HTML Help - HTML Help Project Editor
Using the HTML Help project editor, we set all the parameters of the project, and decide on the later properties that the CHM file created from the project will have. Also in this editor we determine what components we add to the project.
Launching
You can start the described tool using the button marked with the icon shown above. The launch button for this window can be found, for example, in the HTML Help menu and in the HTML Help toolbar. Use the project editor
The project editor is divided into four parts-tabs, each performing a different function in the project development process.
Project component files
Project files to be compiled
In the only large window, you need to load from disk all the files you want to include in the project. The plus icon on the right side of the window is used for this purpose. You can add multiple files at once, or, as you continue to create the project, you can also add individual files. The minus icon is used to delete unnecessary files.
General project settings
In this tab, we set such parameters as default general settings, international language and font parameters, types of definition files, and settings for the compiler itself.
Default parameters
Default title
Enter the default title of the help window in this field. However, this value is less significant than the title defined for the default window.
Default homepage
Use the drop-down list to select the file that will be loaded into the HTML Help window when the CHM file is launched. However, this value is less important than the start page defined for the default window.
Default window
Use the drop-down list to select the window that will be used to display the HTML Help content. The list may be empty at this stage, as windows are defined in the next tab.
International settings
Language
From this list you can select the language in which the pages included in the HTML Help project are written. Character set
From this list you can select the appropriate script for the font used in the HTML Help project pages. Font
Using the button next to it marked with the letter "A" you can select the type of font, and its size. This font will be used in the interface of the compiled CHM file - not for displaying page content.
Project definition files
CHM file name after compilation
In this field there is space to enter the file name that will be given to the compiled HTML Help file. If you do not enter the file name extension (.chm), Spider will do it automatically.
Report file name
If you want a compilation report, enter the name of the report file with an extension (e.g. report.txt) in this field.
Name of the table of contents file
In this field, enter the name of the table of contents file to be used for this HTML Help project. Table of Contents can be created with the editor that will open after clicking on the icon next to the field. If the file with the table of contents already exists on the disk, you can select it using the window opened by the button next to it.
File name of the index
In this field, enter the name of the index file (index) to be used for this HTML Help project. You can create the index with the editor that will open when you click on the icon next to the field. If the index file already exists on disk, you can point to it using the box that opens with the button next to it.
Automatic creation of table of contents (.hhc) during compilation
Enabling this option allows you to automatically create a table of contents based on the degree one, degree two, etc. titles in the project's component files, nesting the levels accordingly. This function works the more correctly the fewer levels we consider. The names in the table of contents become the titles of the degree.
Include keywords from HTML files
Enabling this option automatically creates a keyword index based on keywords found in the project's component files. Keywords are created in a special way. An example definition of a keyword in an HTML file might look like the following:
<object type="aplication/x-oleobject"
classid="clasid:1e2a7bd0-dab9-11d0-b93a-00c04fc99f9e">
<param name="Keyword" value="Spider">
<param name="Keyword" value="HTML">
<param name="Keyword" value="PHP">
<param name="Keyword" value="XHTML">
</object>
In Spider, on the "HTML Help" toolbar, there is a tool for creating lects of HTML Help.
Compiler settings
Compatibility
The option selected from the list determines compatibility with HTML Help libraries. The newer version requires that you have a newer version of MS Internet Explorer on your system, but it also gives you more capabilities, such as creating binary indexes.
No folders in the resulting file
Checking this option will exclude all subfolders in the project directory from compilation.
Support for extended decompilation
This option was added due to the presence of HTML Help in the specification, however, even disabling it does not make decompiling the project impossible. Everything but the project definition (HHP file) can be recovered.
Compile full-text search information
Checking this option allows you to create a base for full-text search. It is in the form of a separate tab in the compiled CHM file.
The name of the stop list file for full-text search
In this field, enter the name of the stop list definition file for full-text search. By defining such a file and entering words in it that should not be included when compiling full-text search information, you can reduce the size of the resulting CHM file. An example list of such words can include conjunctions or other words that are not relevant to the search. The stop file of the list is defined by entering into it one word per line.
Create a binary index
Checking this option allows you to create a binary version of the index. There are two versions of the index in HTML Help: binary, and as a site map. The binary one is smaller, faster in operation, allows you to merge together indexes of different files, is automatically sorted during compilation, and allows you to merge key words contained in HTML documents (KLinks). Map, on the other hand, does not need to be compiled, it can be used not only in the *.chm file, but also on the Web pages, the user has full control over its content (it is a text file with HTML formatting).
Create a binary table of contents
Allows you to create a binary version of the table of contents, which speeds up its loading when the table of contents is very large. One of its advantages is the ability to use the Next/Previous option in the toolbar, which is absent in HTML Help Workshop (this allows you to browse forward or backward through documents one by one using the buttons on the toolbar). The binary version has limitations, for example, it does not support icons other than book and page, as well as information types. Under normal circumstances, creating a binary table of contents is not necessary. If you want to merge archive files later (Merge), this is not even allowed.
Defining windows
Defining windows is not mandatory. However, creating at least one window allows you to define a myriad of additional parameters for the appearance and behavior of the HTML Help window. Additional window definitions can also be useful if some topics are to be displayed in separate windows. Window definitions take precedence over some project defaults.
Note: In this window, after making any change, you must approve it by clicking on the "Remember current window settings" button marked with an icon, otherwise the changes made will not be taken into account.
Window name
The list contains the names of all windows defined for the current project. Windows can be added and removed using the buttons next to them, marked with "+" and "-". Below the list of windows are five tabs with buttons above them for switching them:
Sizes, panel
Window title
In this field, enter the title that will show on the title bar of the HTML Help window.
Remember the position and size of the window when changed by the user
Checking this option will remember the position and size of the window after it is changed the next time it is opened.
HTML Help window always on top
Checking this option will make the HTML Help window always on top in relation to other system windows.
Window size and position
In four fields: "From left", "From top", "Width", "Height" set the position of the window in relation to the screen.
Autosetting
When you click on the "Autoset" button, a sample window will open, whose manual setting will enter the selected dimensions and position into the settings.
Default sizes
When you click on the "Default sizes" button, it will set the size of the HTML Help window according to the default size.
Navigation panel
Display navigation panel
If unchecked, the following tabs will not be shown: table of contents, index, search, favorites.
When opened, panel hidden
Checking this option causes the tabbed navigation panel to be hidden when the HTML Help window is opened.
Automatically hide or display
Enabling this option will automatically hide or show the navigation panel when the user leaves or activates the HTML Help window.
Width
In this window you can set the width of the navigation panel in the HTML Help window.
Bookmarks position
From the drop-down list we choose the position of the navigation panel's tabs. There are three possibilities: the standard "On top", and "On the left" and "On the bottom".
Synchronize table of contents automatically
Enable this option to automatically synchronize the viewed document with the table of contents - the currently viewed item is then selected in the table of contents.
Hide the button bar
Selecting this option causes the function button bar to be hidden. You can activate it by selecting the appropriate item in the menu.
Hide text on the button bar
When checked, this option will cause the subtitles under the buttons on the bar not to be shown.
Default tab
From the drop-down list, we can choose which of the navigation panel's tabs will be exposed when HTML Help is opened. The default is "Table of Contents." The number of tabs in the list depends on how many we define in the options below.
"Search" tab
Checking this option will activate the search tab. This is used for large and very large projects, or because of the nature of the project, such as a database.
Advanced
Enabling this option will make the search tab have an additional option of logical search conditions. This is done by adding a drop-down list with operators next to the field for entering the search string: AND, OR, NEAR, NOT. This gives the search new capabilities and makes it more precise.
"Favorites" tab
Checking this option adds an additional bookmark to the navigation panel. To it you can add any of the currently viewed pages, which allows you to get to them more quickly later.
Toolbar
Basic buttons
Show/Hide
Checking this option adds a button on the toolbar that hides or shows the hidden navigation panel.
Back
Checking this option adds a button on the toolbar that takes you back to the previously viewed page.
Next
Selecting this option adds a button on the toolbar that takes us to the next page if we go back to the previous one.
Stop
The button is especially useful when using HTML Help to navigate through Internet resources. The button stops the loading of the page.
Refresh
This button reloads the contents of the window.
Start
This button loads the page defined in the next tab " Main files " as the start page.
Options
The button launches a list that includes all user-defined HTML Help options, in addition: system Internet options, printing, and a highlighting switch when searching (highlighting with a block of searched phrases)
Print
The button allows you to print. When it is clicked, a window shows a choice of two options: print the selected topic, or print the selected heading with all subtopics.
Locate
Click on this button to indicate the position of the currently viewed page in the table of contents.
Additional buttons
Jump 1
A button defined entirely by the user. In two fields there is space for a description of the button, which will appear under its icon on the bar, and for a reference to a local page, or for entering a web address.
Jump 2
A button defined entirely by the user. There is space in two fields for a description of the button, which will appear under its icon on the bar, and for a reference to a local page, or for entering a web address.
Back
The button takes you back to a previously viewed page. Note: Requires the presence of a binary table of contents.
Next
The button takes you to the next page. Attention! Requires the presence of a binary table of contents.
Increase font size
This button toggles between the font sizes, as defined in the browser's View->Text Size menu. You can choose from the following font settings: largest, larger, medium, smaller, smallest. Note: Changing the font size with this button causes an identical change in all windows of the system browser.
Unusual buttons
Selecting these buttons allows you to place non-standard buttons on the toolbar. In this version of HTML Help Workshop, however, they have not been enabled by Microsoft for use. While they are displayed, they are not active for their intended purpose.
The following buttons are available: "Table of Contents", "Index", "Search", "History", "Favorites", "Notes", "Back", "Next". Main files
Table of contents
In this field we enter the name of the HHC table of contents file along with the extension. It can be loaded from disk using the icon next to the field. If you open the editor, when the table of contents file is already made and located in the project directory, it is automatically included in this field.
Index
In this field, you enter the name of the HHK cursor file along with the extension. It can be loaded from disk using the icon next to the field. If you open the editor, when the index file is already made and located in the project directory, it is automatically included in this field.
Default theme
In this field, enter the name of the project file along with the extension that will be opened when HTML Help is opened. You can also load this file from disk using the icon next to the field.
Home page
In this field, we enter the name of the file along with the extension that will be activated if the "Start" button is defined in the previous tab. This file can also be loaded from disk using the icon next to the field.
Appearance style
The following options are only of minor importance for the appearance of HTML Help. Many of them are never used when building a project - these will not be described.
Basic
Maximize button
Only when this option is selected will the maximize button of the HTML Help window be shown.
Show maximized
When this option is checked, the HTML Help window will open as maximized.
Minimize button
Only when this option is selected will the minimize button of the HTML Help window be shown.
Show minimized
When checked, the HTML Help window will open as minimized to the taskbar.
Pop-Up Window
When this option is checked, Pop-Up windows will be allowed to open in HTML Help windows.
Child type window
When this option is checked, child type windows will be allowed to open in HTML Help windows.
Clip children's windows
Child type windows will be clipped.
Clipped peer windows
Peer windows will be clipped.
Horizontal scrollbar
Only when this option is checked will a horizontal scrollbar appear when the window is shrunk. Otherwise, the contents of the window will be automatically adjusted to its size.
Vertical scrollbar
Only when this option is checked will a vertical scrollbar appear when the window is reduced. Otherwise, the contents of the window will be automatically resized to fit its size.
Border
When this option is selected, a decorative page border will appear. The other options determine the type of border.
Dialog type window
When this option is checked, dialog type windows will be allowed to open in HTML Help windows.
Overlapping
When this option is checked, overlapping windows will be allowed in HTML Help windows.
Thicker border
When this option is checked, the border of the page will be much thicker than the standard one.
Locked size
If you check this option, the HTML Help window will be locked in size.
Expanded
Tool type window
When this option is checked, tool type windows will be allowed to open in HTML Help windows.
Sunken border
When this option is selected, the borders will be of sunken type.
3D border
When selected, the borders will be three-dimensional.
Alignment to the right
In non-style-defined texts, right alignment will be enforced. This is mainly applied to Hebrew-type nationality texts, where it reads from right to left.
Reading from right to left.
This is mainly applied to texts of Hebrew-type nationalities, where one reads from right to left.
Control the parent window
A close relationship between the subordinate window and the parent window follows.
Accept dropped files
When this option is checked, the dropped files are accepted.
Always on top
When this option is checked, the HTML Help window will be set against other windows of the system always on top.
Context-sensitive help button
When this option is checked, a context-sensitive help button will be allowed.
Don't inform the parent's window
When checked, this option will enforce no control between the subordinate window and the main window.
Transparent
When this option is checked, additional windows will be transparent.
HTML Help API and included help
List of other help files linked to the current help
HTML Help can also consist of many subordinate HTML Help files incorporated into the main file. Including them is done through this list. Use the buttons next to it to select the CHM files to include. Note, however, that the included CHM files must always be in the same directory as the main project file. You also need to add a link to the table of contents of the main project to the tables of contents of the included CHM files.
List of constants assigned to the topic
In this list, you can assign text constants to selected HTML Help files, or point to header files containing these definitions. The definitions here are useful when using the HTML Help API in Windows programs, so you can call specific help topics directly from these programs.
When this constant or number is passed to the HTML Help API
In this field, enter the name of the constant that will be assigned to the file selected in the field below.
Let it refer to this file
From the drop-down list of this field, select the file to be associated with the name or number from the field above.
Mapping for HTML Help API
The list is intended to indicate header files containing links between help context numbers and file-related constants. In programming languages, context help is most often called by numeric values. This section allows you to bind (map) numeric constants to file-related constants An example of the contents of a header file might look as follows:
#define IDH_CI_CONTENTS 1060
#define IDH_CI_INTRO 1040
#define IDH_CI_STEP 1010
Pop_Up popup windows
The list is intended to indicate header files containing Pop_Up popup definitions.
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