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INFO: HTML Help URL Protocols

Article ID: 235226 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q235226

SUMMARY

HTML Help uses Internet Explorer to navigate to and access .chm files. Internet Explorer uses certain protocols to access the files. The following are some general rules regarding the protocols.

Anything after the double colon (::) must use forward slashes (/), in accordance with URL standards. Normally, backslashes (\) are used only when specifying a file path that is before the double colon (::). However, using forward slashes before the double colon (::) is still allowed.

The following is a list of correct HTML Help URLs:

Filename.chm::/page.htm - Only works inside of HTML Help. Microsoft strongly discourages its use (also known as "super-automagic" URL).
Mk:@MSITStore:filename.chm::/page.htm - The standard HTML Help URL that works with Internet Explorer 3.0 and later (also known as "automagic" URL).
Ms-its:filename.chm::/page.htm - The new standard HTML Help URL that works with Internet Explorer 4.0 and later (also know as "automagic" URL).

MORE INFORMATION

NOTE: If you are using scripting to get the URL of the current page, you may receive a URL that starts with Mk:@MSITStore:, but you may also receive a URL that starts with Ms-its:, depending on the navigation method used to reach the page.

Properties

Article ID: 235226 - Last Review: October 10, 1999 - Revision: 1.0

APPLIES TO

Microsoft HTML Help 1.0
Microsoft HTML Help 1.1
Microsoft HTML Help 1.2
Microsoft HTML Help 1.21

kbapi kbcompiler kbinfo KB235226

Retired KB Content Disclaimer

This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.