WinHelp BooksWinHelp BooksNote: Many if not all of the books listed below may be out of print. The good news is you should be able to get them cheaper from an on-line used book shop like Abe Books. The bad new is that the text will be harder to find.
1. Help Compiler Guide; Microsoft® Corporation.
Various versions of the Help Compiler Guide have shipped as part of the documentation for Microsoft's Visual Basic® and Visual C++. The text provides detailed instructions on the creation of Windows 3.x help files, covering both the *.rtf and project (*.hpj) files.
2. Developing Online Help for Windows; Scott Boggan, David Farkas, and Joe Welinske; Intl Thomson Computer Press; ISBN: 1850322198.
I have not read Developing Online Help for Windows, but it comes highly recommended by other help authors. Out of print.
3. The Developer's Guide To WinHelp.Exe: Harnessing the Windows Help Engine; Jim Mishchel; Coriolis Group Book; Diskette Included; ISBN 0-471-30326-7.
Jim Mishchel's book deals with rich text format (RTF) script, WinHelp macros and dynamic link libraries (*.dll). The first half of the book is very basic, giving the reader an a detailed view of how to create a help file using RTF script via an ASCII text editor. If you are like me, this sort of foundation serves well - providing a basic understanding of mechanics of the *.rtf file. The macro portion of the book provides a detailed account of the predefined Winhelp macros, but does not deal with Application Program Interface (API) routines. The dynamic link libraries (*.dll) routine section is aimed at the "C" language programmer. This volume is out of print although used copies are available.
4. Mastering Windows® 95 Help: The Official Book for Help Authoring; Blue Sky Software Corporation; ISBN 0-9647236-0-3.
This text was part of the documentation for Blue Sky's RoboHelp® authoring tools. It deals with Windows 95/NT (WinHelp 4.0), and is not limited to the RoboHelp user. There is a good overview of WinHelp 4.0, its component files, and the book does a good job of highlighting the differences between WinHelp 3.1 and WinHelp 4.0. Might be hard to fine.
5. Designing Windows 95 Help: A Guide to Creating Online Documents; Mary Deaton, Cheryl Lockett Zubak, Jennie Achtemichuk, ste Arrants; CD-ROM; ISBN 0-7897-0362-9.
I have not read Designing Windows 95 Help, but it comes highly recommended by other help authors. Out of print.
6. Microsoft Windows 95 Help Authoring Kit : Guide to Creating Help Files for Windows 95 (Microsoft Professional Editions) CD-ROM ISBN: 155615.
Windows 95/NT Help Workshop (to include compiler) is now available at ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFILES/hcwsetup.EXE.
*7. Building Windows Help Files; Keith E. Bugg; R & D Pubns; ISBN: 0135208831.
*8. Creating Help for Windows Applications; Rose Mary Alciere; Wordware; ISBN: 1556224486.
*9. Building Windows 95 Help; Nancy Hickman; M & T Books; ISBN: 1558514775.
*10. Building Windows Help Systems/Book and Disk; Trevor Jenkins; M & T Books; ISBN: 1558514066.
11. Official Microsoft HTML Help Authoring Kit, Steve Wexler, Microsoft Press; ISBN 1-57231-603-9.
This kit is made up of a text and CD-ROM which contains Version 1.1 of HTMLHelp. The text is well worth having, as this Windows help system requires a good deal of study to take full advantage of all of its features. Version 1.4 of HTMLHelp is available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/htmlhelp/html/vsconhh1start.asp .
12. RTF Pocket Guide; Sean M. Burke; O'Reilly & Associates, 2003; ISBN: 0596004753
This volume does not address WinHelp authoring per se, but rather deals with the underlining RTF format. If you don't have Jim Mishchel's The Developer's Guide To WinHelp.Exe, than the RTF Pocket Guide could be a helpful reference if you want to master all aspects of Winhelp authoring. For one thing it's in print whereas the Mishchel book is out of print although used volumes are available.
*I know nothing about these books except that they exist (in and out of print).
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