LinuxWhat is the ZHELP file format?
A .zhelp file is a Ziphelp Package, an open help-documentation format from EC Software GmbH, the company behind the Help+Manual authoring tool. It is a standard .zip archive that has been given the .zhelp extension. Inside sits a sitemap.xml file plus the .html topics, images and stylesheets that make up a software application's help system.
The sitemap.xml is where Ziphelp does its real work. It extends the ordinary sitemap protocol with help context numbers, help keywords and associative keywords, so a viewer can jump straight to the right topic when a user presses F1 inside an application. Because the format rests on HTML, .xml and ZIP alone, EC Software designed it to run on desktop, mobile and web platforms rather than being tied to Windows. It arrived in Help+Manual 9.3 in 2023 as an open alternative to the older .chm format.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .zhelp file is a ZIP archive of HTML and XML documents, so the container itself is not executable. As with any archive from an untrusted source, extract before trusting embedded links or scripts, and scan large downloads. There is no macro or code-execution mechanism defined by the Ziphelp format.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open ZHELP files
Windows4 apps
WinRAR
Paid Open the .zhelp file directly in WinRAR to view or extract the packaged HTML help documents. 
7-Zip
Open-source Right-click the .zhelp file, choose 7-Zip then Open archive, and extract the sitemap.xml and HTML files to read them in a browser. 
EC Software eWriter Viewer
Free Install the free eWriter Viewer and double-click the .zhelp file to browse its topics, search and follow context-sensitive help links.
EC Software Help+Manual
Paid Open the source project in Help+Manual (9.3 or later) to edit the content and regenerate the .zhelp output. 
macOS2 apps
The Unarchiver
Free Use The Unarchiver to unpack the .zhelp archive, then open the extracted HTML files in a browser.
EC Software eWriter Viewer
Free Install the macOS build of eWriter Viewer (macOS 11 or later, Intel or Apple Silicon) and open the .zhelp file to read the help system. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | Binary ZIP container holding UTF-8 HTML and XML text files |
| Container | ZIP archive (PKZIP format) |
| Compression | DEFLATE (standard ZIP compression); entries may also be stored uncompressed |
| Encryption | None by default; standard ZIP encryption is possible but not part of the Ziphelp spec |
| Typical size | Tens of KB to several MB depending on the number of help topics and embedded media |
| Structure | A renamed ZIP archive containing an extended sitemap.xml that maps the help structure plus the referenced HTML documents and their images, CSS and media assets. |
| Integrity | Per-entry CRC-32 checksums provided by the ZIP format |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS |
| Notes | Ziphelp is an open format built on HTML, XML and ZIP. The sitemap.xml extends the standard sitemap protocol with help context numbers, help keywords and associative keywords so a viewer can provide context-sensitive help. The extension stays fully compatible with the original sitemap protocol. |
| Created By | EC Software Help+Manual (9.3 and later); also produced from Embarcadero Delphi via EC Software's implementation |
| Released | 2023 |
| Latest version | Ziphelp (as of Help+Manual 9.3, 2023) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | www.helpandmanual.com |
ZHELP conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about ZHELP files.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open a .zhelp file?
.zip and extract the HTML documents with any archive tool.Is a .zhelp file just a ZIP file?
.zip file with a different extension.What creates .zhelp files?
Can I edit the contents of a .zhelp file?
.zip, extract it, and edit the HTML and sitemap.xml files. For structural changes it is better to edit the original project in Help+Manual and re-export.Why won't my .zhelp file open by double-clicking?
.zhelp by default. Install eWriter Viewer first, or set it as the default handler for the extension.
