H1Q File – What is .h1q file and how to open it?
H1Q File Extension
Microsoft Help Merged Query Index File – file format by Microsoft
H1Q file extension is used by Microsoft Help Merged Query Index File files developed by Microsoft. It contains merged index from multiple content index files, which are generated when compiling help files with the HTML Help Workshop or the Help Compiler (HC).
Definition and Purpose
A .H1Q file, commonly known as a Microsoft Help Merged Query Index File, is a specialized file used by the Microsoft Help Viewer, a tool for accessing documentation and other help resources. It serves as an index file that stores information about various help topics, allowing for efficient and quick searching within the help system. The .H1Q file provides an organized structure for help content, enabling users to locate the desired information with ease.
Structure and Functionality
A .H1Q file contains a hierarchical database of help topics, each associated with its respective content. It comprises a collection of linked records, where each record represents a help topic and contains data such as its title, keywords, and a pointer to the associated help content. The records are organized in a tree-like structure, mirroring the organization of the help topics. When a user searches for a specific topic, the Help Viewer utilizes the .H1Q file to identify the relevant records and retrieve the corresponding help content. This efficient structure allows for rapid and accurate search results. By indexing the help topics, the .H1Q file facilitates seamless navigation and retrieval of information within the help system.
H1Q File Format
H1Q files are Microsoft Help Merged Query Index Files that store a merged index of search terms for multiple help files. They are used by Microsoft Help Viewer to provide faster search results for help topics. H1Q files are typically created when multiple help files are compiled into a single CHM file.
Opening H1Q Files
H1Q files cannot be opened directly by users. They are only used internally by Microsoft Help Viewer to facilitate search operations. To access the information contained in an H1Q file, you need to use Microsoft Help Viewer, which is included in the Windows operating system. Here’s how to open an H1Q file:
- Open the CHM file that contains the H1Q file.
- Click the “Help” menu in the CHM file.
- Select “Search” from the “Help” menu.
- Enter your search term in the search box.
- Click the “Search” button.
Microsoft Help Viewer will use the H1Q file to quickly search through the CHM file and display the relevant search results.
Microsoft Help Merged Query Index File (.H1Q)
The Microsoft Help Merged Query Index File (.H1Q) format is a proprietary file format used by Microsoft Windows Help to store the results of a merge operation performed on multiple help query index (.H1S) files. The merge operation combines the content of multiple .H1S files into a single file, which makes it more efficient to perform searches across multiple help files.
The .H1Q file format is a binary file format and its structure is not publicly documented. It is typically generated by the Microsoft Help Compiler (HHC) tool, which is included with the Microsoft Windows Platform SDK. The file consists of a header section, which contains information about the file format and the number of .H1S files that were merged, followed by a data section, which contains the merged content of the .H1S files. The data section is typically compressed using a proprietary compression algorithm.