How to use CHM HTML Help file with Delphi XE application?

Question

Delphi - How to use CHM HTML Help file with Delphi XE application?

http://edn.embarcadero.com/article/27842 article describes how to use CHM file. I did all the steps described there.

Added

const
  HH_DISPLAY_TOPIC        = $0000;
  HH_DISPLAY_TOC          = $0001;
  HH_CLOSE_ALL            = $0012;

function HtmlHelp(hwndCaller: HWND;
  pszFile: PChar; uCommand: UINT;
  dwData: DWORD): HWND; stdcall;
  external 'HHCTRL.OCX' name 'HtmlHelpA';

and public function HH`

function TForm1.HH(Command: Word; Data: Integer;
  var CallHelp: Boolean): Boolean;
begin
  if (Command = 0) and (Data = 0) then
      HtmlHelp(Application.Handle,
        PChar(Application.HelpFile),
        HH_DISPLAY_TOC, 0);

  CallHelp := False;
end;

In FormCreate

  HelpDir:=ExtractFilePath(Application.EXEName);
  Application.HelpFile:=HelpDir+'Sample.chm';
  Application.OnHelp := HH;

On the button1 OnClick event added the following code:

HH(0, 0, dummy);

After clicking on the button1, cursor becomes an hourglass for a while, and that's all.

What I'm doing wrong ?

And how the CHM help file can be used from DelphiXE application?

Don't you just add HtmlHelpViewer to your uses clause? And that should be it. — David Heffernan, Feb 03 '14 at 18:15
Thank You. I've created a help test project. It works there. But it doesn't work in my main project ((, which is a MDI application. — Avrob, Feb 03 '14 at 18:38
Clearly you've got something wrong in your project. Can't tell what from here. — David Heffernan, Feb 03 '14 at 18:40
Use HtmlHelpW instead of HtmlHelpA if you are using Unicode (XE already support Unicode). — Slappy, May 28 '19 at 20:13

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 03 '14 at 18:40

10

The article you are working from pre-dates built in support for HTML help. These days you do the following:

Include HtmlHelpViewer in at least one of your uses clauses.
Set Application.HelpFile to the path of your help file.

And that's it. The code in your question should be removed. The built-in help viewer takes care of all those details.

answered Feb 03 '14 at 18:40

David Heffernan

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`Include HtmlHelpViewer` and `Set Application.HelpFile` and like a miracle everything goes by itself. OP has informed you `HTMLHelpViewer is in my uses clause,so it's not the reason.` Also as you can clearly see he uses `Application.HelpFile:=HelpDir+'Sample.chm';` and now? Your answer has as always immediately 2 upvotes. But can not help OP. This is a pity. – moskito-x Feb 04 '14 at 00:43
1

@moskito I don't understand your comment – David Heffernan Feb 04 '14 at 07:18
Just in case someone still use Delphi 5 (same as me) it should be UseHTMLHelp instead of HtmlHelpViewer. – pyfyc May 05 '23 at 03:29

How to use CHM HTML Help file with Delphi XE application?

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