How to Integrate a CHM File with Your Application

Working with a CHM File from a .NET Application

In the .NET environment we use built-in support for the HTML Help (CHM) format.

Call a help topic by Context Id:

Help.ShowHelp(this, "c:\my_help_file.chm", HelpNavigator.TopicId, "20");

Show the Table of Contents:

Help.ShowHelp(this, "c:\my_help_file.chm", HelpNavigator.TableOfContents, "");

Show the Keyword Index:

Help.ShowHelp(this, "c:\my_help_file.chm", HelpNavigator.Index, "");

Working with a CHM File from a VBA Application

Note that in a VBA application we use HTML Help API calls directly.

Declare the Following Constants:

Public Const HH_DISPLAY_TOPIC = &H0
Public Const HH_DISPLAY_TOC = &H1
Public Const HH_DISPLAY_INDEX = &H2
Public Const HH_HELP_CONTEXT = &HF

Declare the HTMLHelp() API function:

Declare Function HTMLHelp Lib "hhctrl.ocx" Alias "HtmlHelpA" (ByVal hwndCaller As Long,
ByVal pszFile As String, ByVal uCommand As Long, ByVal dwData As Long) As Long

Call a help topic by Context Id:

HTMLHelp 0, MyHelpFile, HH_HELP_CONTEXT, MyTopicContextID

Show the Table of Contents:

HTMLHelp 0, MyHelpFile, HH_DISPLAY_TOC, 0

Working with a CHM File from a Delphi Application

In a Delphi application we use built-in support for the HTML Help (CHM) format.

Define the CHM filename:

Application.HelpFile := ExtractFilePath(Application.ExeName) + 'MyHelpFile.chm';

Call a help topic by Context Id:

Application.HelpContext(IDH_TOPIC);

Show the Table of Content:

HtmlHelp(0, Application.HelpFile, HH_DISPLAY_TOC, 0);

Show the keyword Index:

HtmlHelp(0, Application.HelpFile, HH_DISPLAY_INDEX, DWORD(PWideChar('My Test Keyword')));