Question: How can I remove the CLX topics from Delphi's Help system?

Answer: Use the Open Help utility to remove the CLX Reference files from the Contents, Index, and Link portions of Delphi's Help files. The following process shows how to do this in more detail:

1. If the Delphi IDE is running, close it.

2. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the BIN\ directory below your main Delphi directory.

3. Run the OH.EXE program file.

4. Open the .OHP project for your version of Delphi. It's located in the HELP\ directory below your Delphi directory and its name matches your Delphi version. For example, if you're using Delphi 6, open DELPHI6.OHP.

5. The Contents tab is selected by default. Select CLX Reference in the list of Contents entries and then choose either Edit | Remove Files or click the Remove Files toolbar button.

6. Select the Index tab and then remove CLX Reference.

7. Select the Link tab and then remove the CLX Reference.

8. Save your changes by choosing File | Save Project.

9. Exit the Open Help utility and then restart Delphi.

You should now be able to jump directly to the VCL topics for your version of Delphi.

Note: If you need to add the CLX topics back into Delphi's Help file at some later date, add dlx1clx.toc to the Contents and then add dlx1clx.hlp to both of the Index and Link tabs of your Delphi Open Help project.

Why would I do this?

By default, Delphi's Help file documents both the VCL classes used for Windows applications as well as the CLX classes used in Kylix applications. While this helps create applications with fewer cross platform issues, it adds additional steps to using Delphi's Help system.

For example, if you press F1 with the word TStringList highlighted in the IDE, you are presented with a dialog asking you to choose between the VCL and the CLX versions of the Help topic. If you're only creating Windows applications, this extra step can be annoying, especially given the inconsistencies between the names of various Help topics. (In some cases, the VCL topic appears before the corresponding CLX topic; in other cases, the order is reversed.)

Removing the CLX Help topics removes these extra steps. In turn, this makes Delphi's Help system easier to use--for those only creating Windows applications.