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Read all the latest on HTML Help from the source.Download Page:
Download HTML Help runtime install (hhupd.exe) - requires IE backend.
Download HTML Help Workshop (htmlhelp.exe)Note: Workshop download includes a copy of the HTML Help V1.3x runtime installer (hhupd.exe), but does not install it. If you are running Win9x or WinNT4 then you will need to install the runtime files. Windows ME/2K/XP cannot be updated as the HH Runtime files are now protected with the rest of the operating system. To update these systems you will need an official MS Windows Service Pack.
For all info on MS Help 2.x please see our MS Help 2 Information page.
For all info on MS Help 3.x please see our MS Help 3 Information page.
For all info on MS AP Help please see our Windows Vista AP Help Information page.
The latest 32bit MS WinHelp Compiler is version 4.03. It can be downloaded from:
- KB9176077 - WinHelp runtime no longer ships with Window Vista .
- Download WinHelp for Vista - Download the WinHelp runtime for WIndows Vista.
- Download hcwsetup.exe - Download the WinHelp compiler (for creating .hlp files).
- KB170689 - Fix: Help Author Kit incompatible with Microsoft Word 97.
- www.helpmaster.info/hlp-musthave.htm - Get must have WinHelp tools.
Download these essential tools from KeyWorks. KeyWorks is Ralph Walden and Cheri Lockett Zubak (Work Write Inc). Ralph developed WinHelp and was the chief architect behind HTML Help. He left MS early 1998.
- KeyTools - A group of essential utilities for WinHelp & HTML Help developers.
- KeyHH - An enhanced HH.exe replacement.
- KeyHelp - A DLL that extends the feature set of HTML Help. Including rich HTML popups.
Web site: http://www.keyworks.net/
Help Authoring Support Groups
Yahoo Discussion Groups
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HATT - General help support
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MSHelp2 - Help for VS 2002/2003/2005/2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MSHelp3 - Help for VS 2008/...MS News Groups
news:microsoft.public.helpauthoring
news:microsoft.public.vstudio.helpauthoringMSDN Forums
MSDN Forums » Visual Studio » Developer Documentation and Help SystemFor a list of all popular Help Authoring support groups please see our Help Wiki
http://www.mshelpwiki.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=SupportGroups
Microsoft MVPs are knowledgeable professionals who give up lots of time to help others.
You can catch the Help MVPs in the support groups listed above.MS Help Wiki - KB run by Help MVPs
http://www.mshelpwiki.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=MicrosoftHelpMVPsMeet Rob and the rest of the Help MVPs
www.helpmvp.com
Need training, a Help Consultant or an online documentation specialist?
These experts can help you. Each has a web site full of goodies.
The Experts Say...
- Great help tips and articles from MVP Char James-Tanny at helpstuff.com
http://www.helpstuff.com/helpstuff.html- Great help tips and articles from Simon Jones at Wordsmith.
http://www.simon-jones.org.uk/help.htm- Great help tips from Technical Writer & Help expert MVP Rick Stone:
http://www.ricktips.myqth.com/ricks.htm- Great help tips and tutorials from on-line information specialist Rob Magrino:
http://www.magrino.com/- Great HTML Help and VB site by MS MVP David Liske:
http://www.mvps.org/htmlhelpcenter/- More great tips from Paul O'Rear [MS, ex-MVP]
http://helpfulsolutions.com/- Great authoring tips for WinHelp & HTML Help by Rhonda Bracey
http://www.cybertext.com.au/tips.htm
Online tutorials, documentation:
- Microsoft MSDN Library Online
- http://www.htmlgoodies.com/
- http://www.htmlcenter.com/
- http://webreview.com/
Companies offering training, consulting etc. No job too big or too small.
- CyberText (Australia)
- Helpful Solutions
- Helpstuff.com
- Paul Neshamkin Group
- World Wide Winnovations
- WorkWrite Inc
- Plus many of the companies above
More links below...
For a list of all Help Authoring tools please www.hat-matrix.com
- AuthorIT - AuthorIT Software Corporation (www.authorit.com)
- Doc-to-Help – ComponentOne (www.componentone.com)
- DotCHM – Auric Visions Ltd. (www.auricvisions.com)
- HDK – Virtual Media Technology (www.vmtech.com)
- HelpBreeze – SolutionSoft (www.solutionsoft.com)
- HelpKit – DevComponents.com (www.devcomponents.com)
- Html Help Generator - (www.htmlhelpgenerator.net)
- HyperText Studio – OlsonSoft (www.olsonsoft.com)
- FAR – The HelpWare Group (www.helpware.net) ** You're Here! **
- Flare - MadCap Software - (www.madcapsoftware.com)
- KeyHelp – Keyworks Software (www.keyworks.net)
- RoboHelp – Adobe (originally eHelp then Macromedia) (www.adobe.com)
- Dec-2001:
- ForeHelp (ForeFront -www.ff.com) and Doc-to-Help (WexTech Systems - www.wextech.com) have been purchased by ComponentOne (www.componentone.com).
- Oct-2003:
- Macromedia purchase eHelp Corp.
- Dec-2005:
- Adobe acquire Macromedia.
- Visiomode Web Based Help Authoring - Server side PHP application outputs pure html.
Allows you to import HTML Help 1.x CHMs and publish them directly to the web.
This help system works on any browser.- Helpware's FAR HTML shareware creates web based help - See example website
- HelpExplorer by KAMA Software - Supports WinHelp on Linux.
- xCHM - Supports HTML Help 1.x on Linux.
- FAR HTML - MS Help 2.0 /3.0 authoring made easy. MS Help 2/3 is the help system behind VS .NET & MSDN.
- Steema Software's TeeGofer Help for .NET Authoring Tool - designed to greatly ease the creation of online help documentation for Visual Studio .Net components.
- Document! X & HelpStudio by Innovasys - maintain HTML, HH 1.x, Help 2 documentation and context sensitive on-line help for .Net Assemblies, Visual Basic/VBA/Visual Basic.NET source code, COM components, type libraries and databases. Comes with royalty free registration tool you can ship with.
- NDOC - Code Documentation Generator for VS .NET. Great product and free too (no longer being updated).
- Sandcastle - Free tool from MS for generating VS .NET documentation. A great NDOC replacement.
- KeyTools, KeyHH, KeyHelp must have tools by Keyworks - http://www.keyworks.net/
- WndTabs - WndTabs is a window and file management utility for the Visual C++ IDE. WndTabs gives you control over all your open windows and files.
- Keyword Index Tool (KIT) - Ulrich Kulle (www.help-info.de, from Hannover, Germany) has developed a nice utility for generating a single keyword file (*.HHK) from keyword meta tags in HTML <head> section.
- .NET Class Library to view HTML Help CHM file info (By Klaus Weisser)
http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/HtmlHelp.asp
Others
- http://www.writersua.com/ - Writers UA (formally Win Writers) UA conference.
- KeiYu HelpLab - Japanese HTML Help Site
CHM & HxS file format hacking
- Matthew Russoto's CHM page
- Pabs' CHM specification page (bonedaddy.net)
Freeware
Windows Setup authoring tools + Delphi source code:
- Ice Setup - http://www.nevrona.com/ice
- Inno Setup - http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.htm
Freeware Executable Compression software: