Product - DotCHM

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Product - DotCHM
If you need to create HtmlHelp files then you need DotCHM. With DotCHM you can compile both WinHelp and HtmlHelp files. HtmlHelp is the new Help Standard from Microsoft, introduced to the general desktop with the release of Windows 98. Previously, help files had the file extension .HLP, now they have the extension .CHM. A .CHM file is a compressed file containing Html files, JavaScript, graphics etc. This means that you can distribute a single file to your customers instead of potentially hundreds of Html files.

If you're already familiar with DotHLP then you'll be pleased to find that our reputation for producing products with ease of use and a low-learning curve, has been maintained with DotCHM. In fact, you can create a single help project and then compile it for WinHelp or HtmlHelp or for both, with little to no changes. It really is very very simple.

Is WinHelp Dead?
This is a question we've answered a lot and the simple answer is No, not yet. HtmlHelp is currently slow and a little buggy, but with each new release this slowly improves. Microsoft have said that they will continue to ship the WinHelp compilers with their own compiler products for years to come and have no cut-off time. In fact, the Visual Basic Programmers Guide in Office 2000 recommends that developers do not write context sensitive help using HtmlHelp, but to instead write a WinHelp solution. That is an amazing statement and highlights the immaturity of HtmlHelp. However, HtmlHelp is a very powerful tool and it is not restricted in the same way that WinHelp is. As with standard Html, you can add in ActiveX's, Dynamic HTML and any other tags that are supported by Html. This means the scope for expansion of the product is huge.

So where does DotCHM come in?
If you've ever created a WinHelp project using DotHLP then you'll know how easy it is. Well with DotCHM we've retained the same simplicity and added the ability to create and compile HtmlHelp and WinHelp files from the same project. If you want to add in any fancy Html or ActiveX's simply use the "Insert | HtmlHelp Control" wizard. These will appear in your .CHM file but not in your .HLP file. In summary you don't have a steep learning curve and can simply and quickly create .CHM files. Try it and see. If you have any questions about this product please don't hesitate to contact us, we want to support you.