Using the Microsoft Windows Help Compiler
ID: Q88191
|
The information in this article applies to:
-
Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) versions 3.0, 3.1
SUMMARY
Although Section 2.1.11 of the Microsoft Windows Software Development
Kit (SDK) "Getting Started" manual for version 3.1 briefly mentions
the Microsoft Windows Help Compiler, it gives no information about how
to use it.
The Windows SDK "Programming Tools" manual for version 3.1 documents
how to create a Windows Help file in Chapter 3. However, it does not
detail how to invoke the Help Compiler. The text below explains how to
use the Help Compiler and some of the differences between the two
versions of the Help Compiler provided with version 3.1 of the Windows
SDK.
MORE INFORMATION
The Windows SDK documentation details how to create the source files
required to build a Windows Help file. The Help Compiler creates an
.HLP file from the source files. Version 3.1 of the Windows SDK
includes two versions of the Help Compiler: one (HC30.EXE) builds .HLP
files compatible with the version 3.0 of the Windows Help application,
and the other (HC31.EXE) builds files compatible only with Windows
Help version 3.1. A batch file (HC.BAT) provides compatibility with
the HC.EXE program in version 3.0 of the Windows SDK. The batch file
can invoke either version of the Help Compiler.
The source files used to create a Windows Help file include the Help
project (.HPJ) file, rich text (.RTF) files, bitmap (.BMP) files, and
segmented-graphic bitmap (.SHG) files. One of the parameters of the
Help Compiler command line is the name of the .HPJ file; the .HPJ file
lists the other source files.
Both compilers are MS-DOS-based (non-Windows) programs run from an
MS-DOS prompt or in an MS-DOS window under Windows. The Help Compiler
file (and its associated .ERR file) must be in a directory listed in
the MS-DOS PATH environment variable (in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file) or in
the current directory. The Windows SDK installation program places
both compilers and the batch file in the Windows SDK BIN directory (by
default, either C:\WINDEV\BIN or C:\C700\BIN).
The HC.BAT batch file invokes the Help Compiler application. By
default, HC.BAT invokes HC30.EXE to build a Help file compatible with
version 3.0 of the Windows Help application. HC30 does not support
some features of Windows Help version 3.1 (such as segmented-graphic
bitmaps). To create a Help file for Windows Help version 3.1, either
invoke HC.BAT with the -n option switch (for example, hc -n
myhelp.hpj) or invoke HC31.EXE directly (for example, hc31
myhelp.hpj).
Section 2.1.11 of the "Getting Started" manual (page 10) lists some of
the new features provided by Windows Help version 3.1.
NOTE: You can still use this help compiler with Windows NT 3.51 and Windows
95, but there is a new help compiler 4.0 (HCW.EXE) which should be used for
these platforms instead of the old help compiler.
Additional query words:
3.00 3.10 HC HC.BAT HC30 HC31 hypergraphic
Keywords : kb16bitonly
Version : WINDOWS:3.0,3.1
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :