Mext

Creating a help file involves more than typing text, especially if you intend to publish the contents on the Internet. You can use Mext to focus on designing and creating help files, technical documentation or even web pages. It allows you to work with text, images, tables and other elements, as separate data blocks, which you may customize in various ways.

The application is free and you can download it in no time. The setup wizard will guide you through a standard installation process, which does not involve any advanced settings.

On the surface, Mext looks like a simple text editor, but when you start using the application, you will see that it provides much more than meets the eye. You can't type directly in the main editing area. All the elements are edited in separate data blocks, within the editing area. If you want to start typing, you must add a new page, by clicking the appropriate option on the program's toolbar.

The software will display different sets of options, on the same toolbar, depending on what type of block you select. For example, if you select a page, you will be able to insert tables, logic frames, anchors, hyperlinks and other elements. Each block, including text pages, displays a series of fields, in which you can make adjustments or link the block with another one.

You can insert various settings as separate blocks. If you want to change the font settings, the background color or make other adjustments on a text page, you must insert a style block, make your settings and link the page with the new style block. Output settings are made the same way. You have to insert a specific block in your project, depending on the desired output format. It is possible to export projects in HTML, CHM or TXT format.