
Show HN: I created a portable lightweight replacement for Microsoft HTML Help - dmitripopov
https://www.dmitripopov.com/introducing-litehelp/
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captn3m0
I hated chm because the spec wasn't open. With only 1 reference
implementation, it was user-hostile. Unless the spec for helpinator is open, I
don't see myself using this.

reverse engineered chm spec and the complexity boggles my mind:
[https://www.nongnu.org/chmspec/latest/](https://www.nongnu.org/chmspec/latest/)

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dmitripopov
It's a folder with xml files, content is pretty self-explanatory, but I should
write a description.

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acqq
Why xml and not simply zipped htmls?

Everybody knows how to author html, if xml is some specific new set of rules,
what is the advantage of that approach?

If it is xml, what makes it different from the epub format? Is epub format the
subset? What were the advantages of it not being the subset?

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dspillett
Why XML? In the context of the CHM format I suspect because the answer to
_everything_ around that time was XML. If XML wasn't solving your problem you
needed more of it.

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acqq
I've thought what's shown here (and what I've asked about) is a new format
that should replace CHM, and not the old "real" CHM?

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Bonooru
There should be some punctuation in the title. The tool is named "Help". A
quick skim doesn't make it seem like the author is in need of urgent
assistance.

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dmitripopov
Ha, sorry :) Should have quoted "Microsoft HTML Help"

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roel_v
This is awesome, I've been wanting something like this for a decade. But if
there's no html inside, does that mean I can't style the content with css (or
otherwise)?

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dmitripopov
It's not a problem to add styles, especially since LiteHelp is based on
structured content, but hey, is that feature so needed? All my client do with
HTML templates of Helpinator is to add their own logo and that's it. Content
is what matters.

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29athrowaway
Have you tried Zeal or Dash?

I think you can convert CHM to ePub using Calibre, then convert from ePub to
whatever you want using pandoc, then import that into Zeal?

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dmitripopov
I am well aware of Zeal, and it's cool for docs that people read from cover to
cover. My primary objective was to not to create a new format, but rather
provide means for authoring and displaying structured technical content,
pretty much like DITA or DocBook, but way more simple and targeted at software
(e.g. providing a context-sensitive help feature).

~~~
29athrowaway
My use case for Zeal or Dash is searching API documentation.

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dmitripopov
Oh, I understand. My primary objective is on end user manuals, not developer
docs.

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Aeolun
This is cool. But I feel like the default styles could use some improvement
(if possible).

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dmitripopov
Email me your suggestions, please, I am always open. popov.dmitri@gmail.com

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eps
Without exaggerating much, I don't know a single person, technical or not, who
ever read a single help file for any Windows software. There's even less sense
in these files _now_ as opposed to keeping all documentation online.

So I have to say I don't see a point in this product... though I suspect there
_is_ actually a market for it.

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opless
A lot of early "e-books" were distributed as .chm

You know, back when there were modems, and before the Eternal September spread
to the rest of the world (1993 ... 2000)

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copperx
I find chm readers much more friendly for reading books on the desktop than
proper ePub readers. It is nice to have a nicely laid out table of contents
right next to the text. In addition, chm readers are also much faster than
ePub ones.

