diff --git a/docs/latex/wx/filesys.tex b/docs/latex/wx/filesys.tex
index 86d292a871..6cb94ad996 100644
--- a/docs/latex/wx/filesys.tex
+++ b/docs/latex/wx/filesys.tex
@@ -89,6 +89,16 @@ f = fs -> OpenFile("hello.htm"); // opens file 'subdir/folder/hello.htm' !!
 
 Returns actual path (set by \helpref{ChangePathTo}{wxfilesystemchangepathto}).
 
+\membersection{wxFileSystem::FileNameToURL}\label{wxfilesystemfilenametourl}
+
+\func{static wxString}{FileNameToURL}{\param{wxFileName }{filename}}
+
+Converts filename into URL.
+
+\wxheading{See also}
+
+\helpref{wxFileSystem::URLToFileName}{wxfilesystemurltofilename},
+\helpref{wxFileName}{wxfilename}
 
 \membersection{wxFileSystem::FindFirst}\label{wxfilesystemfindfirst}
 
@@ -114,3 +124,14 @@ or NULL if failed. It first tries to open the file in relative scope
 (based on value passed to ChangePathTo() method) and then as an
 absolute path.
 
+\membersection{wxFileSystem::URLToFileName}\label{wxfilesystemurltofilename}
+
+\func{static wxFileName}{URLToFileName}{\param{const wxString& }{url}}
+
+Converts URL into well-formed filename. The URL must use {\tt file}
+protocol.
+
+\wxheading{See also}
+
+\helpref{wxFileSystem::FileNameToURL}{wxfilesystemfilenametourl},
+\helpref{wxFileName}{wxfilename}
diff --git a/docs/latex/wx/frame.tex b/docs/latex/wx/frame.tex
index 1ee544180c..eaed2ea430 100644
--- a/docs/latex/wx/frame.tex
+++ b/docs/latex/wx/frame.tex
@@ -52,14 +52,14 @@ a wxEVT\_HELP event if the user clicked on an application window. {\it Note} tha
 style and must be set by calling \helpref{SetExtraStyle}{wxwindowsetextrastyle} before Create is called (two-step construction).
 You cannot use this style together with wxMAXIMIZE\_BOX or wxMINIMIZE\_BOX, so
 you should use 
-{\tt wxDEFAULT\_FRAME\_STYLE \& \verb$~$ (wxMINIMIZE\_BOX | wxMAXIMIZE\_BOX)} for the
+{\tt wxDEFAULT\_FRAME\_STYLE \& (wxMINIMIZE\_BOX | wxMAXIMIZE\_BOX)} for the
 frames having this style (the dialogs don't have minimize nor maximize box by
 default)}
 \end{twocollist}
 
 The default frame style is for normal, resizeable frames. To create a frame
 which can not be resized by user, you may use the following combination of
-styles: {\tt wxDEFAULT\_FRAME\_STYLE \& \verb$~$ (wxRESIZE\_BORDER \pipe wxRESIZE\_BOX \pipe wxMAXIMIZE\_BOX)}.
+styles: {\tt wxDEFAULT\_FRAME\_STYLE \& (wxRESIZE\_BORDER \pipe wxRESIZE\_BOX \pipe wxMAXIMIZE\_BOX)}.
 % Note: the space after the tilde is necessary or Tex2RTF complains.
 
 See also \helpref{window styles overview}{windowstyles}.
diff --git a/docs/latex/wx/fs.tex b/docs/latex/wx/fs.tex
index 2ba5f7e40d..b948bafb23 100644
--- a/docs/latex/wx/fs.tex
+++ b/docs/latex/wx/fs.tex
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ protocols - for example you may want to access files in a ZIP archive:
 
 file:archives/cpp\_doc.zip\#zip:reference/fopen.htm\#syntax
 
-In this example, the protocol is "zip", the left location is
-"reference/fopen.htm", the anchor is "syntax" and the right location
+In this example, the protocol is "zip", right location is
+"reference/fopen.htm", anchor is "syntax" and left location
 is "file:archives/cpp\_doc.zip". 
 
 There are {\bf two} protocols used in this example: "zip" and "file".
diff --git a/docs/latex/wx/hthelpct.tex b/docs/latex/wx/hthelpct.tex
index 2e667c66da..acb5cbfe7e 100644
--- a/docs/latex/wx/hthelpct.tex
+++ b/docs/latex/wx/hthelpct.tex
@@ -81,17 +81,27 @@ all other sections (sections, subsections, ...) have a folder icon.}
 
 \membersection{wxHtmlHelpController::AddBook}\label{wxhtmlhelpcontrolleraddbook}
 
-\func{bool}{AddBook}{\param{const wxString\& }{book}, \param{bool }{show\_wait\_msg}}
+\func{bool}{AddBook}{\param{const wxFileName\& }{book\_file}, \param{bool }{show\_wait\_msg}}
+
+\func{bool}{AddBook}{\param{const wxString\& }{book\_url}, \param{bool }{show\_wait\_msg}}
 
 Adds book (\helpref{.hhp file}{helpformat} - HTML Help Workshop project file) into the list of loaded books.
 This must be called at least once before displaying  any help.
 
-{\it book} may be either .hhp file or ZIP archive that contains arbitrary number of .hhp files in 
+{\it book\_file} or {\it book\_url}  may be either .hhp file or ZIP archive
+that contains arbitrary number of .hhp files in 
 top-level directory. This ZIP archive must have .zip or .htb extension
-(the latter stands for "HTML book"). In other words, {\tt AddBook("help.zip")} is possible and, in fact,
-recommended way.
+(the latter stands for "HTML book"). In other words,
+{\tt AddBook(wxFileName("help.zip"))}
+is possible and, in fact, recommended way.
 
-If {\it show\_wait\_msg} is TRUE then a decoration-less window with progress message is displayed.
+\wxheading{Parameters}
+
+\docparam{show\_wait\_msg}{If TRUE then a decoration-less window with progress message is displayed.}
+\docparam{book\_file}{Help book filename. It is recommended to use this prototype
+instead of the one taking URL, because it is less error-prone.}
+\docparam{book\_url}{Help book URL (note that syntax of filename and URL is 
+different on most platforms)}
 
 \wxheading{Note}
 
diff --git a/docs/latex/wx/hthlpdat.tex b/docs/latex/wx/hthlpdat.tex
index c920f9fb07..b92bb0e826 100644
--- a/docs/latex/wx/hthlpdat.tex
+++ b/docs/latex/wx/hthlpdat.tex
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ Constructor.
 
 \membersection{wxHtmlHelpData::AddBook}\label{wxhtmlhelpdataaddbook}
 
-\func{bool}{AddBook}{\param{const wxString\& }{book}}
+\func{bool}{AddBook}{\param{const wxString\& }{book\_url}}
 
-Adds new book. 'book' is location of HTML help project (hhp) or ZIP file
-that contains arbitrary number of .hhp projects (this zip file can have
-either .zip or .htb extension, htb stands for "html book").
+Adds new book. {\it book} is URL (not filename!) of HTML help project (hhp)
+or ZIP file that contains arbitrary number of .hhp projects (this zip
+file can have either .zip or .htb extension, htb stands for "html book").
 Returns success.
 
 \membersection{wxHtmlHelpData::FindPageById}\label{wxhtmlhelpdatafindpagebyid}
diff --git a/include/wx/filesys.h b/include/wx/filesys.h
index b819282152..814a41a314 100644
--- a/include/wx/filesys.h
+++ b/include/wx/filesys.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "wx/stream.h"
 #include "wx/url.h"
 #include "wx/datetime.h"
+#include "wx/filename.h"
 
 class wxFSFile;
 class wxFileSystemHandler;
@@ -181,10 +182,10 @@ public:
     static void CleanUpHandlers();
 
     // Returns the native path for a file URL
-    static wxString URLToNativePath( const wxString& url );
+    static wxFileName URLToFileName(const wxString& url);
 
     // Returns the file URL for a native path
-    static wxString NativePathToURL( const wxString& path );
+    static wxString FileNameToURL(const wxFileName& filename);
 
 
 protected:
diff --git a/include/wx/html/helpctrl.h b/include/wx/html/helpctrl.h
index e71db3db4c..a2a795b243 100644
--- a/include/wx/html/helpctrl.h
+++ b/include/wx/html/helpctrl.h
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ public:
 
     void SetTitleFormat(const wxString& format);
     void SetTempDir(const wxString& path) { m_helpData.SetTempDir(path); }
-    bool AddBook(const wxString& book, bool show_wait_msg = FALSE);
+    bool AddBook(const wxString& book_url, bool show_wait_msg = FALSE);
+    bool AddBook(const wxFileName& book_file, bool show_wait_msg = FALSE);
 
     bool Display(const wxString& x);
     bool Display(int id);
diff --git a/samples/html/help/help.cpp b/samples/html/help/help.cpp
index 783cda08fd..0e6ed46d88 100644
--- a/samples/html/help/help.cpp
+++ b/samples/html/help/help.cpp
@@ -155,19 +155,11 @@
 
       help.UseConfig(wxConfig::Get());
       bool ret;
-#if defined(__WXMAC__) && !defined(__DARWIN__)
-      ret = help.AddBook(wxT(":helpfiles:testing.hhp"));
-#else
       help.SetTempDir(wxT("."));
-      ret = help.AddBook(wxT("helpfiles/testing.hhp"));
-#endif
+      ret = help.AddBook(wxFileName(wxT("helpfiles/testing.hhp"), wxPATH_UNIX));
       if (! ret)
         wxMessageBox(wxT("Failed adding book helpfiles/testing.hhp"));
-#if defined(__WXMAC__) && !defined(__DARWIN__)
-      ret = help.AddBook(wxT(":helpfiles:another.hhp"));
-#else
-      ret = help.AddBook(wxT("helpfiles/another.hhp"));
-#endif
+      ret = help.AddBook(wxFileName(wxT("helpfiles/another.hhp"), wxPATH_UNIX));
       if (! ret)
         wxMessageBox(_("Failed adding book helpfiles/another.hhp"));
    }
diff --git a/samples/html/helpview/helpview.cpp b/samples/html/helpview/helpview.cpp
index 3881c00ba9..d77e758829 100644
--- a/samples/html/helpview/helpview.cpp
+++ b/samples/html/helpview/helpview.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ bool MyApp::OnInit()
     }
 
     for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++)
-        help -> AddBook(argv[i]);
+        help->AddBook(wxFileName(argv[i]));
 
 #ifdef __WXMOTIF__
     delete wxLog::SetActiveTarget(new wxLogGui);
diff --git a/src/common/fs_zip.cpp b/src/common/fs_zip.cpp
index 18d421b7be..27ed0b6a55 100644
--- a/src/common/fs_zip.cpp
+++ b/src/common/fs_zip.cpp
@@ -89,9 +89,9 @@ wxFSFile* wxZipFSHandler::OpenFile(wxFileSystem& WXUNUSED(fs), const wxString& l
 
     if (right.GetChar(0) == wxT('/')) right = right.Mid(1);
 
-    wxString leftFilename = wxFileSystem::URLToNativePath(left);
+    wxFileName leftFilename = wxFileSystem::URLToFileName(left);
 
-    s = new wxZipInputStream(leftFilename, right);
+    s = new wxZipInputStream(leftFilename.GetFullPath(), right);
     if (s && s->IsOk() )
     {
         return new wxFSFile(s,
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ wxString wxZipFSHandler::FindFirst(const wxString& spec, int flags)
     }
 
     m_ZipFile = left;
-    m_Archive = (void*) unzOpen(m_ZipFile.mb_str());
+    wxString nativename = wxFileSystem::URLToFileName(m_ZipFile).GetFullPath();
+    m_Archive = (void*) unzOpen(nativename.mb_str());
     m_Pattern = right.AfterLast(wxT('/'));
     m_BaseDir = right.BeforeLast(wxT('/'));