Embedded PDF in CHM

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John Johann
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Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:35 pm

Embedded PDF in CHM

Unread post by John Johann »

Hi,
It used to be possible to include a PDF in the baggage and link to it from a topic. The pdf would then open within the CHM viewer.

It would seem to no longer work -- does anyone know if something has changed to restrict this in the recent Windows 10 updates?

(Yes, I know this isn't ideal and that CHM is old but it is what I have to use at the moment).
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Tim Green
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Re: Embedded PDF in CHM

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi John,

This still works but you need to do it a little differently now. Use an Internet Link instead of a File Link, and enter just the name of the PDF file as your target. The name should be short, no spaces, no non-alphanumeric characters, shouldn't start with a number. In the Target Window setting set the PDF to open in the same window as the referring topic to open in the CHM viewer, or to New Window to open in a new instance of Internet Explorer. You can't open in PDF Reader with this method.

If possible, however, it would generally be preferable to put the PDF in the same folder as the CHM instead of embedding it. Then you can link to it with a File Link so that it opens in PDF Reader.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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John Johann
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:35 pm

Re: Embedded PDF in CHM

Unread post by John Johann »

Hi Tim,
Thanks for the reply.
Just tried this out again
1. With the original file name (17 characters with underscore plus file ending)
2. Shortened to 4 characters long name
3. With and without ms-its:helpfile.chm://

None of the above worked.
I'll do a restart and see what happens (when I click on the link in the CHM I can see instances of the Reader application in the task manager -- maybe one of them is hanging).

Restart did not help
John Johann
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Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:35 pm

Re: Embedded PDF in CHM

Unread post by John Johann »

The only variation I could get to work was as a File link to a pdf in the same folder as the CHM.
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Tim Green
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Re: Embedded PDF in CHM

Unread post by Tim Green »

John Johann wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 1:55 pm The only variation I could get to work was as a File link to a pdf in the same folder as the CHM.
That is probably the only reliable option nowadays. (An Internet link in the same location will work too). I could get it to work with the embedded file using an Internet link, but it's quite possible that won't always work.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
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