MSWord2CHM

Text is still an important part of computer management, even used to build the applications you’re using and the web pages you frequently visit. What’s more, it can be found in help documents to let you understand functionality of various features. In case you want to convert an existing document to such a help file, then MSWord2CHM is sure to provide the required aid.

It takes a short while to install the application on your computer, with the change to quickly check out the set of features.  However, the application strictly relies on components inside the Office suite, which requires you to have it installed on your computer for the conversion to be successful. Moreover, you also need to make sure .NET Framework is there too, although modern iterations come with it as a default feature.

On the visual side of things, the application keep the set of features in a compact, clean window, built around a classic window frame. A couple of fields are there so you can specify the input and the destination for the new file, as well as a large field to display the process log in real time.

MSWord2CHM doesn’t let you drag Word documents over the main window to get them ready, so you need to rely on the built-in browse dialog for this initial operation. Even so, loading a DOC or DOCX file is pretty easy, and so is specifying the output, which only requires a simple selection.

Pressing the trigger button initiates the conversion phase, with related details shown in the previously mentioned log area. It also lets you view the size, location, as well as the status of the process, with the possibility to have the file opened at the press of a button. You need to make sure the whole text is structured the way you want it to appear, because there aren’t any built-in options to let you configure chapters, or any other feature for that matter.

Bottom line is that MSWord2CHM wants to aid you in the creation of help documents, by simply converting them from simple Word files. The process goes smooth, and is compatible even with modern document types, but it could have used a few more customization options, or at least the possibility to preview the document before conversion.