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I got an project where I have to de-compile an file with extension .chm. I am very less aware about this. I want help for finding some tools and method to decomplie this files, edit them and re-compile them back again to its respective places. Thanks.
Chm files are Windows help file. It is possible to decompile this files. Decompiling allows you to edit the files and add/reduce resources from it. The process includes of first copying the decompiled file to an different directory without troubling the original file. In this way if you did not properly able to perform the method, then at least your files are not corrupted. The best way to do is is by creating an html document of the file. You can simply compile the file back from html and use it in your system. The process to decompile the file is simple. For that you just need to click on File Menu and then click on decompile. It will ask you for the destination folder. Provide appropriate place other than the actual directory. And provide the name for the file with the extension of .chm. This the file which you will decompile. You can get an html format of the same file also. There are various tools for the same. You can download any of the free tools and test the same. You will need an appropriate c++ library for the project.
There are many tools that you can use for this purpose. I am listing some of them below :
- CHM Decoder : Simple tool to decompile .chm files. The tool is free for download.
- PowerCHM : A bit advance tool for the same purpose. This tool has an ability by which you can convert a pdf file to chm file.
- CHM Encoder : It is an simple decompiler. You can convert your chm file to html in this.
- CHM2Word : As the name says, you can convert your chm file to word file and print them out. Very handy tool.
There is an tool that can help you for this. It is called as NorthBright CHM Tool. This is actually a decompiler which is used for modifying some pages of .chm file and in re-compile all of them back again. Chm file is an combination of many HTML files which are compiled together to give out 1 help file. You can edit and modify whichever page you want. Download NorthBright CHM Tool. It is an very basic compiler. The interface of this tool is very easy to use. You can just locate the file de-compile edit and put them back together.
Modifying the chm files in html format is much more easier. It works nicely without any much error. So better get a convertor that can covert the chm files to html files and then modify the same.
I had used this tool and found that HTML Help Workshop does not provide support for *.hhp file. This is the file which is needed in the end. It is just an consolidate format for all your edited element.
I had did this before once and I can show you the way how to edit those .chm file. Download and install HTML Help Workshop tool in your system. Decompile a file and then click on create project. Click on File > New and then follow the screen wizard. The wizard guides you for the process. Now on the next screen you get an option to get .hhp files. You have to click on Advance for more settings. Select all options in this. You can now from here browse to the tables which are located in the index file. Click Next and then click Add and choose everything you got. Give a destination directory here and click on next. Once you are done with the project click finish and now you can modify those files. There are many other options you can try from here.
I had did this once did the same with an free tool but I got error on recompiling the project. I do not know where I did mistake, but almost it was correct. Go for some guide before the same.
For this first you will need to understand about the .chm file. You must know that the chm files are compiled help files. This files consist of html pages in them. It is possible to decompile the files, add your html pages and then recompile the same back again as it was. For this the best tool I will recommend you is Microsoft’s HTML Help Workshop . This tool is free to use. Download this and install it in your system. Once you are done with the same you have to first find the location of help file. Click on File > Decompile and then choose the file located in Windows directory. You can choose only file in which you want to add your own pages. Once you are done with that browse for the chm file and give the destination folder. The file contains many elements like html page, scripts, style-sheet etc which are complied together to make an single help file. This same tool then can be used to modify those files. It is not tough to do the same by using this tool.