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An eWriter Help file is WebHelp stored in a single file. It is a modern alternative to the obsolete CHM help format for documenting software applications on Windows, and can now also be used for application help on MacOS. The eWriter format combines the benefits of CHM and WebHelp, eliminating many disadvantages of both and providing unique security features. It uses the operating system's own HTML rendering engine to display the content, with full support for CSS3, HTML5, JavaScript and media.

Deploying eWriter Help for software documentation

If you are going to deploy eWriter Help files for your own software documentation you need to install the eViewer app along with your application and consider some issues regarding making your calls to your files and choosing the best file extensions. Please see EWriter for Software Help for details on this.

The eViewer viewer apps

On Windows 10 and 11, users are automatically prompted to get the eViewer app from the Windows Store when they try to open an .ewriter file. Downloadable installers for 32-bit and 64-bit versions are also available. See The eWriter Viewer Apps for details.

How eWriter Help works

An eWriter Help file is essentially a single-file package for WebHelp with added support for context-sensitive help and security. The content of an eWriter Help file is normal WebHelp, with full support for Help+Manual's WebHelp skins. This means that eWriter has the same formatting, scripting and layout capabilities as WebHelp, and is just as skinnable. You can choose a WebHelp skin for it, in the same way as you would for WebHelp, or dedicated eWriter skins if you are using the Premium Pack add-on.

All the layout is the same as in WebHelp, as defined in the WebHelp skin. This includes the table of contents, keyword index, search and so on.

The standalone eWriter Creator application

In addition to the integrated eWriter support in Help+Manual we have also produced a standalone eWriter Creator application that you can use to package any folder of HTML files into an eWriter Help file or a CHM file.

Note that all the navigation within eBooks packaged with the standalone application must be included in your HTML source! The eWriter viewer does not and cannot add things like a table of contents or Next/Previous navigation links.

You can get eWriter Creator from the weblink eWriter web page.