How to Integrate a *.chm help file with TestComplete for functions written into script units

Hi John,

Yes, it's possible. You can put your CHM in the <TestComplete>\Help folder, and if it meets the requirements below, it will be automatically integrated into F1 help, TestComplete help contents (TOC), index, and full-text search.

Example

Attached is a sample CHM file (with source code) that illustrates help integration. It has an F1 topic for MyFunction. Copy this CHM file to the <TestComplete>\Help folder to try it out.

Implementation Details

• The CHM file must be named TestCompleteExtension1.chm, and must be in the <TestComplete>\Help folder. If you have several CHM files, name them TestCompleteExtension2.chm and so on, up to 20.
  
  
• For F1 to work, topics must include ALinks with the function names and other keywords needed:
  
  

  <!-- MyFunction.htm -->
  <head>
     ...
     <object type="application/x-oleobject" classid="clsid:1e2a7bd0-dab9-11d0-b93a-00c04fc99f9e">
       <param name="ALink Name" value="MyFunction">
     </object>
  </head>

  You can use multiple ALinks in the same tag:
  
  

• <object type="application/x-oleobject" classid="clsid:1e2a7bd0-dab9-11d0-b93a-00c04fc99f9e">
    <param name="ALink Name" value="MyFunction">
    <param name="ALink Name" value="MyFunctionEx">
  </object>

  Note that the keywords / function names in ALinks are case-sensitive.
  
  
• If you use a table of contents (TOC), the TOC file (.hhc) must have the same name as the CHM file, for example, TestCompleteExtension1.hhc.
  All items in the TOC should be grouped under a top-level folder - this folder will appear at the end of the TestComplete help TOC.
  
  
• The CHM file must be compiled with binary index.
  
  

  ; HHP file
  
  [OPTIONS]
  Binary Index=Yes

• The CHM file must include window definitions named Main and $global_Main. Your default window definition can be different; these two are used only for F1 integration. Or you can use one of them as your default window.
  
  

  ; HHP file
  
  [WINDOWS]
  Main="My TestComplete Extension","TestCompleteExtension1.hhc","TestCompleteExtension1.hhk","YourDefaultTopic.htm","YourHomeTopic.htm",other options if needed
  $global_Main="My TestComplete Extension","TestCompleteExtension1.hhc","TestCompleteExtension1.hhk","YourDefaultTopic.htm","YourHomeTopic.htm", other options if needed

• If you need to use Context IDs, use IDs from 18000 and up.
  
  

  ; HHP file
  
  [ALIAS]
  Topic1 = topic1.htm
  Topic2 = more\topic2.htm
  
  [MAP]
  #define Topic1 18000
  #define Topic2 18001

Known Issues

• F1 for your keywords opens two help windows (your CHM file, and the TestComplete help file in the background) instead of a single window with the merged help files. This will be fixed in TestComplete 11.1.

Hope this helps, and let me know if you have further questions.