Why No Outrage at CHM files?

[Howard Schwartz]

A while back microsoft introduced its html help, or `chm' files, which
quickly became the way help was bundled with a lot of freeware products.
CHM files require the IE rendering engine and files to view, or in other
words: you need to keep IE 4 or better on your computer.

I have seen almost no info. on how to view such files with another browser
like firefox or even netscape. It is possible to decompile such files, and
take your chances with some 40 odd html uncompressed html files.

What has there been no outcry about this particular method of forcing
people to use microsoft products? Also, why so little effort or thought
into viewing such files without IE, or converting them to another format?
I know at least one company makes some payware that will do this.

 

[Septima]

A while back microsoft introduced its html help, or `chm' files, which
quickly became the way help was bundled with a lot of freeware products.
CHM files require the IE rendering engine and files to view, or in other
words: you need to keep IE 4 or better on your computer.

I have seen almost no info. on how to view such files with another browser
like firefox or even netscape. It is possible to decompile such files, and
take your chances with some 40 odd html uncompressed html files.

What has there been no outcry about this particular method of forcing
people to use microsoft products? Also, why so little effort or thought
into viewing such files without IE, or converting them to another format?
I know at least one company makes some payware that will do this.

=----


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TWCryptVerzeichnis - crypt dir.
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HTML2TXT - HTML2TXT is a software tool that can help you convert HTML files
to TXT format.It not only remove the HTML tags,but also reformat the text.
It can covert ...
http://www.dirfile.com/chm_encoder.htm

 

[Anti_Freak_Machine]

A while back microsoft introduced its html help, or `chm' files, which
quickly became the way help was bundled with a lot of freeware products.
CHM files require the IE rendering engine and files to view, or in other
words: you need to keep IE 4 or better on your computer.

I have seen almost no info. on how to view such files with another browser
like firefox or even netscape. It is possible to decompile such files, and
take your chances with some 40 odd html uncompressed html files.

What has there been no outcry about this particular method of forcing
people to use microsoft products? Also, why so little effort or thought
into viewing such files without IE, or converting them to another format?
I know at least one company makes some payware that will do this.

I have never paid attention to it much because most programs usually
have forums, pdf files, and text files for help. Honestly, I can't
remember the last time I actually opened a .chm file for help.

 

[Matthias]

I have never paid attention to it much because most programs usually
have forums, pdf files, and text files for help. Honestly, I can't
remember the last time I actually opened a .chm file for help.

Ditto. Mainly because they aren't helpful.


Matthias

 

[dadiOH]

Ditto. Mainly because they aren't helpful.

Not to mention the fact that not reading them maintains a constant
stream of "How do I..." questions to usenet. Heck, if people actually
RTFM, usenet would dry up.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

[Mel]

Not to mention the fact that not reading them maintains a constant
stream of "How do I..." questions to usenet. Heck, if people actually
RTFM, usenet would dry up.

LOL!

 

[Franklin]

On Wed 10 Aug 2005 12:20:37, Matthias wrote:

Ditto. Mainly because they aren't helpful.

Got to agree with you.

Although once in a while I come across a well-written CHM like the
one supplied with PowerPro (freeware). http://powerpro.webeddie.com/

Then I would like to have a much better way of going through the CHM
than the usual awkward buttons and links.

 

[Franklin]

On Wed 10 Aug 2005 08:31:47, Howard Schwartz wrote:

A while back microsoft introduced its html help, or `chm' files,
which quickly became the way help was bundled with a lot of
freeware products. CHM files require the IE rendering engine and
files to view, or in other words: you need to keep IE 4 or
better on your computer.

I have seen almost no info. on how to view such files with
another browser like firefox or even netscape. It is possible to
decompile such files, and take your chances with some 40 odd
html uncompressed html files.

What has there been no outcry about this particular method of
forcing people to use microsoft products? Also, why so little
effort or thought into viewing such files without IE, or
converting them to another format? I know at least one company
makes some payware that will do this.

Howard, I can't get outraged over it but I do get MAJORLY frustrated
over how cumbersome it is to use help files (CHM or HLP).

Septima kindly posted about CHM Encoder in this thread which I got
and tried and I find it works nicely.

Now what I need is a better tool to navigate the generated HTM files
than a regular browser (I use Opera and Firefox).

When I browse images in most viewers I can scroll my mouse wheel and
they take me through the image files. It would be nice to have an
HTM browser or some other utility which did the same. And if it
managed to illustrate the original help file links between the HTM
pages then that would be really neat!

Maybe there is something good in the list below. I have only checked
out a few of them. Let me know if you find something hot.

Frank

---------------------

By the way there is a list of free Help Authoring Tools at:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/programming/helpauthoring.shtml

In addition to what is in that list are these utilities:

Keyworks who have several freeware utilities for help files
http://www.keyworks.net/default.htm

Microsoft has the free HTML Help Workshop
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011362801033.aspx

HelpScribble provides a free help decompiler
http://www.helpscribble.com/decompiler.html