HTML Help System...

[JaedenRuiner]

Well,

My issue is more with the HTML Help back end than with the integration with VB. I can use the Help.ShowHelp() all i want, but I can't get ANYWAY simple "how to" questions answered when designing the help file itself.

CHM is a tag word for any documentation for every product in existence so all forms of search algorithms that I want for: "create index in html help CHM file" or "multi-tier index in CHM" doesn't give me anything.

I know this is a VB forum, but since the help system is part of the whole "windows development' i hoped someone might know a decent repository
where I can find these kinds of answers.

Html Help Workshop isn't the greatest of all apps, but it allows me to create
tiered indexes (so they look similar to a TOC). In the Compiled CHM file, you can click on the indexes, and they get separated by commas, but when you try to type them in with the commas it doesn't know what to do.
it's things like that that I need answered and there doesn't seem to be ANY real documentation on the subject, pretty much expecting everyone to guess and just know it.

Any clues, pointers, web sites with more than an HTML reference, but an actual full guide to everything existing and possible in the CHM html help design system. (and that does not mean Active X, just the system)

Thanks

 

[JohnH]

I can't get ANYWAY simple "how to" questions answered when designing the help file itself.

there doesn't seem to be ANY real documentation on the subject

The HHW app has integrated help (chm), it didn't explain it to you? For the most part, while not "the greatest of all apps", I thought the app was intuitive in its simplicity.

you can click on the indexes, and they get separated by commas, but when you try to type them in with the commas it doesn't know what to do.

Now, adding two indexes, indenting the second with the right arrow button, after compile the help file index work multi-level both for clicking, typing and pasting for example "first,second". Wasn't this what you did?

This site Helpware Home Page has some more info regarding the help systems.

 

[JaedenRuiner]

The HHW app has integrated help (chm), it didn't explain it to you? For the most part, while not "the greatest of all apps", I thought the app was intuitive in its simplicity.

In basic functionality yes. But when i would "intuit" something and it wouldn't work, I want to know why. The more I understand about how something is designed to be use, the faster and more efficient I become with it.

Now, adding two indexes, indenting the second with the right arrow button, after compile the help file index work multi-level both for clicking, typing and pasting for example "first,second". Wasn't this what you did?

Yes, exactly. When I type "first" it finds the parent index node, but when i type the "," it automatically jumps to the last child node of that index, and further typing does not move the selection. When I click display or hit <enter> it simply displays the highlighted index, not the index I "typed" into the control. Thus, when in my VB app, i do a ShowHelp(Navigator.KeywordIndex, "First, second") call it doesn't find the index and it goes to a default page. I have since given up and just have created longer index names so they are catagorized to some degree. I'm thinking this issue may be resolved with the MS Help 2.x system.

This site Helpware Home Page has some more info regarding the help systems.

I've been working with that site a LOT. I'm thinking it's just the archaic MS Help 1.x which is the html help, where now they've upped to MS Help 2.x which is the newer help system. I'm working to install that, but tragically MS decided to lock it inside an SDK that require VS $$ not VS Free. There are ways that are explained by the HelpWare site on how to get it so i'm working there.

I'm having quite a few other problems, like multi-topic index keywords are supposed to pop up a "Topics Found" dialog, which it does, but for some of the indexes it uses the "label" I gave to each topic, and in others it uses the "index keyword" as the label for one topic and the other has a different label. it is quite odd...like somehow something has been cached eternally in the compilation of the CHM and no matter what I change in either HelpWare's FAR software, or in the MS HHW, it never changes in the final CHM. *shrug*

 

[JohnH]

when i type the "," it automatically jumps to the last child node of that index

Ok, that was what you mean't... Actually I've never before used the sub-index by typing everything with commas and stuff into the search box, just tried it now with two indexes and thus the bug didn't reproduce. I opened another apps chm and the same happens in that file, so I think it must be a bug with the builtin viewer for Help 1.0 files.

I have not looked into Help 2.0 yet, that site mentioned it was not for application help files:

It is important to note that MS Help 2 is designed primarily for Visual Studio help integrators. It is not for creating general application help.

I don't know if they are right or not about this, though. However, I see now the Document Explorer does behave correctly for such indexes when typing them all out in search box.