Latest Release

• Download from the patch folder (Note: this is actually a full release version not a patch). Or download from the PackageThis VS Gallery page -- Waiting for evaluation.
• Version 1.3.4 - Fix Image links in the raw folder at download time. Fixes images in all Exports.
• Version 1.3.3 - Fix MSHC Image links.
• Version 1.3.2 - Now supports .mshc VS Help 2010 help.

Requirements

• PackageThis 1.3.2+ requires .NET Framework 4.0
• Internet connection for downloading content.
• To compile .CHM help download HTML Help Workshop
• To compile .HxS help download VS 2005 or 2008 SDK (contains the MS Help 2.x compiler). You need VS 2002\2003\2005\2008 to view help.
• No special requirements for compiling .MSHC help. You will need VS 2010 install to view help.

Overview

Select parts of MSDN or Technet library and package to either:

• HTML Help 1.x (.Chm help file) -- General Windows application help.
• MS Help 2.x (.HxS help file) -- VS 2002\2003\2005\2008 help.
• MS Help Viewer 1.x (.MSHC help file) -- VS 2010 help.

Usage

1. Select the source library -- Choose either Technet or MSDN library from the Library menu.
2. Select a source language -- Choose a source language from the Locale menu.
3. Select pages to download by checking TreeView menu items. Use the right-click menu to download entire TOC branches.
4. Choose Export from the File menu.

Trouble Shooting

If help files are not created it's because there are syntax errors in the help source (MSDN is not always perfect).

After exporting .Chm or .HxS look for the xxx.ProjectSource folder in the output folder (It is your responsibility to delete these folders). They hold the help project source files used to build the help file. Open the xxx.log file to view compiler errors and fix your source.

• Recompile .Chm help -- Run C:\Program Files (x86)\HTML Help Workshop\hhc.exe .\xxx.ProjectSource\xxx.HHP (or run the HHW.exe GUI)
• Recompile .HxS help -- Run C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\microsoft shared\Help 2.0 Compiler\hxcomp.exe .\xxx.ProjectSource\xxx.hxc

For MSHC compiles see below.

.MSHC Help

• File > Export to Mshc file --- Downloads the selected pages to a temp files folder and packages all source to a .MSHC zip file. It also creates HelpContentSetup.msha (Used to install the help). If required you can view the source by renaming the .mshc file to .zip and decompile. When viewing help you will find all TOC items parented under a root node called "PackageThis".
• File > Install Mshc Help file -- Opens Help Library Manager (used to install\uninstall help books). This is run in Administrator mode (required for help installation).

Important:

• Reinstalling -- Help packages wont install unless you first uninstall the older package (with the same name etc).
• Install Errors -- During installation you may see an exception. This means there is a syntax error in the help source. The event log shows the error description but unfortunately not the specific file in error. To track down the syntax error(s) see PackageThis notes
• Foreign language help -- If you install say English VS 2010 (so your local VS help is en-us), but want to download say Russian (ru-ru) to a vs/100/ru-ru catalog you will find that creating the catalog will fail. See Language Packs for MS Help Viewer 1.x for the fix.
• Help Viewer -- The RTM release of VS 2010 is a very basic help viewer. For a better experience please install VS 2001 SP1 (Help Viewer 1.1 now uses a standalone viewer), or use H3Viewer.

Known Problems with PackageThis

• Chm has problems displaying images -- Fixed in 1.3.4.
• Mshc help sometimes has missing images -- Fixed in 1.3.3
• ToDo: Syntax checking in Export MSHC
• ToDo: Caching of downloads.
• ToDo: Insert the HTML file name as a topic meta statement so we can find the file easily afterwards.