The Search function in my CHM help file does not work

How do I enable the search function in my CHM file?

The full-text search function in a generated CHM help file should work automatically and it does not require any actions from the help system's developer.

However, there are some known issues with the HHC.exe compiler which is used by HelpSmith to build the CHM file, which prevent the Search feature from working properly.

Usually those errors can be fixed by reinstalling the HTML Help Workshop package.

To fix the issue with the Search function in HTML Help (CHM):

If the Search tab is not displayed or does not work properly in a CHM help file, you can try the following solution:

1.) Re-install MS HTML Help Workshop.

If necessary, you can download MS HTML Help Workshop at:

https://www.helpsmith.com/download.php

2.) After the installation is complete, check the compiler settings in HelpSmith (File|Options|Compilers)

For more details, you can also visit:

https://www.helpsmith.com/webhelp/topics/compilers-options.htm

3.) Re-compile your help project to the HTML Help (CHM) format by clicking:

Project|Compile

Ensure the Search function is enabled:

If the Search tab is not displayed in the CHM file, please ensure that it is enabled at:

Project tab|Project Objects|HTML Help Windows|Navigation Pane

By default, the "Search tab" option is checked in a new help project. If necessary, in the HTML Help Windows settings, you can also check the "Advanced" checkbox that adds additional options to the Search tab.

If the Search tab is not displayed or does not work properly in a CHM help file, you can try the following solution: Re-install MS HTML Help Workshop.

After the re-installation of the HTML Help Workshop program, the Search function for the CHM help file is now working properly.

Thanks for you help!