Re: Getting Started with HTML Help
* Jonathan Wood:
I seem to be having a heck of a time figuring out how to get started
with HTML help in my MFC applications. The vast majority of stuff I've
found on the Web seems quite outdated.
I see there is an option to create HTML help when creating an MFC
application in VS2008. So far, that works.
This option creates three help project files (*.hhc, *.hhk, and *.hhp).
What are these files? I believe they are to be processed by HTML Help
Workshop but is that part of VS2008 or a separate download?
Separate download (unless they've included it with VS2008).
And why are all the HTML help files created by the MFC wizards using
uppercase tags, which VS2008 itself flags as not being allowed.
Same reasons as Visual Studio helpfully replaces HTML entities with Windows ANSI
characters that are invalid in that context, and e.g. tries to modify image
resources so that they become unusable, or e.g. adds redundant and unwanted
#include directives in C++ source code, when you least expect it.
It's probably a combination of
* intentional vendor lock-in,
* unintentional stupidity and incompetence, and
* the (incorrect) idea that users of development tools prefer to not
have control, and experience multiple orgasms of pure joy when the
tool takes their control away and imposes some hare-brained scheme.
To wit, the Office clip (now no longer a clip, but still).
I could really use a current, high-level discussion on how help files
are designed to be created using VS2008.
NOTE: I know some of you are using third-party tools. That's fine but
the information I'm currently looking for is how this is intended to be
accomplished using VS2008 with the least amount of additional software
possible.
HTML Help Workshop.
Cheers, & hth.,
- Alf