eWriter is a popular HTML compiler with compact file size and powerful features. It allows you to package a complete HTML application (along with all included files like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, image, etc.) into a single-file eBook. The built-in HTML-to-EXE converter creates executable Windows apps with eBook content included. This executable HTML app can be eBook, presentation, even a game, and more.
eWriter creates portable websites in a single compact Windows file with an integrated server and viewer. You don't need to make any changes to your site. You just point the eWriter program to the folder containing your HTML and other source files and it packs everything into the portable single-file version.
This file is a Windows EXE containing both your site and its own embedded web server and viewer. When the user opens the file the portable site works in exactly the same way that it would when accessed online in a web browser. All your navigation and links within the site are present. Links to external pages also work normally.
Use for interactive documentation and eBooks on Windows devices
eWriter "books" can be viewed on any Windows device, even on old and outdated versions of Windows. They support direct contextual references from your applications to display specific pages and to scroll to anchors on your pages. Unlike a normal website, repeated calls to an eWriter book will all open in the same window. This makes them ideal for local documentation of Windows programs: You get a single help file containing everything, context help support and full control over the entire appearance of the documentation, plus support for video, HTML5 and all the other features supported by modern browsers.
All this makes eWriter an equally good choice for interactive eBooks on Windows, with full support for all the same multimedia and formatting features you get in current browsers. The options here are significantly greater than in standard eBook formats like ePub and Mobi, which only support very basic text formatting and simple images.
A modern replacement for CHM help files
eWriter books eliminate the restrictions of the standard Windows CHM help format: They can be deployed on network drives where CHM files are blocked by Windows. They have full support for Unicode character sets, HTML5 and CSS3, just like a modern web browser. And unlike Windows CHM help files, you can apply your design to the entire layout and are not forced to accept the dated table of contents and toolbar panes of the CHM viewer, which has not been updated since Windows 98.
Unique security features
Neither websites nor CHM help files have any real support for security. eWriter books do: You can add password protection, set an expiry date after which the book can no longer be viewed and digitally sign the book from within the eWriter creation interface (requires a code-signing certificate).
Optional separate viewer and data files
Single eWriter files are an EXE containing both the viewer and the book. This is convenient, but distributing EXE files to some customers can be a problem. To get around this eWriter also allows you to create separate viewer and data files. Then you only need to include the viewer once together with your installation and can distribute data-only books to the customers after that.
Get Help+Manual for the full authoring experience
The stand-alone version of eWriter creates standalone sites from your own HTML, but you still need to create the HTML files and navigation yourself.
Our main product Help+Manual is a comprehensive documentation authoring suite that supports eWriter directly, along with many other output formats (WebHelp, PDF, DOCX, ePub, Mobi and more). You create and structure your documentation in a familiar interface like a word processor. Then you just select Publish to create your eWriter, PDF, WebHelp or other formats. Your layout is defined with a wide range of ready-to-use editable skins and templates.
