opening a help file

[Erich Schulman]

I am composing a help file with the free edition of Helpinator. When my user chooses Help from the menu, is there a API that I should call or do I just SHELL out to open it? I would also like for the user to be able to freely bring to focus the application's window or the help's window. Too often I have to print a help because I can't use the application again without closing the help.

[Gary Beene]

Here's the notes I have on opening Help files.

'bring up contents of Help file
iResult = WinHelp(Me.hwnd, "c:\yourfile.hlp")

'jump to topic (topic id=1000 in this example)
iResults = WinHelp(Me.hwnd, "c:\yourfile.hlp", HELP_CONTEXT, 1000&)

'bring up search window
iResults = WinHelp(Me.hwnd, "c:\yourfile.hlp", HELP_PARTIALKEY, ByVal "")

'quit Help
iResults = WinHelp(Me.hwnd, "c:\yourfile.hlp", HELP_QUIT, 0&)

WinHelp is the API.

It's from a previous life (another language), and I've not tested it in PowerBASIC.

[Gary Beene]

Here's the additional info on constants for the API (MSDN site), and particularly on the values to use in the API.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa975824(VS.71).aspx

And here's a PB code that works.

#Compile Exe
#Dim All
#Include "Win32API.inc"
%HELP_CONTENTS = 3
%HELP_FINDER = 11
Global hDlg As Dword, hCtl As Dword
Function PBMain() As Long
      Dialog New 0, "PowerBASIC",300,300,100,75, %WS_SysMenu,0 To hDlg
      Control Add Button, hDlg, 2, "Cancel", 25, 15, 40, 20
      Dialog Show Modal hDlg Call DlgProc
End Function


CallBack Function DlgProc() As Long
   If CbMsg = %WM_Command Then
       WinHelp (hDlg, "win32.hlp", %HELP_FINDER, 0&)
   End If
End Function

[Erich Schulman]

That API page doesn't mention .chm files which is what Helpinator makes. Do I have to handle that differently? If not, I understand your PB code and would be ready to go.

[colin glenn]

Found:

Is it possible to open a specific topic from the Hh.exe command line?

Yes, try:
hh mk:@MSITStore:/path/filename.chm::/path\topicname.htm
For example, with the compiled help file htmlhelp.chm, you can use:

hh mk:@MSITStore:htmlhelp.chm::/api.htm
hh mk:@MSITStore:c:\windows\help\htmlhelp.chm::/flash\browse.htm

In msdm document:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms669980(VS.85).aspx

Search Engine terms: chm api
Found more: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms669985.aspx

[Kev Peel]

Display Help files (HLP, CHM or other)

[Michael Mattias]

Here is a 'help tester" utility. It's old and it's for WinHelp, but it should be easy to update for HtmlHelp. (maybe as a 'reply' post by some generous person?)

http://www.powerbasic.com/support/pbforums/showthread.php?t=23215