by James Bott » Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:34 pm
Ollie,
>What is a 'pure HTML' file? - as opposed to a compiled help file CHM?
CHM files are just compiled HTML files. Help generation software first creates an HTML file (just like any web page) then compiles all the HTML files into one CHM file. Then there is a special program that reads the CHM files to display the help. For whatever reason, Windows now considers CHM files a security threat, so they cannot be run from a network drive (unless the PC is configured to allow it).
So, if your Help generation software provides it, you can just export HTML files and put all the HTML files into a subdirectory of your application and then call whatever HTML file you wish from within your application.
Alternatively, you could just have the HTML help files on your Internet site and have the app look for them there. That way everyone is seeing the most current help files. Of course, customers would have to have Internet access.
One other way is that the app could look for the CHM file in a specific local directory, and if it is not found then create the directory and copy the file from the server. This could be done from within FW. Or, if the help file is found locally, it would be a good idea to check the file date against the one on the server and update the local copy if needed.
James