9.15.5 Comparing HHW settings for stand-alone vs. merged CHMs

You might have to experiment with HTML Help Workshop settings to achieve the best combination of functionality and features for your particular project organization and content. HTML Help appears to be “surprisingly complex and not overly predictable”.

For example, a binary TOC is not usually compatible with merged CHM files. However, see:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa814522(VS.85).aspx

Table 9-5 shows the rationale for certain combinations of settings for three CHM roles.

Table 9-5 Rationale for HHW settings by CHM role

CHM role	HTML Help Workshop settings and their effects
Stand-alone CHM files	[OPTIONS]Binary index=No (for “better index disambiguation”)
	[OPTIONS]Binary TOC=Yes (required for native HTML Help browse navigation; see §9.4.3 Adding tabs and toolbar buttons to HTML Help)
	Options Files tab: remove .hhk file (to synchronize the TOC with the index when Binary TOC is enabled)
	Window Types Buttons tab: check Prev and Next (for native HTML Help browse navigation)
Slave CHM files in a merged HTML Help project	[OPTIONS]Binary index=Yes (required for merged files)
	[OPTIONS]Binary TOC=No (not compatible with merged files; however, you might successfully merge slaves that have Binary TOCs, if you sacrifice correct native browse navigation)
	Options Files tab: retain .hhk file (or the indexes will not merge)
	Window Types Buttons tab: clear Prev and Next check boxes (native HTML Help browse navigation does not function correctly in merged files)
Master CHM file in a merged HTML Help project	[OPTIONS]Binary index=Yes (required for merged files)
	[OPTIONS]Binary TOC=No (or the TOC of the merged project will be a mess)
	Options Files tab: retain .hhk file (or the index will not merge)
	Window Types Buttons tab: clear Prev and Next check boxes (native HTML Help browse navigation does not function correctly in merged files)

Table 9-6 summarizes the settings that should work for stand-alone HTML Help projects and for merged projects.

Table 9-6 HTML Help Workshop settings for stand-alone vs. merged CHMs

HTML Help Workshop setting	Stand-alone CHM	Merged CHMs
[OPTIONS] Binary TOC=	Yes	No
[OPTIONS] Binary Index=	No	Yes
Options: Files tab, Index	Remove .hhk	Retain .hhk
Window Types: Buttons tab	Check Prev and Next	Clear Prev and Next

See also:

§9.15.4 Merging CHM files

http://www.helpware.net/htmlhelp/how_to_merge.htm

http://www.helpware.net/FAR/help/dlg_hhpedit_sec.htm

http://www.help-info.de/de/FAR/dlg_hhpedit.htm

9.15.4 Merging CHM files

10 Generating OmniHelp