RE: CHMs, DFDs, and TGIF

["Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>]

Tony Chung wrote: 
 
> Okay, get me on a technicality. HTML is used in both, only CHMs are
> compiled
> by HTML Help Workshop. The "new" HTML help provides a separate help
viewer
> to replace the compiled system, because a security feature preventing
code
> execution from local file systems breaks the CHM. (Easily fixed by a
> registry hack, but still... why implement security only to disable
it?)
> That's why I called the CHM deprecated, regardless of how popular the
> format
> is.

Not a technicality. There _is_ no "new" Microsoft HTML Help, and there
is no "both." The HTML Help format _is_ compiled help, specifically
*.chm files. 

>From MSDN
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms670169%28VS.85%29.aspx): 

"Microsoft(r) HTML Help is the standard help system for the Windows
platform. ...

"... The HTML Help compiler (part of the HTML Help Workshop) makes it
possible to compress HTML, graphic, and other files into a relatively
small compiled help (.chm) file, which can then be distributed with a
software application, or downloaded from the Web.

"HTML Help consists of an online Help Viewer, related help components,
and help authoring tools from Microsoft Corporation. The Help Viewer
uses the underlying components of Microsoft Internet Explorer to display
help content. ... The help authoring tool, HTML Help Workshop, provides
an easy-to-use system for creating and managing help projects and their
related files."

And you've got the security issue backwards. CHMs _only_ work on your
PC, not a server. From Adobe's RoboHelp documentation
(http://tinyurl.com/y9kyfwk): 

"Note: Due to Microsoft security changes, Microsoft HTML Help is now
used where the Help has to be run on the users PC; it cannot be
installed on a server without registry changes. WebHelp and FlashHelp
are used where the Help is to be run from a server. WebHelp and
FlashHelp can be run locally, but it is not recommended."

But it's Friday, so I forgive you. ;-)

Happy weekend, all! 

Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
------






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