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From HTML to CHM: Best Practices with WEB2CHM
Turning a website or a set of HTML pages into a CHM (Compiled HTML Help) file can make documentation easier to distribute, search, and use offline. WEB2CHM streamlines that process, but to produce a professional, usable CHM you’ll get the best results by following a few practical best practices. This article walks through preparation, conversion, and post-conversion polishing so your CHM is accurate, navigable, and reliable.
1. Prepare your source HTML
- Use a consistent folder structure: Keep HTML, CSS, images, and scripts in predictable subfolders (e.g., /html, /css, /images). WEB2CHM imports files more cleanly when relative links are stable.
- Prefer relative URLs: Convert absolute links to relative ones where they reference local resources. External links can remain absolute.
- Simplify JavaScript dependencies: CHM viewers have limited JavaScript support. Avoid reliance on heavy frameworks for core content—use progressive enhancement so content remains readable without JS.
- Ensure semantic, accessible HTML: Use headings (h1–h6) properly, include alt text for images, and structure content for readability; these practices improve navigation and search within the CHM.
- Minimize external resources: Fonts, analytics, and CDN-hosted scripts aren’t needed in a CHM; remove or inline essential styles to avoid broken references.
2. Clean and standardize content
- Normalize character encoding: Use UTF-8 where possible to avoid garbled text in the compiled output.
- Resolve broken links: Run a link checker and fix any 404s or circular references before compiling. CHM viewers don’t always present broken-link context well.
- Create a single entry (TOC) page: Identify the main landing page (e.g., index.html) that will serve as the default topic. WEB2CHM typically sets this as the CHM’s home; ensure it provides clear navigation to major sections.
- Remove dynamic or session-specific content: Anything that depends on server-side code or query parameters should be converted to static content or documented separately.
3. Organize navigation and structure
- Design a clear table of contents (TOC): Use a logical hierarchy of headings and pages. WEB2CHM can auto-generate a TOC from your structure, but manual tweaks often yield a better user experience.
- Add headings and summaries: Short summaries at the top of pages help users find content quickly through CHM search and index.
- Create an index file: Add meta keywords and create an index mapping important terms to relevant pages to improve searchability inside the CHM.
4. Configure WEB2CHM settings
- Choose the correct home page: Confirm WEB2CHM uses your intended index file as the CHM start
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