CHM to PDF conversion - how to

Mambo · 10-10-2006, 06:36 AM

I have some CHM files I would like to convert to PDF. (Especially I would like to browse some help files of computer software).

What are the solutions out there (which software, freeware, GPL, etc.)?
Is there a solution to retain the links in PDF? Will they work properly on the iLiad as well?

Could you describe the whole conversion process? For example if it is made up of several steps starting with conversion to HTML, etc. I am also interested to know how to set the page size.

(I have seen several CHMs already converted to PDF by someone else using A4 format, but I would like to specifiy rather A5 or custom)

thanks!

jæd · 10-10-2006, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mambo

I have some CHM files I would like to convert to PDF. (Especially I would like to browse some help files of computer software).

What are the solutions out there (which software, freeware, GPL, etc.)?
Is there a solution to retain the links in PDF? Will they work properly on the iLiad as well?

Probably better to convert chm -> html... Its compiled html anyway... There's extract_chmLib on Linux which does this, or you can use many Windows based chm -> html items. When I have a sec I'll post up my script that does this for you, as well as writing out a manifest.xml file (for page numbers and other niceties...)

Alexander Turcic · 10-10-2006, 08:17 AM

Links of tools to extract content from CHM files:

chm2web (shareware)
KeyTools (freeware)
CHM Encoder (freeware)

rmaks · 10-10-2006, 09:22 AM

Another solution: CHM To PDF Converter (shareware)

yokos · 10-10-2006, 09:23 AM

If you find TARGET="_blank" in html code, you should remove it or replace it with TARGET="_self" [iLiad can't open a new blank browser window]
[TARGET="_blank" is often used to open a fullscreen image.]

Mike Kostousov · 10-11-2006, 07:59 PM

I am using my own convertor. Some times it is not so good, but I've solved the problem for me. It is command line, but it needs qt (I am just to lazy to rewrite it under std and in good way), perl, htmldoc and bash.

Just put chm2html, downlink.pl, chm2pdf.sh files from archive to ~/bin or /usr/local/bin (or some where else in path)
and run:
chm2pdf.sh my-chm-file.chm

jæd · 12-19-2006, 06:52 AM

Have updated my converChm perl script so that it now outputs (optionally) to pdf...

Martin Smith · 03-24-2008, 12:38 PM

Is the Reader Matrix wrong?

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix

It lists *.chm as a supported format for the Iliad but this does not seem to be the case according to either this thread or the Iliad site

http://www.irextechnologies.com/products/specs

wallcraft · 03-24-2008, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Smith

Is the Reader Matrix wrong?

The matrix lists CHM support via FBReader. FBReader does read CHM files, but only if they are small (a few MB). Many CHM files are very large, and FBReader will run out of memory to hold them on the iLiad.

The latest Windows MobiPocket Reader 6.2 Beta version will supposedly import CHM files and convert them to MOBI.

Martin Smith · 03-24-2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

The matrix lists CHM support via FBReader. FBReader does read CHM files, but only if they are small (a few MB). Many CHM files are very large, and FBReader will run out of memory to hold them on the iLiad.

The latest Windows MobiPocket Reader 6.2 Beta version will supposedly import CHM files and convert them to MOBI.

The CHM files I have are up to about 6MB so I guess I will need a converter tool.

Thanks for the clarification,

Martin

nrapallo · 03-24-2008, 10:51 PM

A free 'chm' --> 'html' solution (for Windows users) is discussed in the CHM wiki.

futurenode · 06-07-2010, 04:51 PM

I just built a converter because I needed to do the same thing.
It is all web based, and it converts the files on my server.
It is quite a computationally intensive process, but the BETA is free for now.
Try it out.
http://chm-pdf.futurenode.com/

martienne · 07-08-2011, 02:46 AM

Hi
Need some help to progress with my conversion of CHM to PDF.
I have tried all chm to PDF or Word converters suggested here.

None work fully on Win7 32 bit, other than Batchworks (the demo). However, that one is priced at USD 199 and I am not going to pay that, it's too expensive for a one-off conversion. (Obviously I had a look around tooo... and no, the only way to get it is to pay.)

Grindinsoft's freeware that extracts the CHM to HTML worked though, so I now have a folder with 400 separate HTML pages and images.
How do I turn that into a PDF without doing each page by page?

Gwaihir · 07-08-2011, 05:05 PM

I'd use Calibre. Free and no need to convert to html first. (Well, actually, I think it does that under that hood, but you can get pdf in one go.)

10-10-2006, 06:36 AM	#1
Mambo Gadget fan Posts: 147 Karma: 3968 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: London Device: RM Tablet PC, iLiad, PRS 505, iPod Touch	CHM to PDF conversion - how to I have some CHM files I would like to convert to PDF. (Especially I would like to browse some help files of computer software). What are the solutions out there (which software, freeware, GPL, etc.)? Is there a solution to retain the links in PDF? Will they work properly on the iLiad as well? Could you describe the whole conversion process? For example if it is made up of several steps starting with conversion to HTML, etc. I am also interested to know how to set the page size. (I have seen several CHMs already converted to PDF by someone else using A4 format, but I would like to specifiy rather A5 or custom) thanks!

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10-10-2006, 08:17 AM	#3
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,163 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Links of tools to extract content from CHM files: chm2web (shareware) KeyTools (freeware) CHM Encoder (freeware)

10-10-2006, 09:22 AM	#4
rmaks Member Posts: 24 Karma: 92 Join Date: Jul 2006	Another solution: CHM To PDF Converter (shareware)

10-10-2006, 09:23 AM	#5
yokos Pac-Man caught my iLiad. Posts: 807 Karma: 3595 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany; next to Baltic Sea Device: Boox Max Lumi, iRex iLiad (RIP)	If you find TARGET="_blank" in html code, you should remove it or replace it with TARGET="_self" [iLiad can't open a new blank browser window] [TARGET="_blank" is often used to open a fullscreen image.]

12-19-2006, 06:52 AM	#7
jæd Evangelist Posts: 458 Karma: 293 Join Date: May 2006	Have updated my converChm perl script so that it now outputs (optionally) to pdf...

03-24-2008, 12:38 PM	#8
Martin Smith Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Irex Iliad	Is the Reader Matrix wrong? https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix It lists *.chm as a supported format for the Iliad but this does not seem to be the case according to either this thread or the Iliad site http://www.irextechnologies.com/products/specs

03-24-2008, 10:51 PM	#11
nrapallo GuteBook/Mobi2IMP Creator Posts: 2,958 Karma: 2530691 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: REB1200 EBW1150 Device: T1 NSTG iLiad_v2 NC Device: Asus_TF Next1 WPDN	A free 'chm' --> 'html' solution (for Windows users) is discussed in the CHM wiki.

06-07-2010, 04:51 PM	#12
futurenode Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: iPhone	I just built a converter because I needed to do the same thing. It is all web based, and it converts the files on my server. It is quite a computationally intensive process, but the BETA is free for now. Try it out. http://chm-pdf.futurenode.com/

07-08-2011, 02:46 AM	#13
martienne .~^пиратка^~. Posts: 238 Karma: 14000 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Ask NSA... Device: Onyx Boox M92	Hi Need some help to progress with my conversion of CHM to PDF. I have tried all chm to PDF or Word converters suggested here. None work fully on Win7 32 bit, other than Batchworks (the demo). However, that one is priced at USD 199 and I am not going to pay that, it's too expensive for a one-off conversion. (Obviously I had a look around tooo... and no, the only way to get it is to pay.) Grindinsoft's freeware that extracts the CHM to HTML worked though, so I now have a folder with 400 separate HTML pages and images. How do I turn that into a PDF without doing each page by page?

07-08-2011, 05:05 PM	#14
Gwaihir The Windlord Posts: 119 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Netherlands Device: iRex DR1000S, BeBook Club S	I'd use Calibre. Free and no need to convert to html first. (Well, actually, I think it does that under that hood, but you can get pdf in one go.)

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