The files with extension .CHM are the new HTML Help files. These are the “compiled HTML files” and they are used by most Windows help file formats. These HTML Help files typically have a table of contents on the left sidebar and they are hyperlinked. The HTML Help files are used by 2000 and above versions. This article will tell you how to open CHM file.
Earlier, the HTML help files had the extension WinHelp. Microsoft launched first version of Microsoft Compiled HTML format or CHM format in 1997 and ever since then, it has become a universal format for all electronic contextual help files. The HTML help files are usually compressed file formats that may contain simple text, images, or hyperlinks. These files are used along with some other programs to get online help solutions.
There are many applications that use .CHM files. One of the applications that use .CHM files is dtSearch 6.
- The .CHM files can be opened in a Web browser or a CHM viewing program.
- If your computer does not have HTML Help Viewer, you can download this program from the Microsoft Website.
- If your computer has Windows 2000 or above, chances are that you already have HTML Help Viewer. You can also download it from other Websites such as that of dtSearch 6.
- You must remember that there are only some .CHM files that can be opened with the HTML Web browser. Other .CHM files may require a CHM Editor or a CHM viewing program to open these files.
Download CHM reader add-on extension for Firefox browser
- To be able to read a CHM file, you must have CHM reader on your computer. This is a Firefox add-on and it works well with Firefox version 2 and 3.
- The CHM reader helps you view any CHM file from the browser itself. You can download this application from the internet.
- Once the download is complete, restart your computer and open your CHM file directly from Firefox.
- The table of contents for the file will appear on the left sidebar on your screen.
- The CHM reader is supported by Linux and Windows Operating Systems.
Opening CHM Files in Firefox
It is very easy to open .CHM files in Firefox 3.6.3. Follow the below mentioned steps to open a CHM file in Firefox 3.6.3:
- Go to View Menu.
- Click on main menu entry “Sidebar” or Ctrl+E.
- Select “Open CHM File” in the sidebar.
- Go to the CHM file that you wish to open.
- Open the CHM file.
There are some points that you must remember while opening a CHM file in Firefox 3.6.3. For example, you must be careful as to whether you wish to allow redirection or not. If you do not allow redirection, you may select “Navigation” from the sidebar. Alternately, you can also disable the “auto redirection” when you set the preferences for Firefox. You must practice caution here as clicking on any other link from the sidebar menu even by mistake may lead to some other problems. You may lose the navigation and get stuck with the sidebar itself or you may get some broken links on the sidebar with “Missing” word appearing at some instances. Therefore, avoid using a document for “navigation.” If you open a .CHM document in Firefox, you may have to adjust the font size of each page in the document. You can set the preference for minimum font size in Firefox.
Converting CHM Files into PDF Files
In the current times, the market of PDF files is much larger than that of CHM files. There are many advantages associated with the PDF files and therefore this format is used widely. The PDF format enables people to share books. The PDF format supports technical documentation and you can also read the CHM manuals on your PDAs or smart phones. You can also read the manuals in CHM format on you Mac machines.
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