Re: [DUG] Compiled HTML Help (CHM)

Paul A Norman Sat, 10 Apr 2004 06:10:41 -0700

Dera Ross,

Have a look here : http://www.helpware.net/delphi/index.html

and at their group site for down loads (free): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DelphiHHKit/

As I recall it this was the info I read and followed in setting the CHM Help system up,

// 1. Use the unit (hh.pas) and declare a global

USES HH, HH_FUNCS;

//Global varible
var mHHelp: THookHelpSystem;

     // 2. Create the Object in main form create.
     procedure TMainForm.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
     begin
       mHHelp := THookHelpSystem.Create(pathToCHM, '', htHHAPI);
       ...

     // 3. Free the object in main form destroy
     procedure TMainForm.FormDestroy(Sender: TObject);
     begin
       //Unhook and free
       mHHelp.Free;
       HHCloseAll;     //Close help before shutdown or big trouble

...

Then you need to create you ALIAS and MAP files for use in the CHM making process. After that your HHP and HHC (see below).

These file excerpts are a dummy run I did

An Alias File takes this form, it points a variable to the actual help HTM that is being compiled into the CHM

ALIAS File:

IDH_Button1=1011_Trymake - Trymake_Button1.htm
IDH_Panel1=1002_Trymake - Trymake_Panel1.htm
IDH_CheckListBox1=1001_Trymake - Panel1_CheckListBox1.htm
IDH_Button2=1010_Trymake - Trymake_Button2.htm
IDH_STFontsList1=1003_Trymake - Trymake_STFontsList1.htm
IDH_PageControl1=1005_Trymake - Trymake_PageControl1.htm
IDH_TabSheet1=1006_Trymake - PageControl1_TabSheet1.htm
IDH_TabSheet2=1008_Trymake - PageControl1_TabSheet2.htm
IDH_UpDown1=1009_Trymake - TabSheet2_UpDown1.htm

The Map File look like this, it points the varible defined above to the property: "HelpContext" number which you assign in each component in the Delphi object inspector : I reccomend that you start your numbers at the 10000 level and move in fives so that the next one would be 10005. Different sections can jump in hundreds, like 10105. This keeps everything in sequence and allows the insertion of any later component in sequence which can be important.

MAP File

#define IDH_Button1 1011
#define IDH_Panel1 1002
#define IDH_CheckListBox1 1001
#define IDH_Button2 1010
#define IDH_STFontsList1 1003
#define IDH_PageControl1 1005
#define IDH_TabSheet1 1006
#define IDH_TabSheet2 1008
#define IDH_UpDown1 1009
=============

You include these two files in the CHM making process (see HHP below). The consequence is that when the user hits F1 over a control that has a HelpContext number that is referenced through the two files above, the relevent help shows in the connected CHM

When making the CHM

The .hhc file that is compiled into the CHM looks like this. You can make it yourself from a delphi procedure scannin though your Delphi project snapping pictures (captring controls to JPEG) and even making the HTM files from the hints and other information in the control.

The stacking of the <UL> tags below causes the book and chapter effect in the final help file.

================

HHC file:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft® HTML Help Workshop 4.1">

</HEAD><BODY>
<OBJECT type="text/site properties">
<param name="Window Styles" value="0x800025">
</OBJECT>
<UL>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
  <param name="Name" value="Main List">
  <param name="Local" value="1-Frame - 1 - General Informational File Listing.htm">
  </OBJECT>
<UL>
  <LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
   <param name="Name" value="Information List">
   <param name="Local" value="1 - General Informational File Listing.htm">
   </OBJECT>
</ul>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Set Design Features">
<param name="Local" value="1002_Trymake - Trymake_Panel1.htm">
</OBJECT>
<ul>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Numer of Graphics Wanted">
<param name="Local" value="1001_Trymake - Panel1_CheckListBox1.htm">
</OBJECT>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Choose from the available font names">
<param name="Local" value="1003_Trymake - Trymake_STFontsList1.htm">
</OBJECT>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Up down choices">
<param name="Local" value="1008_Trymake - PageControl1_TabSheet2.htm">
</OBJECT>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Set Number of Colours">
<param name="Local" value="1009_Trymake - TabSheet2_UpDown1.htm">
</OBJECT>
</ul>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Choose Your File Name To Work on">
<param name="Local" value="1005_Trymake - Trymake_PageControl1.htm">
</OBJECT>
<ul>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Make Your file choice here.">
<param name="Local" value="1006_Trymake - PageControl1_TabSheet1.htm">
</OBJECT>
</ul>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Start Picture Making">
<param name="Local" value="1011_Trymake - Trymake_Button1.htm">
</OBJECT>
<ul>
</ul>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Only use this to remake the help files">
<param name="Local" value="1010_Trymake - Trymake_Button2.htm">
</OBJECT>
<ul>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="help.css">
<param name="Local" value="help.css">
</OBJECT>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="help.js">
<param name="Local" value="help.js">
</OBJECT>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="1_alias.txt">
<param name="Local" value="1_alias.txt">
</OBJECT>
<LI> <OBJECT type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="1_map.txt">
<param name="Local" value="1_map.txt">
</OBJECT>

</UL>
</UL>
</BODY></HTML>
=========================

The .HHP file is the CHM maker's project file. It is essentialy in the INI format. Note how the ALIAS and MAP file from above are added once in the [FILES] list and once in their own sections. at the bottom. I have found that likewise directly entering SRC="" referenced file in the [FILES] section can overcome any "no shows" in the CHM if you get any.

HHP File:

[OPTIONS]
Auto Index=Yes
Compatibility=1.1 or later
Compiled file=helpMake.chm
Contents file=helpMake.hhc
Default topic=1002_Trymake - Trymake_Panel1.htm
Display compile progress=Yes
Enhanced decompilation=Yes
Full-text search=Yes
Language=0x1409 English (New Zealand)
Title=Making Graphics trial Help File

[FILES]
1002_Trymake - Trymake_Panel1.htm
1001_Trymake - Panel1_CheckListBox1.htm
1003_Trymake - Trymake_STFontsList1.htm
1008_Trymake - PageControl1_TabSheet2.htm
1009_Trymake - TabSheet2_UpDown1.htm
1005_Trymake - Trymake_PageControl1.htm
1006_Trymake - PageControl1_TabSheet1.htm
1011_Trymake - Trymake_Button1.htm
1010_Trymake - Trymake_Button2.htm
help.css
help.js
1_alias.txt
1_map.txt
helpMake.hhc
helpMake.hhp
Project.ini

[ALIAS]
#include 1_alias.txt

[MAP]
#include 1_map.txt

[INFOTYPES]

=========

For a new help project .. Procedure for capturing images of controls, I had to create a seperate form to temporarily copy the control to by changing its parent, and then snapshot it on a white background (form canvasss). Set up a hidden (from normal user) or temporary procedure to initaite the following. Iterate through your project's forms, testing Twincontrol descendants to see whether their HelpContext is greater than 0. If so send them to this function. Then also prompt for the Help Text and create an html document for the Help file ([Tstringlist].saveToFile ( SavePath+inttostr(Control.Helpcontext)+'_'+ Control.Name+'.htm'); include the image generated in the help document
.

Also at the same time auto generate the HHC and the ALIAS and MAP files. My units for this are a mess that makes sense to me only! Or I would send them to you. But the procedure is as I have described it. Here is the JPEG generation code which was the hrdest bit to track down and rework. I seem to recall that the core of the following is based in part on Peter Belowes WIN32 API information.

function TCreateJpegPicture.makePictsfromForm(thisForm :Tform; Control :Twincontrol; savePath : string):boolean;

VAR
bmp : tBitmap;
Dc : HDC;
R : TRect;
HoldParent :twincontrol;
Left, Top :integer;
JpegMake : tjpegimage;

begin
try
self.color := clWhite;

forcedirectories(savePath);
control.Show;
holdParent := control.Parent;
Left := control.Left;
Top := control.Top;

control.Parent:= Self;
control.Left := 4;
control.Top := 4;
Self.Show;
showmessage('Processing :'+ control.name);

DC := GetDC ( self.handle);
   R := Control.boundsRect;
   bmp := tBitmap.create;
   bmp.width := (R.Right-R.Left) ;
   bmp.Height := (R.Bottom - R.Top);

Bitblt(bmp.canvas.handle,0,0,bmp.Width,bmp.height,dc,r.left,r.top,srccopy);

   jpegMake := tjpegimage.Create;
   jpegMake.Assign(Bmp);
   jpegMake.CompressionQuality := 100;
   jpegMake.Compress;

//same format as below can be used to generate the individual help files

   jpegMake.saveToFile ( SavePath+inttostr(Control.Helpcontext)+'_'+ Control.Name+'.jpg');
   bmp.free;
   jpegMake.Free;

control.Parent := HoldParent;
control.Left := Left;
control.Top := Top ;
Self.Hide;
thisForm.Show;
releasedc(thisForm.handle,dc);
result := true;
except
result := false;
end;

end ;

====================

Paul

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http://PaulANorman.com

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Re: [DUG] Compiled HTML Help (CHM)

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