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Subject:Re: HTML Help questions From:Kelly Williamson <webcrafts -at- EARTHLINK -dot- NET> Date:Thu, 3 Dec 1998 15:48:10 -0500
Brian wrote:
> First, HTML Help is PROPRIETARY MICROSOFT format.
Yes, but she said her clients would be using Windows.
> You can get it to run with Navigator, but you MAY NEED TO DO SOME
> TWEAKING if you intend to use HTML Help in the Navigator environment.
If you're going to distribute *browser-based* (or non-compiled) HTML Help
for Navigator or other platforms, there's more than just "tweaking" that
needs to be done. Specifically, you must use a Java applet instead of the
ActiveX control (a major difference). (If you'll be distributing compiled
HTML Help, then the issue is moot, as you can't use Navigator for that
purpose--it uses the HTML Help API.)
> (NetHelp is Netscape's answer to Microsoft's HTML Help -- NetHelp is
> "native" to the NN environment and is preferred for the "pro-Netscape"
> crowd).
Not a very realistic solution, IMO.
> There are Java/JavaScript and ActiveX controls that can make your HTML
> Help "generic" and able to run in both non-IE and non-Windows<snip>
There are Java *applets*, but not ActiveX controls that can make your HTML
Help generic.
> FYI: Output for HTML Help is a file with the extension CHM (for
> "compressed HTML file -- Microsoft's compression, that is). HTML Help
> is BIASED more for IE and the Microsoft world whereas NetHelp is BIASED
> for the Netscape and non-Microsoft world.
It's not just biased "more" towards the IE, MS world--that's who it was
created for.
> If they are strictly Netscape or a mixture
> of both IE and NN, then you may have some tweaking to do to get HTML
> Help to work in both environments.
Again, more than just tweaking. And, again, if you're creating *compiled*
HTML Help (rather than browser based), the browser isn't even an issue. The
only things that need distributed for compiled HTML Help are the Internet
Explorer run time engine and HTML Help run time components (so it won't
matter if the users don't have a browser already installed).
Just trying to clear things up!
Kelly Williamson
kelly -at- williamson -dot- net
Image Online Services
www.imageos.com
