What is CHM File?

Word Count:
246

Summary:
You use CHM files daily but do you really know what they are? You use them every time you hit the F1 button; you use them every time you read the help file. CHM is a standard for software help. Now it is time to know CHM better.


Keywords:
Help, software, chm, Compiled HTML Help


Article Body:
You use CHM files daily but do you really know what they are? You use them every time you hit the F1 button; you use them every time you read the help file. CHM is a standard for software help. Now it is time to know CHM better.

CHM file is a file with .chm extension; CHM stands for Microsoft Compiled HTML Help. Such files are optimized for reading. This format was developed by Microsoft and released in 1997. First it was introduced with release of Windows 98. Now it is distributed and supported through Windows XP and Windows Vista.

There are a lot of paid software tools which allow you to see CHM help files as HTML pages. Chmlib.com authors created the website which allows you to view help files in convenient way for free. They believe that that site will be especially useful for Linux, Mac and other non-Windows users which cannot view CHM files using their operating systems. 

Website is regularly updated. Also, software developers can send their help file to authors of the website to have it converted into HTML format and added to the website.
Chmlib.com file stores files in convenient format and allows you to read them even if you work under the non-windows operating systems.

Also, in 2002, Microsoft announced some security risks associated with the .CHM format, as well as some security bulletins and patches. But reading the CHM file using chmlib.com in HTML format is completely safe.