How to modify a help file (*.chm)?

Question

I generated a help file (*.chm) using HTML Help Workshop.

But there is one line I need to change every time I compile my solution.

Imagine you do have a complete finished *.chm file, but if a server builds the version new, this build number won't get updated in the *.chm file. For now I always deleted this *.chm file and created it new afterwards. Now I reached at a point where it annoys me every time I have to create it new only because the server makes a build. It would be comfortable if i could modify the existing *.chm file directly in my C#-Code.

Is there any possibility to modify a *.chm file with C# code?

Answer 1

Yes. .chm files are really just an archive of a bunch of HTML files and some other bits to hold it all together.

Download a universal zip/unzip program like 7-zip and you can right-click (in windows) your .chm, then choose 7-zip>>Open Archive and you'll see the contents.

Be careful about monkeying around too much in here though since broken links and changed file names will ruin your .chm.

I would agree though that modifying your source before running it up through html-help-workshop is a better option than monkeying with it afterwards.