FAR is a collection of file and HTML Help utilities for authors. If you need to quickly manipulate HTML files, or create and edit HTML Help Tables of Contents then FAR will save you lots of time. You can safely use FAR and MS Workshop side by side, unlike many other authoring tools

FAR lets you convert Web content into compiled HTML-Help files. With just a few simple clicks, you can get a compressed HTML-Help file, complete with: 

• Full Text Search 
• Table Of Contents 
• Index pane and a favorites pane

Lets look at some of FAR's features:

FAR does HTML friendly find and replace across multiple files. 

First fill the FAR file list by dragging a web folder from Windows Explorer onto the FAR main window. FAR will search for files in any sub folders. Alternatively you can perform a preliminary search using Windows Find then drop the dialog files into FAR.

FAR allows you to set up drop filters so that any unwanted files and folders, such as FrontPage _vti folders, can be rejected.

FAR provides simple and advanced find and replace options. 

Since many of FAR's features require a list of files it makes sense to provide a ZIP command so you can quickly archive your work. FAR can compress all the files in your file list into a PKZIP compatible file. FAR can also view and decompress PKZIP compatible files.

Use HTML Help Express to create brain dead HTML Help. Just select the folder you want to compress containing HTML files. FAR will search for all HTML, images and media files and compress these into a single HTML Help file. Or, right click a folder in windows Explorer and select "Compile to HTML Help".

The HTML Help Wizard provides more control over the HTML Help creation process. Drop your web site onto FAR then open the Wizard. 

• Create a Table of Contents using your web's directory structure.
• Edit your TOC in the FAR Editor.
• Create a basic Index file.
• Edit and compile your HTML Help project to a .CHM help file.

The HTML Help Wizard also provides tools so you can quickly and easily add a Table of Contents and Index to your website.

Note: Compressed HTML Help (single compressed .chm file) does not work on the web. FAR creates an Internet ExplorerÓ compatible ActiveX Table of Contents and Index as well as a plain HTML Table of Contents and Index. A Master Redirection File sniffs the browser and loads the appropriate Table of Contents and Index.

For an example see: http://helpware.net/FAR/help/redirect.htm

The FAR HTML Help Editor is for advanced users. Here is where you get full control over your project. Add toolbar buttons, set window size and so on. FAR provides several settings not found in MS Workshop such as the ability to add the MSDN menu and some extra navigation buttons.

Edit your HTML Help Table Of Contents files with the FAR WYSIWYG Table of Contents Editor. You will never use MS Workshop Table of Contents Editor again. Features include:

• Link validation
• Drag and drop entire TOC branches
• Link preview window
• Use "Drag and Drop" to create new Table of Contents items.
• Unlike MS Workshop, FAR correctly includes merge file items in the Table of Contents, at the correct level