-Apr-2009 - Detailed whitepaper on MS Help 3.0.
• 21-Apr-2009 - FAR v5 Beta (698) first to support Help 3 editing. | Screen shots

See the blog for more...

• FAR HTML - (shareware) FAR is a collection of File, HTML & Help related utilities. A must for all HTML, HTML Help 1.x, MS Help 2.x and MS Help 3.x authors and developers. 
• H2Reg - (shareware) Register MS Help 2.x files for Visual Studio 7/8/9. When you get sick of banging your head against Microsoft's MSI Registration, we have a dead easy solution that does not involve MSI (Microsoft Installer).

• Delphi HTML Help Kit - (freeware) Add just three lines of code to your main form and you have successfully converted your entire application from WinHelp to HTML Help. Comes with source and many examples. 

All Helpware software is Windows Vista compatible.
Read about Vista Compatibility here
 

More Downloads...

Welcome to the home of The Helpware Group. Here you will find support for MS Help technologies as well as Delphi and C#.  We are based in Melbourne Australia. Enjoy the site. All comments welcome.
 - Rob Chandler [MS Help MVP] -  Support Page |  Blog | Wiki

MVP Related links:

• HelpMVP.com | Help MVP Happy Snaps
• Microsoft MVP Program | MVPs.org
• Australian & NZ MVPs

Getting start with help

• Windows Help Basics - by MVP Pete Lees.
• www.HelpMVP.com - Meet the other Help MVPs. Lots of resources.
• www.MSHelpWiki.com >  Support Groups - MS Help KB wiki run by the help MVPs. Discussion groups.
• www.helpmaster.info - Free and shareware help tools.

UI/UA (User Interface, User Assistance) Articles:

This Helpware paper looks at what is happening with User Interface and User Assistance design while travelling the road to Longhorn (now Windows Vista). Contains essential information for all designers.

• UI & UA Changes on the road to Longhorn

Microsoft links on UI/UA

• Windows User Experience Interaction Guidelines
  - Now includes Interaction > Touch.

More Help Links...

MS Help 3.0 is the new Help system for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010. Due for release late 2009, early 2010.

• MS Help 3.0 Info - Lots of deep info on MS Help 3.
• Download FAR HTML 5.0 Beta - FAR v5 now supports for Help 3.  - FAR v5 (build 698) screen shotss

WinHelp has been deprecated and no longer ships with Windows Vista and later.

• KB9176077 - Microsoft KB doc on WinHelp deprecation.
• Download WinHelp for Vista - Microsoft download.
• www.helpmaster.info - Free and shareware tools for WinHelp.

As far as Microsoft help goes HTML Help is now  the only choice for general application help.

• HH Tech Info - Release dates etc.
• HH FAQ - Lots of deep info on HTML Help.
- Everything you ever wanted to know about HTML Help.

• How to use HH Full Text Search - Yes there are instructions for HH search.
• Context Help Ids | ..In Merged Help - How to setup context help IDs in a help project. And in merged help.
• Merged Help (Document Sets) - The art of combining CHMs together at run time to appear as one help file.
• HH1.x Chms in .NET Apps - For C# and VN .NET programmers.
• Delphi & HTML Help - For Delphi programmers.
• How to Create "What's This" Help - What's this help using KeyHelp, HTML Help and Delphi.
• Linking To CHM - Some Notes
• HTML Help Beginners Guide - written by fellow Aussie, Simon Law.

• Deploying HH 1.x (& IE Silent Install) - From the days when IE was not always available on the PC.
• Delphi Programming the HH 1.x API - Verbose chapter on Help programming using Delphi (with examples).
• VB/VBS Programming  the HH 1.x API - Help programming for VB and VBS by MVP David Liske.

• FAR HTML - HH/H2/H3 Help Authoring - Our popular help authoring tool.
• HTML Help Diagnostics - Fix those help engine problems.

MS Help 2.x is the help system for Visual Studio 2002/2003/2005 & 2008.

• MS Help 2 Information - Deep info on MS Help 2.
• Version Info - Release dates etc.
• H2 FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions.

• MS Help2 Collection Tutorial - New to Help 2? This demo & tutorial may be just what you need.
• Attributes & Filters - Learn all about topic file attributes required by MS Help 2.
• VS .NET Dynamic Help - Michael Waltuch takes us though setting up a MS Help 2 project.
• DExplore COM Interface - The Microsoft H2 Viewer has a COM interface that you can program.
• Collections + Borland .NET - How to integrate into Borland Delphi's Help 2 documentation.
• VS 2005 Free H2 Authoring - Goodbye H2 Workshop, hello HelpStudio Lite by Innovasys.

• Customizing VS 2005 Search - How to modify search filters in DExplore 2005.
• FAR Collection Wizard - Generate & register collection level files required to ship with .HxS help files.
• Authoring for Office 12 Help - Who says you can't add your own content to Office 12 help.
• Programming DExplore 2005 - Alessandro Del Sole talks about programming DExplorer 2005 using VB .NET

• MSHelp2 Conversion & Integration using FAR

• FAR HTML - HH/H2/H3 Help Authoring - Our popular help authoring tool. Migrate to MS Help 3 (VS 2010).
• H2Reg - Register your help collections without MSI. Register your help for VS 7.x/8/9 in one sweep.
• H2Viewer - Our free H2 collection viewer with some very nifty features.

Help system for Windows Vista. This is a close relative on MS Help 2.

• Windows Vista AP Help Information - General info.
• Assistance Platform Help Team Blog - Unfortunately not updated anymore.
• WinHelp engine will not ship with Vista - See KB917607

• UA & UI Changes on the road to Longhorn