HelpNDoc's options can be customized by using the "File" menu then "Options" button. This shows the options window with various sections.

General Settings

  • Application language: choose HelpNDoc's user interface language. This requires a restart of HelpNDoc.
  • Load and display RSS news: keep up-to-date with latest news about HelpNDoc as the RSS feed will be displayed in HelpNDoc's welcome page. This may trigger a Windows firewall warning as this requires Internet Access.
  • Show ruler: displays or hide a ruler at the top of the topic editor for greater control over paragraph indentation, tabs and table cell sizes.
  • Show the navigation bar with breadcrumb editor: displays or hide the navigation bar at the top of the topic editor.
  • Automatically hide scrollbars: only show the scroll bars when the mouse is over the control to simplify the UI. 
  • Default HTTP server port: Specify the default settings for HelpNDoc's integrated HTTP server.

Importers

  • Use built-in DocX importer: Built-in DocX importer is faster, uses less memory and better imports DocX documents. If some documents are problematic, un-check it to use the external Microsoft Office Converters instead
  • Use built-in CHM decompiler: Built-in CHM decompiler is faster, uses less memory and better imports CHM help files. If some help files are problematic, un-check it to use the Microsoft HTML Help Workshop decompiler instead

Compilers

  • To generate some documentation formats, HelpNDoc requires external compilers. This section can be used to setup their path and download them
  • Use legacy PDF generator: Starting with HelpNDoc 7.0, the PDF generator has been replaced with a new one which produces better results, faster, yet uses less memory. If some PDF documents are not correctly generated, un-check it to use the old legacy PDF generator instead

Custom paths

Use this section to define the default custom path HelpNDoc will use.

  • Default output path: define the default path where project output will be generated when no path is defined. Default is "My Documents\HelpNDoc\Output".
  • Backup path: define the path where project backups are stored. Default is "My Documents\HelpNDoc\Backup".
  • Dictionaries path: define the path where custom dictionaries are stored. Default is "My Documents\HelpNDoc\Dictionaries".
  • Projects path: define the path where projects are opened from or saved to the first time. Default is "My Documents\HelpNDoc\Projects".
  • Scripts path: define the path where custom scripts are stored. Default is "My Documents\HelpNDoc\Scripts".
  • Styles path: define the path where the default project styles is placed. See Customize default project styles to learn more. Default is "My Documents\HelpNDoc\Styles".
  • Syntax highlighters path: define the path where customized syntax highlighters are stored. Default is "My Documents\HelpNDoc\Syntax".
  • Templates path: define the path where custom templates are located. Default is "My Documents\HelpNDoc\Templates".

Keyboard shortcuts

Some keyboard shortcuts can be customized. Select a keyboard shortcut in the list and:

  • Use the "Edit" button to customize it
  • Use the "Reset" button to reset it to its default value

Script Editor

Customize the look and feel of the script editor used to interact with HelpNDoc API and customize templates:

Setting

Description

Bookmarks / Visible

Show or hide the bookmarks

Bookmarks / Enable

Enable bookmarks keyboard shortcuts

Fonts / Editor

Specify the font name and size of the the editor

Fonts / Gutter

Specify the font name and size of the editor's gutter. Note: Gutter / Use gutter font must be checked too

Gutter / Autosize

Specify if the gutter resizes to fit content

Gutter / Show leading zeros

If checked, leading zeros are added to line numbers

Gutter / Start at zero

Specify if line numbering starts at zero or one

Gutter / Show line numbers

Specify if line numbers are shown in the gutter

Gutter / Use gutter font

If checked, a specific gutter font can be used. If not, it will use the editor's font

Gutter / Visible

Show or hide the gutter

Right Margin / Position

Position of the right margin in number of characters

Spacing / Extra line spacing

Add extra pixels to each line for better clarity

Spacing / Tab width

Specify how many characters are used to display tabs

Options / Auto close after successful run

Automatically close the script editor run from the quick script popup when script successfully runs

Options / Auto indent

Automatically indent based on previous line

Options / Brackets highlight

Highlight matching bracket

Options / Enhanced Home key

Hitting the home key moves to the start of the line or start of code

Options / Enhanced End key

Hitting the end key moves to the end of the line or end of code

Options / Right mouse moves cursor

Editing cursor is moved when right mouse is clicked

Options / Show special chars

Specify if special (invisible) characters are shown or not

Options / Smart tabs

Tabbing checks previous line for faster alignment

Options / Smart tab delete

Delete multiple tabs at once to match previous line

Options / Tab indent

When checked, hit the TAB keyboard shortcut to indent all selected lines, and the SHIFT+TAB keyboard shortcut to decrease indend

Options / Tabs to spaces

Automatically converts tabs to spaces

Options / Trim trailing spaces

Remove any spaces and tabs at the end of lines

Options / Word wrap

Long lines are displayed without horizontal scroll bars when enabled

Reset

Use the "Reset" button to reset parts or all options. Note: some reset actions require a restart of HelpNDoc. Available reset options are:

  • Reset History: Clear the history of recently opened projects, folders and HTTP server's served folders;
  • Reset Forms, Panels and Toolbars: Clear save forms, panels and toolbars size and position and toolbars customization;
  • Reset General Settings: Reset the "General Settings" tab to its default values;
  • Reset Importers: Reset the "Importers" tab to its default values;
  • Reset Compilers: Reset the "Compilers" tab to its default values;
  • Reset Custom Paths: Reset the "Custom Paths" tab to its default values;
  • Reset Keyboard Shortcuts: Reset all keyboard shortcuts to their default values;
  • Reset Everything: Reset all HelpNDoc settings and options to their default values;