What type of file is chm?
Problems with accessing CHM may be due to various reasons. On the bright side, the most encountered issues pertaining to Compiled HTML Help Format files aren’t complex. In most cases they can be addressed swiftly and effectively without assistance from a specialist. We have prepared a listing of which will help you resolve your problems with CHM files.
The main and most frequent cause precluding users form opening CHM files is that no program that can handle CHM files is installed on user’s system. This issue can be addressed by downloading and installing xCHM or different compatible program, such as WinCHM, PowerCHM, ChmDecompiler. The full list of programs grouped by operating systems can be found above. One of the most risk-free method of downloading software is using links provided by official distributors. Visit xCHM website and download the installer.
If the problems with opening CHM files still occur even after installing xCHM, it is possible that you have an outdated version of the software. Check the developer’s website whether a newer version of xCHM is available. It may also happen that software creators by updating their applications add compatibility with other, newer file formats. The reason that xCHM cannot handle files with CHM may be that the software is outdated. The latest version of xCHM should support all file formats that where compatible with older versions of the software.
If you have the latest version of xCHM installed and the problem persists, select it as the default program to be used to manage CHM on your device. The next step should pose no problems. The procedure is straightforward and largely system-independent
Change the default application in Windows
Change the default application in Mac OS
Should the problem still occur after following steps 1-3, check if the CHM file is valid. Problems with opening the file may arise due to various reasons.
Should it happed that the CHM is infected with a virus, this may be that cause that prevents you from accessing it. Immediately scan the file using an antivirus tool or scan the whole system to ensure the whole system is safe. If the scanner detected that the CHM file is unsafe, proceed as instructed by the antivirus program to neutralize the threat.
If you obtained the problematic CHM file from a third party, ask them to supply you with another copy. The file might have been copied erroneously and the data lost integrity, which precludes from accessing the file. If the CHM file has been downloaded from the internet only partially, try to redownload it.
Sometimes in order to access files user need to have administrative privileges. Switch to an account that has required privileges and try opening the Compiled HTML Help Format file again.
- Create an HTML file.
- Use the following syntax to open the compiled help (.chm) file from your HTML file: Copy. Link text where "file name. chm" is the name of the compiled help file, and "Link text" is the text link.
CHM (Microsoft Compiled HTML Help) is the extension used by Windows help files and other files such as e-books. Cybercriminals have been known to abuse vulnerabilities in CHM files to execute arbitrary code.
Description Microsoft Compiled HTML Help is a Microsoft proprietary online help format, consisting of a collection of HTML pages, an index and other navigation tools. The files are compressed and deployed in a binary format with the extension .CHM, for Compiled HTML. The format is often used for software documentation. Wikipedia
Microsoft Compiled HTML Help is a Microsoft proprietary online help format, consisting of a collection of HTML pages, an index and other navigation tools. The files are compressed and deployed in a binary format with the extension .CHM, for Compiled HTML. The format is often used for software documentation.
It was introduced as the successor to Microsoft WinHelp with the release of Windows 95 OSR 2.5[3] and consequently, Windows 98. Within the Windows NT family, the CHM file support is introduced in Windows NT 4.0[4][5][6] and is still supported in Windows 11.[7] Although the format was designed by Microsoft, it has been successfully reverse-engineered and is now supported in many document viewer applications.
Microsoft has announced that they do not intend to add any new features to HTML Help.[8]
Help is delivered as a binary file with the .chm extension. It contains a set of HTML files, a hyperlinked table of contents, and an index file. The file format has been reverse-engineered and documentation of it is freely available.[9][10]
The file starts with bytes "ITSF" (in ASCII), for "Info-Tech Storage Format", which is the internal name given by Microsoft to the generic storage file format used in with CHM files.[11]
CHM files support the following features:
The Microsoft Reader's .lit file format is a modification of the HTML Help CHM format. CHM files are sometimes used for e-books.[13]
Sumatra PDF supports viewing CHM documents since version 1.9.
Various applications, such as HTML Help Workshop and 7-Zip can decompile CHM files. The hh.exe utility on Windows and the extract_chmLib utility (a component of chmlib) on Linux can also decompile CHM files.
Microsoft's HTML Help Workshop and Compiler generate CHM files by instructions stored in a HTML Help project. The file name of such a project has the extension .HHP and the file is just a text with the INI file format.[14]
The Free Pascal project has a compiler (chmcmd) that can create CHM files in a multiplatform way.
Read support:
Read/write support:
