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Question:
When we copy an image (in bmp format) in a help file, we get a “not enough memory space” error when we compile. What are the formats of images that help will support?

Answer:
The following graphics types are supported: Windows bitmaps (.bmp or .dib), Windows metafiles (.wmf), Windows Help multiple-hotspot (SHED) bitmaps (.shg), and Windows Help multi-resolution bitmaps (.mrb). Unfortunately, RLE-compressed bitmaps are not supported.

You can also look at reducing the size of the graphics. If you are saving the bitmap as a 24-bit bitmap, trying changing to a 256-color or even a 16-color bitmap.

The following text is from the MSDN article Q90291, “Using Graphics Within a Help File”:”All of the graphics can be placed ‘by reference.’ To insert a graphic by reference, the help author must type {bm? graphic.ext} where bm? is bml, bmr, or bmc, and graphic.ext is the name of the graphic file that the author wants to have placed in the help topic. The bml command is used for a left-justified graphic, the bmr command is used for a right justified graphic, and the bmc command is used for a character justified graphic (that is, the graphic is inserted into the paragraph as if it were a character).

“One of the advantages of placing a graphic by reference is that it lifts the 64K limit on a graphic. Also, a graphic placed by reference is actually just a ‘pointer’ to the real graphic. Therefore, if the same graphic is used multiple times, it is only ‘stored’ once within the .HLP file.”

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