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HelpSmith Changelog

What's new in HelpSmith 9.8 Build 23.918

Sep 18, 2023
  • Now you can generate Markdown documentation from your HelpSmith projects.
  • The Import from Markdown feature (File|Import) adds support for the superscript and subscript text.
  • The Import from Word feature now generates textual IDs by the titles of the imported topics.
  • Added a button to quickly access page layout settings at the top of the vertical scrollbar.
  • The Table of Contents tree now uses a sorting method (Project tab|Sort) which sorts nodes by alphabet, plus by numbers if any are found (For example: Topic 1, Topic 2, …, Topic 10, and so on).
  • The Select Folder dialog (File tab|Import|Import Folder) sorts the file list which also takes into account the numbers contained in the filenames.
  • The Topic Editor now remembers the state of Show Non-printing Characters option for the next HelpSmith start.
  • The Image Tool now allows you to change the maximum width of the control annotations’ titles.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 9.7 Build 23.519 (May 20, 2023)

  • Release Notes for HelpSmith 9.7:
  • The HelpSmith’s Import feature now allows you to import Markdown (.md) files.
  • The ability to paste a Markdown document into a topic from the text contents of the Clipboard.
  • The ability to paste an HTML document into a topic from the text contents of the Clipboard.
  • It is now possible for you to generate the topic’s ID value by its Title automatically.
  • HelpSmith can now automatically open the last edited help project on startup.
  • When opening a help project, HelpSmith can now optionally display the default topic, the last edited topic or template, or the project information section.
  • Web Help: added the option to disable scroll bars in the custom header.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 9.6 Build 23.117 (Jan 17, 2023)

  • HelpSmith now allows you to create and insert QR and barcodes in your documentation.
  • Added the ability to copy and paste content with images from a web browser.
  • The Image Tool now allows you to set the desired Title position for control annotations manually.
  • The topic editor now correctly works with modifiers and surrogates for enhanced Unicode support.
  • Related Links: fixed an issue when using Topics by Keywords (or Topics by A-Keywords) entries.
  • Improved stability of the HelpSmith’s local web server.
  • Improved support for the Chinese, Korean, and Japanese languages.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 9.5 Build 8022.1011 (Oct 14, 2022)

  • HelpSmith is now a 64-bit application.
  • Now you can use images in the Scalable Vector Graphics (.SVG) format in your documentation.
  • Enhancements to the Hyperlink properties dialog: embedded Topic Browser, automatic suggestion of the hyperlink text, the ability to set the topic’s title as the hyperlink text, etc.
  • HTML Help: now you can insert hyperlinks to remote topics located in external .CHM files.
  • Enhancements to the TOC Item properties dialog: new Item Type selector, embedded Topic Browser for Topic Links, etc.
  • The XML Source Editor now indicates modified lines in the gutter area.
  • Fixed an issue with toolbar buttons on the Related Links pane, which were disabled on a new project.
  • Related Links: the Delete command did not work in case the link tree was not focused.
  • Improvements to the Text Variables dialog: redesigned the Varaible Type selector, the dialog is now re-sizable.
  • The Variable properties dialog now allows you to select a variable from the drop-down list.
  • Added support for .TIFF images.
  • Various improvements for High-DPI displays.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 9.4 Build 8022.704 (Jul 5, 2022)

  • Now you can define a set of Related Links for associated topics in your help project.
  • Added a customizable Related Links placeholder to generate a list of links in a topic or template.
  • Added a Word Wrap option for the XML Source Editor to make working with code more comfortable.
  • When editing the XML source code of a topic (or template), you can now change the Zoom value.
  • The XML Source Editor now highlights the opening and closing XML tags on which the text cursor is positioned.
  • Added keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+Shift+Up and Ctrl+Shift+Down to toggle the text cursor between the opening and closing tags of the active code block in the XML Source Editor.
  • Running an already opened help project will open the appropriate instance of HelpSmith.
  • When using the Duplicate command in Project Manager, the status bar did not update the item quantity.
  • Project Manager did not update the Modified status (indicated by the Pencil icon) after changing properties of some objects in multiple topics.
  • The code block’s “Export code block’s content only” option which can be enabled for printed documentation was not saved.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 9.3 Build 22.1180 (Jan 18, 2022)

  • Full-featured code blocks with customizable style, and the ability to edit program code with syntax highlighting in the HelpSmith’s topic editor.
  • The ability to change properties of multiple horizontal lines in the current topic, or in the entire help project.
  • It is now possible to set default settings that will be used for a new horizontal line.
  • In HTML-based formats (CHM, Web Help, ePub), headings in a topic are now exported using the <h1>, <h2>, and <h3> tags.
  • The #TopicTitle variable in the default templates (e.g. Modern Blue, etc.) is now linked to the “Heading 1” style.
  • The Go To feature now allows you to find code blocks in the the entire help project.
  • Images with annotation objects are now exported using friendly filenames.
  • Spell checker now skips content of the code blocks.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 9.2 Build 21.1018 (Oct 18, 2021)

  • The Image Tool now allows you to save annotation styles (e.g. shape, color, font, etc.) to the Favorites tab.
  • It is now possible to set the default style that will be used when adding a new annotation to an image.
  • Ready-to-use style presets for arrows, balloons, rectangles, and other kinds of annotations.
  • Added two new shapes for the arrow annotation object.
  • The “Line or Arrow” object’s properties dialog now allows you to quickly swap the start and end caps, make the start cap the same as the end cap, and vice versa.
  • The XML Source Editor now positions the text cursor to the same text, and also selects the same text as in the visual topic editor.
  • Added the /nc=ignorewarn option which closes the console window even if warnings are found during the command line compilation.
  • Added the /cs switch which allows you to include only the topics with the “Complete” status during the command line compilation.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 9.1 Build 21.804 (Aug 4, 2021)

  • Synchronization of a Translated Help Project:
  • When you need to translate a help project into a different language, you can create a copy of the original help project and translate topics and other texts in it. However, when changes are made to the original help project, you will then need to synchronize the translated help project copy with it.
  • In HelpSmith 9.1, you can now use the enhanced Project Merge feature (File|Merge) which compares the source and destination help projects and allows you to select the Merge Mode for new and existing topics automatically. Beside that, you can now also mark the topics which are missing in the source help project, so you can easily identify and delete the outdated topics in the destination project as well.
  • Import Styles from Other HelpSmith Projects Easily:
  • The new HelpSmith update allows you to import styles from other help projects easily, which can be useful if you need to import individual styles from an existing help project into the help project that you are currently working on, or if you maintain different help projects and need to use the same set of styles in each of them.
  • Mark Imported Topics with User-Defined Statuses:
  • Another enhancement to the Project Merge feature which you can find in HelpSmith 9.1 is the ability to mark topics imported into the destination help project by using different statuses and colors.
  • For example, after you have imported topics from another help project, you can now use statuses to easily identify the newly added topics, updated topics, and, if necessary, the outdated topics which are missing in the source help project.
  • Advanced Options for Importing Content with Styles:
  • If you need to import topics or templates from another help project into the current help project, the Project Merge tool allows you to import the styles used by the imported content automatically.
  • In HelpSmith 9.1, you can now specify if you want to link imported content to the existing styles in the destination help project, overwrite the existing styles by using the styles from the source help project, and also if you want to import styles that do not exist in the destination help project.
  • Instantly Preview the Customized Web Help Appearance:
  • HelpSmith allows you to customize the look and feel of the entire Web Help system by selecting one of the existing style schemes, or by editing style settings of individual layout’s elements, such as Header, Mobile Header, Footer, Tabs, TOC entries, etc.
  • Create Hyperlinks for Variables in Topics:
  • HelpSmith 9.1 makes it possible for you to apply hyperlinks to variables located in the text of help topics or templates, which is similar to applying a hyperlink to regular text, or to an image.
  • Replace Styles in Topics and Templates Easily:
  • In HelpSmith 9.1, it is now possible to find content with a specific style in topics and templates, and link it with another style.
  • Select the Preferred Clipboard Format when Pasting Images:
  • When you paste content from other applications into HelpSmith through the Clipboard, you can use the Paste Special (Ctrl+Alt+V) command that allows you to select the format which you prefer.
  • In addition to the ability to select the preferred format for text (for example: Formatted text, Unformatted text, etc.), when you are pasting an image, you can now select the preferred graphical format (for example: Bitmap, DIB, PNG, etc.), which can be useful in some cases.
  • Now you can synchronize topics in a translated help project with the original help project.
  • It is now possible to import styles from another help project.
  • Project Merge: advanced options for automatic import of styles which are used by imported topics and templates (linking to existing styles by names, overwriting existing styles, etc.).
  • The Project Merge tool allows you to mark new topics, updated topics, and missing topics with different statuses.
  • Web Help: it is now possible to preview the selected style scheme for easier customization.
  • You can now create hyperlinks for variables in the text of topics and templates.
  • The Hyperlink Style dialog now allows you to control if you want to set the selected styles (Regular, Active) as default styles for new hyperlinks.
  • It is now possible to find content with a specific style in topics and templates, and link it with another style.
  • In Project Manager, you can now use the “Open File Location” command to access the .XML file of a specific topic (available in a help project saved in the .HSMP format).
  • When adding a new topic status, HelpSmith now automatically suggests a random color.
  • When pasting an image from the Clipboard, the Paste Special command (Ctrl+Alt+V) now allows you to select a preferred image format.
  • The HTML Attribute dialog now saves the list of previously used attribute names (for example: id, class, etc.).
  • The Phrase search mode in Web Help did not find topic titles in the TOC.
  • When pasting an image from an MS Word document into HelpSmith, the image size was incorrect in some cases.
  • The Image Properties dialog now checks the image size to avoid the “Out of Resources” error.
  • When deleting a style which is used in topics or templates, a confirmation is now required.
  • The Language value for some locales was not saved properly in the XML-based help project formats.
  • HTML Code insertions did not link to the appropriate HTML Code entries after loading the help project in some cases.
  • The Go To feature (Ctrl+G) now allows you to find topics by partial occurrence of the textual ID, not by full match.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 9.0 Build 21.331 (Apr 1, 2021)

  • The New Unpacked XML-based Format for Your Help Projects:
  • In HelpSmith 9.0, we have done a huge amount of work to develop the new .HSMP format which allows you to store a help project including topics, templates, project settings, and other data as a collection of separate .XML files.
  • The new XML-based .HSMP format enables a team of technical writers to work on documentation by using a modern version control system (e.g. Git, SVN, etc.), which offers an easy way to share a help project with other team members, edit and review topics collaboratively, and also track and merge changes to the project files.
  • Another benefit of the unpacked XML-based format is its compatibility with automated translation tools, which makes it possible for you to translate the content of a help project into other languages while retaining the document structure, formatting, and style settings. If necessary, you can now also edit help project files by using an external XML editor, or even a plain text editor.
  • Edit the XML Source Code of Topics Directly in HelpSmith:
  • The XML Source Editor introduced in the HelpSmith 9.0 version allows you to view and edit the source code of topics and templates in HelpSmith directly.
  • For example, while editing the content in the visual word processor, you can now also switch to the topic’s source code where you can modify texts, formatting, associated styles, media filenames, properties of contained objects, document properties, and other settings.
  • It should be pointed out that the XML Source Editor provides code validation which helps you prevent possible XML syntax errors and corruption of the document.
  • The Ability to Store a Help Project in a Single .HSMX File:
  • HelpSmith 9.0 also includes support for another format that allows you to store a help project in a single .HSMX file. Unlike the binary .HSM file format that was used by the previous HelpSmith versions, the new .HSMX format works as a container for the XML files of topics, templates, project settings, and other data.
  • When you save a help project to a .HSMX file format, the project’s media repository will be stored in a separate folder named like “ProjectName_files”, which is similar to the previous .HSM format.
  • It should be noted that while the new XML-based formats will replace the legacy .HSM format, HelpSmith 9.x provides complete backward compatibility, which means that you can use the new version to open existing .HSM help projects created with the previous HelpSmith 1.x-8.x versions.
  • Project Manager Enhancements for Easier Collaboration:
  • In the Project Manager, you can now enable the Date Modified and Last Edited By columns (by right-clicking on the heading area) that allow you to view when a specific topic or template was modified, and also to view the user who last edited it.
  • Of course, while working on a help project by a team of technical writers, you can also use the powerful capabilities of a version control system (such as Git, SVN, etc.) that allows you to get full details and track absolutely any changes in your documentation.
  • However, this Project Manager enhancement can also be useful while editing a help project by multiple users. For example, you can now easily find the topics that have been changed recently, identify the users who are working on specific topics, etc.
  • Find HelpSmith Commands and Options Quickly:
  • You can now find and access numerous HelpSmith commands and options quickly by typing the name of the command that you need right in the Ribbon toolbar.
  • For example, while working on a help file or document, you can use this possibility to access commands available on different tabs of the Ribbon, various project options, and program settings.
  • Enhancements to the Project Merge Feature:
  • The Project Merge tool (File|Merge) available in HelpSmith, which you can use for importing topics from other HelpSmith projects, now allows you to select topics by a specific status (e.g. Complete, In Progress, Marked, etc.), or select the topics with the Context values which also exist in the current help project.
  • For example, if you use the Project Merge tool to organize collaboration work and often import (update) the same topics from sub-projects into the master help project, you can now easily select the topics that you want to import, and then specify the desired Merge Mode for them.
  • How to Use Statuses while Importing Topics:
  • In the Project Merge window, in the toolbar, click Select Nodes.
  • In the popup menu, click the status (e.g. Complete, Marked, etc.) by which you want to select the topics.
  • In the toolbar, click Select Merge Mode, and the click the merge mode that you want to apply to the selected topics (e.g. Add as New, or Replace by Context).
  • Others:
  • New .HSMP format that allows you to store a help project as a collection of separate .XML files.
  • The XML Source Editor now allows you to edit the source code of topics and templates.
  • The ability to save help project files in a packed format stored within a single .HSMX file.
  • Compatibility with version control systems, such as Git, SVN, etc.
  • Compatibility with external translation tools.
  • The possibility to edit project files by using an external XML editor, or plain text editor.
  • The Project Manager can now display the “Last Edited By” and “Date Modified” columns.
  • The Project Manager now marks modified topics by using a pencil icon.
  • The Project Merge tool: the ability to select topics by a specific status, the ability to select topics by the Context values which exist in the master help project, Expand/Collapse commands, and other improvements.
  • The Keywords tool: the Select All Associated Topics command now selects not only topics, but also Topic Link items.
  • Added the #TopicStatus variable that can be used to display the topic status in the compiled documentation.
  • Added the #TopicLastEditedBy variable that displays the user who last edited the topic.
  • In the Ribbon toolbar, you can now quickly access a command or option by typing the name of the command that you need.
  • Updated the style theme used by the HelpSmith main window.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 8.4 Build 21.304 (Mar 4, 2021)

  • Project Manager Enhancements:
  • The new HelpSmith update includes numerous enhancements to the user interface that will make your work with the help authoring tool even more efficient, especially while working on a large help project.
  • View the Key Topic Details in the Project Manager:
  • In the Project Manager, you can now enable additional columns (by right-clicking on the heading line) to see the key details related to the topics including Context, ID, Build Options, Status, Bookmark, and Window. Similarly, you can enable these columns in the Browse for Topics dialog which is used when selecting a topic for a hyperlink.
  • Select Topics by Status, Use Expand/Collapse Commands:
  • The Project Manager has also obtained the ability to select the topics by status (e.g. Complete, Any incomplete, In Progress, Waiting Review, etc.), and to automatically expand and collapse the parent nodes.
  • You can find the new Select Nodes and Expand/Collapse Nodes commands on the Project tab in the “Topics & Templates” group, or in the popup menu available by right-clicking on the Project Manager pane.
  • Create Duplicates of Existing Topics:
  • In HelpSmith 8.4, you can now create duplicates of existing topics, which gives you the possibility to use an existing topic as a template (which can contain similar formatting, etc.) for a new topic. If necessary, you can copy an individual topic, individual template, or even an entire group of topics or templates including the nested items.
  • Change Status, Icon, Build Options of Multiple TOC Items:
  • Finally, the Project Manager now allows you to change the Status, Icon, Build Options, and other properties of multiple TOC items even when selecting items of different types (e.g. Headings, Topics, Topic Links, etc.). Thus, the new HelpSmith update makes editing multiple items even easier.
  • Enhancements to Keywords:
  • The new HelpSmith update makes it easier to work with keywords. Now you can select multiple topics directly in the Project Manager, and associate them with keywords by checking these keywords, or by typing a keyword name in the Keywords pane.
  • In addition, the Project Manager can now highlight the topics associated with the keywords selected in the Keywords pane, so you can see the associations between topics and keywords immediately. If you need to disable the highlighting, right-click on the Project Manager, and uncheck the option “Show Keyword Associations”.
  • Use Bookmarks for Topics Associated with Keywords:
  • Beside that, HelpSmith 8.4 adds the option to define a bookmark in a topic, to which you want to scroll when clicking on the associated keyword. This option is available when editing a keyword via the Keyword Properties dialog.

New in HelpSmith 8.4 Build 20.825 (Aug 25, 2020)

  • HTML Help (CHM), Web Help, and ePub Formats:
  • Now you can edit the <head> section of the generated HTML files. For example, you can use this feature to add meta tags, include external styles, scripts, favorite icon, etc.
  • Updated the jQuery library used in the HTML Help (CHM) and Web Help formats to the version 3.5.1.
  • PDF Format:
  • Improved the quality of the generated PDF documents: better text rendering, fixed the issue with spacing between letters and words, fixes for transparent backgrounds, etc.
  • When using an image with transparency as a background, the transparent area is now replaced with white color (for better compatibility with the Adobe PDF format).
  • Printed Manual Format:
  • When using a topic as the content of the Index page, the topic could display an incorrect title.
  • Clickable hotspots on images did not work in Printed Manual in some cases.
  • MS Word Format:
  • Topics that are used as the content of the custom Front Page, Table of Contents, and Index section do not appear in the Navigation section (View|Navigation Pane) in MS Word anymore.
  • Printing Capability:
  • Improved the quality of a printed document: better text rendering, fixes for transparent images, etc.
  • The Print Preview window now saves the scaling (zoom) state selected by the user.
  • The Print Preview window: added shortcut keys for the Print (Ctrl+P) and Save (Ctrl+S) commands.
  • Printing a document did not work correctly on High DPI display settings in Windows.
  • The Print Preview window deleted the selected content when pressing Ctrl+X or Shift+Del keys.
  • Project Manager:
  • Project Manager now highlights the topics which are associated with the keywords selected on the Keyword pane.
  • Project Manager now indicates if a collapsed TOC item contains nested items that are associated with selected keywords. Double-clicking on the displayed icon will expand the TOC items that are associated with selected keywords.
  • Now you can create a duplicate of a topic or template: right-click on a topic, then click Duplicate|Duplicate (or Duplicate with Nested).
  • Added the columns Status, Bookmark, Window that you can enable by right-clicking on the heading area in the Project Manager.
  • Added the Expand/Collapse commands that can be applied to TOC items and templates.
  • Added the ability to select all the topics, or topics with a specific status (e.g. Complete, Incomplete, In Progress, etc.).
  • Added the Build Options command for selected TOC items, which you can find on the Project tab, and in the right-click popup menu.
  • Project Manager now allows you to apply various commands (e.g. Status, Icon, Build Options, etc.) to multiple TOC items while selecting items of different types.
  • Keywords:
  • Now you can associate keywords with multiple topics selected in the Project Manager.
  • The Keyword list now indicates the keyword associations for multiple topics selected in the Project Manager.
  • The Keyword list now indicates if a collapsed keyword contains nested keywords that are associated with the selected topics.
  • If you type a keyword that already exists in the list, the selected topics will be associated with it.
  • Added the command “Select All Associated Topics” (Project|Keywords) that allows you to select all the topics that are associated with the selected keywords.
  • Added the Expand/Collapse commands that can be applied to keywords.
  • When selecting a topic in the Project Manager, the Keyword tree can now automatically scroll to the first keyword associated with that topic.
  • Now you can apply keywords not only to Topics, but also to Topic Link items.
  • The Keyword list now displays tooltips when hovering over keywords.
  • The Keyword Properties dialog now allows you to specify a bookmark in a topic associated with the given keyword.
  • The Keyword Properties dialog now indicates that a collapsed TOC item contains child items that are associated with the given keyword.
  • The Keyword Properties dialog: added a toolbar, Expand/Collapse commands, popup menu, added the Follow Linked Topic command available when selecting a Topic Link item.
  • Styles:
  • On the Styles pane, you can right-click on a style, and then click Find in Topics to find where the style is used.
  • Media Repository:
  • In the Project Media window, you can right-click on a media file, and then click Find in Topics to find where the media file is used.
  • Added the Expand/Collapse commands that can be applied to folders.
  • Image Tool:
  • The Image Tool now allows you to renumber selected annotations starting from a specific value.
  • When duplicating or copying an annotation which contains a number, the next number is assigned automatically.
  • Find and Replace:
  • The Find and Replace dialog (Ctrl+F) now fills the “Find what” box by using the selected text in the word processor by default.
  • The Go To (Ctrl+G) feature now allows you to find where an image or video is used in the topics and templates.
  • The Go To feature now allows you to find where a specific style is used in the topics and templates.
  • Text Variables:
  • Now you can define and override text variables in a specific topic (right-click on a topic, then click Text Variables).
  • Added the text variables #TopicContext and #TopicId that can be used to display the topic’s identifiers.
  • Improved the drop-down menu used when inserting a variable (Insert|Text Variable) into a topic or template.
  • Redesigned the Text Variables dialog: added a toolbar for user-defined variables, added a popup menu, the description of the selected variable is now displayed in the top.
  • Import Capability:
  • When importing a CHM file, hyperlinks linking to bookmarks within the same topic are now imported correctly.
  • Fixed a minor issue with styles when importing content from some HTML/CSS files.
  • Other Enhancements and Bug Fixes:
  • When inserting a video file into a topic, a larger default size is set to the video box for better video display in different web browsers.
  • Clicking Properties on an image that has a hyperlink now opens the Image Properties dialog, but not Edit Hyperlink dialog.
  • Pressing the Shift+Del on selected text in the word processor deleted an extra character.
  • The Build Options dialog now allows you to apply Build Options to the nested TOC items recursively.
  • Redesigned the Build Options dialog: added a toolbar, added a popup menu, a warning is now showed if selected objects have different Build Options settings.
  • Redesigned the Browse for Topics dialog used to select topics and templates: added a toolbar, Expand/Collapse commands, popup menu, added the Follow Linked Topic command available when selecting a Topic Link item.
  • The Browse for Topics dialog now allows you to select not only topics, but also Topic Link items, which can be useful when editing properties of a hyperlink, etc.
  • Added the columns Status, Bookmark, Window to the topic list used in different windows (e.g. Project Manager, Browser for Topics, Keyword Properties, Project Merge, etc.).
  • The topic list used in different windows now displays a tooltip with quick information when hovering over on a topic or template.
  • Redesigned the Context Tool dialog: added a toolbar, added a popup menu.
  • Incremental search is now supported in different lists (e.g. Project Manager, Keywords, Media Repository, Browse for Topics, etc.). Now you can find a specific item in the list box by typing the first letters of the item on the keyboard.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 8.3 Build 20.416 (Apr 16, 2020)

  • Now you can see the summary information on your help project by selecting the project’s node in the Project Manager pane.
  • Now you can select the Clipboard format in which you want to paste text to a topic (for example, formatted text, unformatted text, image, etc.).
  • Added the ability to copy and paste images with transparency via the Clipboard.
  • The Go To feature now allows you to find hyperlinks that link to a bookmark name.
  • The Language list available in different places in HelpSmith now displays the keyboard languages in the top of the list.
  • The names of bookmarks can now contain any characters (except spaces) for better compatibility with Word, HTML, RTF, and other document formats.
  • When creating a new help project, HelpSmith now uses the name of the current Windows user as the default value of the project’s Author setting.
  • When you paste plain text to the topic editor, HelpSmith now applies the style of the current text, or the Normal style.
  • The Import capability now supports hyperlinks between documents, which can be used in imported MS Word (.DOCX, .DOC, .RTF) documents, .HTML files, .CHM help files, and .HHP projects.
  • When importing an MS Word file (.DOCX, .DOC, .RTF), the Import feature set the Language attribute to text incorrectly in some cases.
  • When importing an MS Word document that contains Cyrillic bookmark names, hyperlinks within the document did not work properly.
  • Added keyboard shortcuts for the Replace Image commands in the Image Tool.
  • Added keyboard shortcuts for frequently used commands in the Project Media window.
  • The “Show shortcut keys in ToolTips” option is now enabled by default.
  • Removed the settings “Force UTF-8 for URLs” and “Force UTF-8 for mailto links” from the project options. For compatibility with modern web browsers, the national characters in hyperlinks are now always encoded using UTF-8.
  • In the Project Media window, the Cut and Copy commands now work correctly.
  • The Image Tool now correctly displays semi-transparent images.
  • The Image Tool did not display mouse cursors that are used for some actions, such as rotating an annotation object, moving a selected object, etc.
  • The Image Properties dialog now properly displays the mouse cursor in the preview box.
  • The HTML Editor did not insert the previously used color code from the drop-down menu.
  • Windows with the ability to paste content from the Clipboard generated an “Access Denied” message in some cases.
  • Improvements for better support of High-DPI displays.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 8.2 Build 19.812 (Aug 12, 2019)

  • Now you can easily find and remove unused image and video files in the Media Repository.
  • Added the option to disable the automatic opening of the help system or document after its generation.
  • The Image Tool now allows you to copy and paste text styles of one annotation object to other objects.
  • Added the Target Frame parameter for TOC items that link to external web pages or documents.
  • Better support for the high-contrast theme available in Windows.
  • Web Help: now it is possible to switch a YouTube video inserted into a topic to the full-screen mode.
  • Web Help: word-wrapping of the TOC elements on iOS Safari now works properly.
  • The Import feature can now import Keywords and A-Keywords both from compiled .CHM help files, and from MS HTML Help Workshop (.HHP) projects.
  • The Import feature can now import links to macro commands from a .CHM help file, such as KLink, ALink, Close, etc.
  • The Import feature prevents hanging of the application that happened when importing some MS Word documents.
  • The Go To dialog: the Previous button did not find elements in a table in some cases.
  • Fixed an issue with importing content written in the Korean, Chinese, and Japanese languages from MS Word documents (.DOCX, .DOC, .RTF).
  • While it is possible to edit properties of the Social Comments placeholder by double-clicking on it, the Properties command in the right-click popup menu was not available.
  • Other enhancements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 8.1 (May 3, 2019)

  • The Image Tool now includes support for Undo/Redo commands.
  • The Image Tool now allows you to Copy and Paste annotations and other objects on an image. Also, it is possible to copy/paste style and shadow settings of a selected object to other objects.
  • Icons for different DPI modes added to the Project Manager tree, Keyword tool, Media Repository window, and HTML Includes editor.
  • Added a “New Project” dialog that allows you to specify the project’s Title, Language, and also to create default templates for different output formats.
  • Added the possibility to change a media reference, text variable, or color code in the built-in HTML Editor.
  • Revised keyboard shortcuts to access commands on the Ribbon (press Alt+Key).
  • Added keyboard shortcuts to access the Screen Capture functions: in the HelpSmith main window, press Ctrl+F10 to access the Image Tool; in the Image Tool, press Ctrl+F10 to capture a screenshot by mouse, or Shift+Ctrl+F10 to capture a screenshot by timer.
  • The Import feature now allows you to import A-Keywords from an existing CHM help file.
  • The Keyword tool now allows you to drag and drop keywords to the A-Keywords tree, and vice versa.
  • Web Help layout did not switch to the mobile version on iPad.
  • When linking to a specific topic in a Web Help system, frames did not load in some cases.
  • Conditional text blocks defined in the text of a topic did not work when creating an ePub eBook.
  • Better support for High DPI display mode in dialog windows.
  • Other improvements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 8.0 Build 18.1202 (Dec 3, 2018)

  • Now you can add various annotations to an image: rectangles, balloons, lines, arrows, text labels, and other objects.
  • Added support for clickable hotspots that you can add to an image to link to another topic, to an external URL, or email address.
  • Image Tool now allows you to rotate annotations and hotspots on a screenshot.
  • New commands for easier object creation and positioning in the Image Tool: Duplicate, Bring to Front/Backward, Flip Horizontal/Vertical.
  • Image Tool now properly updates annotation tables that have been moved into another parent table.
  • Image Tool: the auto alignment and size buttons now determine position and size of the objects relative to the first selected object.
  • Image Tool now works faster when creating and editing annotation for a large image.
  • Shadow settings applied to an image without annotation objects now work properly.
  • The Crop function in the Image Tool does not delete controls anymore.
  • Added support for the Vertical Alignment option that you can use to position an image in a paragraph line.
  • Improvements to the MS Word Import feature: the “Split by TOC” mode could not recognize outline levels in some cases.
  • Printed Manual/PDF formats: in Outline Levels settings, you can now apply the same font that is used for heading titles, to topic titles (instead of using the font style of the #TopicTitle variable).
  • The word processor did not recognize URL-hyperlinks pasted from an MS Word document.
  • Added the possibility to select the output formats in which a template should be set as the default one directly from the Template properties dialog.
  • Spell-checker reported a spelling error for any word that preceded or followed by a single-quote (‘) character.
  • The #TopicTitle variable used in a template (or topic) ignored nested variables that can be inserted into an actual topic title.
  • Icons added to the compilation log window.
  • Web Help: topic scrolling on iOS (iPhone/iPad) now works properly.
  • Web Help: eliminated a potential CSRF-vulnerability detected by some web scanner tools.
  • Updated jQuery library to version 3.3.1 used in Web Help.
  • Other improvements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 7.4 Build 18.822 (Aug 23, 2018)

  • Syntax highlighter to format code written in various programming languages: C++, C#, Visual Basic, PHP, Delphi, Java, JavaScript, HTML, etc.
  • Added the option to disable icons in the Table of Contents in Web Help.
  • Other improvements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 7.3 Build 18.611 (Jun 11, 2018)

  • HelpSmith is now a DPI-aware application: the user interface is scaled according to the Windows display settings (for example, on “large fonts” mode that can be used with Ultra HD/4K monitors), dialogs are also scaled when switching between monitors with different DPI-values, etc.
  • Added the “Zoom” feature to HelpSmith’s Word Processor and Image Tool: now you can scale the document or image for comfortable working with it.
  • HTML Help (CHM) files now properly scale images and other objects on High DPI display mode. Hotspots that are automatically created for annotations on an image are also properly scaled.
  • Fixed an issue with creating a Word document on High DPI display mode: TOC items and other elements on a page were not aligned correctly.
  • The values in pixels (and in other measures) that you can specify for paragraphs, images, tables, or borders are now defined using a “base” DPI value: as a result, any values will be properly scaled and displayed on a screen with a different DPI value.
  • Word Import: HelpSmith can now automatically recognize and split an imported Word document into multiple topics according to the document’s structure. In addition, you can re-define the source and target outline levels during the import process.
  • Word Import: hyperlinks to URLs containing a bookmark (#bookmark) are now properly imported.
  • Word Import: hyperlinks added to images are now properly imported.
  • Word Import: an incorrect hyperlink was applied to the topic’s content in some cases.
  • Word Export: Now you can save a generated Printed Manual document in MS Word’s native .DOCX format. Previously the document could be saved in Rich Text Format (.RTF) only.
  • Word Export: the document’s outline levels are now displayed on the Navigation Pane in MS Word (View|Navigation Pane).
  • In the color selector dialog, you can now pick a color from anywhere on the screen.
  • Added the shortcut keys to quickly change the text alignment in the word processor: Ctrl+L (Align Left), Ctrl+E (Align Center), Ctrl+R (Align Right), and Ctrl+J (Align Justify).
  • Project Manager now displays the full path to the current help project when hovering over its title.
  • Minor bug fix: when using the Redo command (Ctrl+Y) to restore a deleted screenshot, the document was not updated.
  • Minor improvements related to the usage of video files in CHM help files.
  • The HelpSmith Setup program now puts the Sample Projects to a common folder that can be accessed under other user accounts on the same computer. If necessary, you can also specify a custom folder to install the sample projects.
  • Added the possibility to de-activate a per seat license that was mistakenly activated on a Terminal server.
  • Other improvements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 7.2 Build 18.130 (Jan 30, 2018)

  • Batch compilation mode to create multiple output formats with a single click.
  • Compilation log to help you avoid typical issues in a compiled help file.
  • Easier way to specify the destination filename or directory for a help file.
  • Improved video support for compatibility with modern HTML5 browsers.

New in HelpSmith 7.1 Build 17.1017 (Oct 23, 2017)

  • Now you can create ePub eBooks with HelpSmith. HelpSmith now includes a built-in web server.
  • Added the ability to split an imported Word document into topics.
  • Added customizable Outline Levels for Printed Manual.
  • The Image Tool now allows you to define the numbers of annotations manually.

New in HelpSmith 7.0 Build 17.412 (Apr 12, 2017)

  • We are pleased to announce the release of HelpSmith 7.0 that allows you to create a responsive Web Help system that is fully compatible with mobile devices, provides the possibility to use custom JavaScript and CSS styles in HTML Help (CHM) and Web Help systems, and also enhances Web Help’s customization possibilities.
  • Create a Responsive Web Help System:
  • With HelpSmith 7.0, you can now create a Web Help system that can be viewed both on desktop computers and on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. Thanks to the fully responsive layout, when a user is viewing a Web Help system from a mobile device, it automatically adapts to the device’s screen size and provides maximum usability.
  • In addition, if you use large images in your help project, you can define which images should be scaled to the page width in Web Help when the help system is viewed on a mobile device.
  • Use Custom JavaScript and CSS Styles in HTML Help (CHM) and Web Help:
  • HelpSmith 7.0 makes it possible for you to include and use JavaScript and CSS files for help topics in your HTML Help (CHM) and Web Help systems, and also for the Web Help’s layout. This, in turn, means that you can now write your own scripts for your help system or even use an existing JavaScript library such as jQuery/jQuery UI or any other popular JS or CSS framework.
  • It should be pointed out that now you can assign HTML attributes to the HTML elements of a help topic’s document such as paragraphs, images, hyperlinks, horizontal lines, and tables, which enables you to interact with the page elements from your JavaScript code easily.
  • Automatic Google Sitemap Generation:
  • The new HelpSmith version now automatically generates a Google Sitemap file for your Web Help system that provides better indexing and ranking of the whole help system in Google’s search results
  • Integration of Web Help with Google Analytics:
  • Also, you can now easily integrate your Web Help system with Google Analytics service to get reports of your user audiences and traffic sources. All you need to do for the integration is to specify your Google Analytics tracking ID in Web Help settings in HelpSmith
  • Enhanced Customization Possibilities for Web Help:
  • Now you can customize the HTML code of the Header, Footer, and Mobile Header areas of the Web Help layout directly in HelpSmith. This possibility enhances the options that existed in previous HelpSmith versions that allowed you to use a special help topic or an external URL as the content source of the Header or Footer area
  • Also, please note that you can not only customize your own HTML code for the Web Help layout, but also include and use your own JavaScript and/or CSS styles with it as well
  • In addition, the redesigned Web Help system allows you to change the styles of tabs in the navigation page, select the preferred style of plus/minus icons in the Table of Contents, and customize the TOC icons using 16×16 or 20×20 pixels images.
  • Finally, we have added additional Web Help appearance options such as mobile header settings, the possibility to use a background image for the header/footer and mobile header areas, the possibility to customize the navigation pane’s splitter, the possibility to modify the border radius of tabs, and the possibility to modify the search button.
  • Modern User Interface:
  • In this update, we’ve also redesigned the HelpSmith’s ribbon-based user interface to follow up-to-date standards and make working with the application as comfortable as possible.
  • Other Improvements and Bug Fixes:
  • Added a new sample help project to demonstrate the use of JavaScript and CSS styles in a help project.
  • Improved Search functionality in Web Help: topic titles are now indexed and ranked in search results properly.
  • Using text variables in HTML code is now supported.
  • Reworked the Edit HTML Code dialog that is used to insert HTML code into a help topic or topic template.
  • Added a word-wrap option for long titles in the Table of Contents in Web Help.
  • Added the possibility to disable the navigation pane in Web Help.
  • Some dialogs were not displayed correctly when using the “large fonts” mode in Windows.
  • Other improvements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 6.4 Build 16.1017 (Oct 17, 2016)

  • A Web Help system can now be integrated into a web page by using iframe.
  • When opening a topic by a topic link in the TOC, the Breadcrumb object now shows the topic path properly.
  • Fixed an error that happened during the compilation of an HTML Help (CHM) file containing an AVI, WMV, or MPG video file.
  • Fixed an issue with storage of toolbar settings.
  • Other improvements and minor bug fixes.
  • Add Navigation Links to Your Help System:
  • With HelpSmith 6.4, you can add navigation links or buttons to your help system. The navigation links in a help system are used to toggle between previous, next, first and last topics. It should be pointed out that HelpSmith allows you to select which types of links should be displayed in the help system. Also, you can customize the style of your navigation buttons by selecting one of the existing style schemes or by specifying an image file for each link type.

New in HelpSmith 6.3 Build 16.815 (Aug 15, 2016)

  • New Color Selector:
  • The new color selector introduced in HelpSmith 6.3 allows you to easily select a color from the color gallery. Also, the new control now displays recently used colors which are available within the application. In addition, the Color dialog that you use to define a custom color now supports the HTML/CSS notation (for example, you can enter a color code like #ff0000 or the color name such as “red”), and properly saves the colors added to the Custom Colors gallery.
  • Icon Gallery for Table of Contents Items:
  • Now you can easily select an icon for a topic or another Table of Contents item from the drop-down gallery.
  • Improvements to the Image Tool:
  • Fixed the error with updating annotations in the topic that occurred when a paragraph contained more than one annotation table.
  • Changing the size of an image in the Image Tool caused incorrect positions of annotations and controls in some cases.
  • Other Improvements and Bug Fixes:
  • You can now access the Find/Go To feature at the bottom right corner of the word processor.
  • Optimizations for better stability of the Import/Export engines.
  • The Border dialog ignored the top border when displaying the common properties of all borders.
  • An error occurred when pasting content from the Clipboard in some cases.
  • Other improvements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 6.2 Build 16.614 (Jun 14, 2016)

  • Enhanced “Go To” Feature:
  • The enhanced “Go To” feature available in the “Find and Replace” dialog allows you to search for a topic, bookmark, table, image or video, hyperlink, text variable, or another object used in the help project. For example, you can easily find a topic with a specific Context Id, an image with a specific filename, or a hyperlink linking to a specific topic or URL.
  • Bulleted and Numbered Lists:
  • HelpSmith 6.2 includes better export of bulleted and numbered lists to the HTML format, so lists of different types are now properly displayed in different browsers.
  • Quick Access to Table Functions:
  • Now you can easily access table-related functions such as inserting a row, or deleting a column directly from the right-click popup menu in the word processor. Also, you can now easily change the alignment of text in a table cell by selecting one of the possible variants.
  • Improvements to the Image Tool:
  • Now you can show annotation titles only in the document, and hide the titles in the image.
  • Added the preferred width and horizontal alignment options for annotation tables.
  • When you delete a control image directly in the word processor, the option “Create image for this control in the document” is now automatically unchecked.
  • Added the possibility to edit properties of multiple annotations in the Image Tool.
  • The Add Annotation button now displays the annotation properties dialog.
  • Other Improvements and Bug Fixes:
  • Optimizations for better stability and faster performance.
  • Other improvements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 6.1.3 Build 16.428 (Apr 28, 2016)

  • Edit Annotation Titles in the Word Processor:
  • The new HelpSmith update allows you to edit annotation titles in the word processor, not only in the Image Tool. Thus, to update a title of an annotation, you can simply change it in the document similarly to editing the text of a description. The title will be updated in the image automatically.
  • Add Mouse Cursor to Captured Screenshots:
  • The Image Tool in Helpsmith 6.1.3 now allows you to capture the mouse cursor, or load a cursor from a file. Since the mouse cursor is added as a separate element, you can easily move it for accurate positioning on the screenshot. Also, you can customize the cursor-related shadow settings such as color, opacity, and blur radius.
  • Control the Start Value of Annotation Numbering:
  • If you add more than one image with annotations to a single topic, you may want to control the initial value which the annotation numbering starts from. This HelpSmith update adds the appropriate option to the Image Tool settings.
  • Improved Auto-alignment Functions in the Image Tool:
  • The Distribute Horizontally and Distribute Vertically functions now work better for auto-positioning of annotation elements. In addition, you can now easily distribute selected elements and also add a desired spacing between them.
  • Other Improvements and Bug Fixes:
  • When updating an image in the Media Repository, the size of linked images is now properly updated in the word processor.
  • The Replace from Clipboard function in the Media Repository did not convert the bitmap image to the preferred format.
  • Other improvements and minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 6.1.1 Build 16.314 (Mar 14, 2016)

  • Improvements to the Image Tool:
  • Changing the font settings for annotation titles now retains style variants that can be set for specific output help formats.
  • For new texts generated in the document, the Image Tool now uses the Language setting from Project Options instead of the User Locale Settings.
  • For annotations with empty titles, title placeholders are no longer exported into the document. To update a title, you should edit it in the Image Tool, but not in the word processor.
  • Tooltips in the Word Processor:
  • When you hover over a hyperlink, image, variable, or other object in the word processor, you can now see a tooltip with quick information such as the hyperlink’s address, image location in the Media Repository, variable value, and so on.
  • Access Recent Projects from the Start Page:
  • Now you can access your recent help projects directly from the Start Page that is displayed at HelpSmith startup
  • Other Improvements and Bug Fixes:
  • Hyperlinks from imported help files and documents did not work in some cases.
  • Other minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 6.1 Build 16.302 (Mar 2, 2016)

  • Built-in Screenshot Tool:
  • HelpSmith 6.1 provides a built-in screenshot tool allowing you to take and insert screenshots. Thus, you can now capture dialog windows or selective areas of a window. The screenshot tool in HelpSmith properly captures windows with rounded edges and automatically clears the semi-transparent background, so you do not have to edit a screenshot with a third party editor.
  • Create and Edit Annotations for Screenshots:
  • With the built-in Image Tool, you can easily add and edit annotations for UI elements such as buttons, input boxes, and for other controls shown on a screenshot. Also, you can customize the appearance of your annotations by modifying shape, color, shadow settings, or by using one of the ready-to-use styles.
  • Create Help for Dialog Windows Automatically:
  • Finally, when you capture a dialog window, the screenshot tool can recognize the UI elements and prepare annotations for them automatically. Then you can export the annotations directly to the help topic where you can provide descriptions explaining what action a specific button, input box, or any other UI element performs. Thus, you can significantly save the time that you usually spend on writing documentation for the user interface of your application.
  • Use the Crop Tool for New and Existing Images:
  • When you need to cut unwanted parts of an image, you can use the Crop feature available in the Image Tool. It should be pointed out, that the Image Tool is available when you are taking a new screenshot, and also in the Media Repository, so you can use it for existing images as well.
  • Facebook and Disqus Comments for Web Help:
  • HelpSmith 6.1 allows you to add the comments widget provided by Facebook or Disqus to your Web Help system. Thus, to provide a commenting tool to your users, you can simply add a special placeholder to a topic template and specify a minimal set of parameters to link it with your account.
  • Conversion of Bitmaps that are Pasted from the Clipboard:
  • The new HelpSmith version allows you to convert all bitmap images that are pasted from the Clipboard to your preferred format. By default, all bitmaps are now converted to PNG, but you can also use JPEG or GIF as your preferred format.
  • Other Improvements and Bug Fixes:
  • Image Properties dialog now provides an option for resizing an image proportionally.
  • The Media Repository window now does not allow you to set an incorrect extension for an image file.
  • Fixed an issue with formatting tables containing a big number of rows in the Printed Manual.
  • Fixed an issue with displaying some images that are set as topic or table background.
  • Other minor improvements and bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 6.0 Build 15.616 (Jun 16, 2015)

  • Improved Import from CHM, HTML, and HHP files (with CSS support)
  • New possibility to import MS Word documents
  • The possibility to import multiple files into a single help project
  • Now it is possible to set background position in percent values
  • Other minor improvements and bug fixes

New in HelpSmith 5.1 Build 14.722 (Jul 23, 2014)

  • Now it is possible to quickly add a number of “Topic Links” to the Table of Contents (TOC):
  • The single Table of Contents introduced with HelpSmith 5.0 allows you to add links to existing topics. Such “topic links” are useful since they can be added to different places of the TOC while linking to the same help topics.
  • In HelpSmith 5.1 we’ve implemented a possibility that allows you to create a number of topic links quickly. There are two ways to do so:
  • You can select topics in the Project Manager, and then select “Create Topic Link” from the right-click popup menu. In this case, topic links will be added to the same parent node.
  • Alternatively, you can use the drag-n-drop method: select topics, start dragging them, press and hold down the Alt key, move the topics to a heading item or to another topic. In this case, topic links will be added as child items to the item you need.
  • Web Help-related and other improvements:
  • Web Help: a topic opened by a direct link is now marked as selected in all browsers.
  • Web Help: Back/forward buttons did not work in Google Chrome.
  • Word Processor: Added Ctrl+U shortcut for text underline.

New in HelpSmith 5.0 Build 13.1211 (Dec 13, 2013)

  • A New Ribbon Style User Interface:
  • We have completely redesigned the HelpSmith user interface which now follows modern standards and makes working with the program as comfortable as possible.
  • A Single Table of Contents Tree:
  • Now the user interface incorporates a single tree that displays the Table of Contents and Topic Templates of the current help project. Unlike previous versions, in HelpSmith 5.0 there is no need to create the Table of Contents separately – now you can simply add topics and sub-topics to a single TOC tree and compile your help project.
  • The Adobe PDF Output Format:
  • HelpSmith 5.0 adds native support for the Adobe PDF output format. You can create full-featured PDF documents with clickable Hyperlinks, enable PDF outlines (Bookmarks tab in Adobe Reader), use encryption and other PDF-specific options.
  • The MS Word Output Format:
  • HelpSmith 5.0 allows you to export your help project as an MS Word document. Now you can easily create an MS Word document with clickable Hyperlinks, Table of Contents, Index, with document’s Header and Footer area, and with Page Numbers that can be updated even if you modify the document directly in MS Word.
  • Enhancements to the HTML Help, Web Help, and Printed Manual Formats:
  • The new version of HelpSmith includes a number of improvements to the existing help formats. Some of these enhancements: optimizations that allow HelpSmith avoid HTML Help compiler’s internal errors faced by some users, minor fixes for the Web Help system, automatic fitting of big images to the paper size, clickable hyperlinks in the Printed Manual preview window, etc.
  • Improved Media Repository:
  • The improved Media Repository now includes drag-n-drop support, sorting, automatic deletion of files from the project’s media folder (when it is saved), and the possibility to view an image in its actual size.
  • Working with Large Help Projects:
  • The ability to handle large help projects is crucial for a help authoring tool. In HelpSmith 5, we’ve done a huge work to optimize HelpSmith for better performance and minimal usage of memory while working with a large help project that may contain a big number of graphic images and video files.
  • New Sample Help Projects:
  • We have prepared new sample help projects to help you learn how to use HelpSmith. While the first sample project demonstrates some basic tasks for beginner users, the other one includes examples and step-by-step instructions on using the Conditional Compilation functionality.
  • Other Improvements in HelpSmith 5.0:
  • You can find the fill list of enhancements and fixes made in HelpSmith 5.0 by clicking this link.

New in HelpSmith 4.0 Build 13.213 (Feb 14, 2013)

  • New features:
  • A completely new Web Help system format:
  • Now it is possible to fully customize the appearance of the navigation pane (Table of Contents, Index, Search);
  • You can also use a help topic or external web page as the content of the top and bottom frame, which is useful for customizing your Web Help system;
  • Now you can define custom icons for the Table of Contents;
  • The Search feature now allows you to find separate words or whole phrases. The search results are ranked according to their relevance.
  • The Index tool now allows you to quickly find a keyword (by typing it in the appropriate field) and the topics associated with that keyword;
  • Optionally, found keywords can be highlighted in the current topic with different colors or a single color;
  • Added Table of Content behavior settings;
  • Better navigation pane interface: TOC, Index, Search tabs are not scrolled with the pane’s content;
  • Added a “Print Topic” macro for hyperlinks. This allows you to insert a hyperlink that will print the current help topic. The macro works in HTML Help and Web Help systems;
  • Added a system variable #TopicPath that displays the location of the current help topic in the Table of Contents;
  • Added “Repeat Horizontally”, “Repeat Vertically” values to the background properties dialog-box. These values are similar to CSS’s repeat-x, repeat-y attributes;
  • New fields “Author”, “Version”, “Summary”, “Comment” have been added to the project options.
  • Added new system variables “#Author”, “#Version”, “#Summary”, “#Comment” that display the corresponding fields from the project options;
  • Improvements:
  • A small image that has been set as the background of a help topic or table now works in the design-time as fast as in a browser program;
  • Internal HTML exporter now uses strict web standards, which solves most compatibility issues in modern web-browsers;
  • The media repository now allows you to add several files simultaneously;
  • It is now possible to pin HelpSmith to the Windows taskbar in Windows 7;
  • Added support for PNG files saved in the “Indexed Colors” mode;
  • The Project Options dialog-box is now resizable;
  • Minor bug fixes:
  • Fixed a random “Access Denied” problem when saving the help project which is stored in an SVN folder. This is also actual for other version control systems, antiviral and other third party software that gets access to the help project files;
  • The background properties dialog-box did not save custom values for vertical and horizontal alignment;
  • Internet Explorer ignored the border width specified for the splitter element between the frames in Web Help;

New in HelpSmith 3.5.6 Build 12.625 (Jun 27, 2012)

  • Fixed compilation issues for HTML Help (CHM) that occurred on some help projects
  • Improved the internal character-encoding engine
  • Fixed issues with using special characters in some Asian languages
  • Better support for PNG images, an updated PNG engine is now used

New in HelpSmith 3.5.5 Build 12.423 (Apr 25, 2012)

  • Support for the new video format MP4 added
  • Fixed an issue with using Asian languages (Chinese, Korean, Japanese) in the Table of Contents of an HTML Help system (CHM)
  • Other minor improvements and bug fixes

New in HelpSmith 3.5.4 Build 12.208 (Feb 9, 2012)

  • Support for the new video format MP4 added
  • Fixed an issue with using Asian languages (Chinese, Korean, Japanese) in the Table of Contents of an HTML Help system (CHM)
  • Other minor improvements and bug fixes

New in HelpSmith 3.4 Build 11.209 (Feb 22, 2011)

  • The ability to insert custom HTML code into help topics and topic templates.
  • Compilation from the command line is now supported.
  • New Web Help option: automatic conversion of file names into lower case (useful on UNIX based systems).
  • SEO friendly URLs in Web Help.
  • Minor bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 3.3 Build 10.1005 (Oct 18, 2010)

  • Improved Unicode support: all text controls now allow you to type text in multiple languages simultaneously. Added the possibility to use video clips: Flash (SWF), QuickTime, and other formats are supported. Web Help is now compatible with recent versions of Google Chrome. Other Improvements.

New in HelpSmith 3.2 Build 10.207 (Feb 9, 2010)

  • A completely new spell checking engine and dictionaries for different languages are now available.
  • A new customizable Project Merge feature.
  • The Tools|Export Context Numbers feature now supports C# and VB.NET formats.
  • The Media Repository window now displays icons for different file types.

New in HelpSmith 3.1 Build 9.1020 (Oct 21, 2009)

  • Improved the HTML export engine used for the HTML Help and Web Help output formats.
  • Added new pre-built topic templates to the New Template dialog-box.
  • Implemented the "Add to Dictionary" command for the word processor's right-click popup menu.
  • Other minor improvements and bug fixes.

New in HelpSmith 3.0 Build 9.715 (Jul 21, 2009)

  • Added support for Templates.
  • Added support for text Variables.
  • Added the Non-scrolling Area feature.
  • A new customizable Breadcrumbs placeholder.
  • New Web Help features making it much easier to provide Context-Sensitive Help.
  • Added support for the A-Keywords feature in HTML Help.

New in HelpSmith 2.1.2 (Nov 30, 2008)

  • Improved search in Web Help

New in HelpSmith 1.6 (Jun 12, 2008)

  • Improvements for Web Help added.