Visual Basic 6.0 has added support for HTML Help files?

21 Feb 2009 6:06 PM

MM

According to MS KB 189086, "Visual Basic 6.0 has added support for
HTML Help files that eliminates the need for calling the API directly.
See Visual Basic's online help for more information."

Well, I've looked at VB's online help and I can find zilch on the
subject.

My app is currently set up for WinHelp. Various controls and forms
have their HelpContextID set to match an appropriate topic. I press F1
and it just works.

Now I want to hook a .CHM file to my VB6 app instead of .HLP, but I'm
getting error "HH_HELP_CONTEXT called without a [MAP] section"

I've found some information on the [MAP] section, which needs to be in
the .hhp file, along with an [ALIAS] section, but I don't know how to
relate a control's HelpContextID to the [MAP] section.

For instance, if a textbox has its HelpContextID set to 500 and the
topic I want to display is represented by hlp_coloursetter.htm, which
is subsequently compiled into the .CHM file, how do I construct the
[MAP] and [ALIAS] entries?

Thanks!

MM

21 Feb 2009 9:38 PM

Peter T

It's a while since I've looked at html help this but here's what I've got in
mine

' in Map_define.h
#define IDH_WELCOME 1000
#define IDH_INTRODUCTION 1100
' etc

'in Map_Alias.h
IDH_WELCOME=Welcome.html
IDH_INTRODUCTION=Introduction.html
' etc

' in myHelp.hhp
[OPTIONS]
' various options here

[WINDOWS]
' couple of lines here

[FILES]
' alphabetical order
Welcome.html
Introduction.html
' etc

[ALIAS]
#include Map_Alias.h

[MAP]
#include Map_define.h
Auto Index=Yes

[INFOTYPES]
' hmm, nothing in this section

All the above can be input via the "HTML Help Workshop" UI, or by editing
the *.hhp. As written all the files would need to be in the same folder. The
two context id's above of course are 1000 & 1100

I still use the html help API, I never worked out how not to hardcode the
path of the help file. Also, although I call context help with F1 (about the
control in focus), I also call help in various other ways, eg rt-click.
You'd also need the API for popups. Anyway, hopefully the above template
will get you going.

Regards,
Peter T

Show quoteHide quote

"MM" <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:7cg0q4dk6qr0mje2chkd2iguche7k8nrpr@4ax.com...
> According to MS KB 189086, "Visual Basic 6.0 has added support for
> HTML Help files that eliminates the need for calling the API directly.
> See Visual Basic's online help for more information."
>
> Well, I've looked at VB's online help and I can find zilch on the
> subject.
>
> My app is currently set up for WinHelp. Various controls and forms
> have their HelpContextID set to match an appropriate topic. I press F1
> and it just works.
>
> Now I want to hook a .CHM file to my VB6 app instead of .HLP, but I'm
> getting error "HH_HELP_CONTEXT called without a [MAP] section"
>
> I've found some information on the [MAP] section, which needs to be in
> the .hhp file, along with an [ALIAS] section, but I don't know how to
> relate a control's HelpContextID to the [MAP] section.
>
> For instance, if a textbox has its HelpContextID set to 500 and the
> topic I want to display is represented by hlp_coloursetter.htm, which
> is subsequently compiled into the .CHM file, how do I construct the
> [MAP] and [ALIAS] entries?
>
> Thanks!
>
> MM

22 Feb 2009 11:01 AM

MM

Show quote Hide quote

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:38:05 -0000, "Peter T" <peter_t@discussions>
wrote:

>It's a while since I've looked at html help this but here's what I've got in
>mine
>
>' in Map_define.h
>#define IDH_WELCOME 1000
>#define IDH_INTRODUCTION 1100
>' etc
>
>'in Map_Alias.h
>IDH_WELCOME=Welcome.html
>IDH_INTRODUCTION=Introduction.html
>' etc
>
>' in myHelp.hhp
>[OPTIONS]
>' various options here
>
>[WINDOWS]
>' couple of lines here
>
>[FILES]
>' alphabetical order
>Welcome.html
>Introduction.html
>' etc
>
>[ALIAS]
>#include Map_Alias.h
>
>[MAP]
>#include Map_define.h
>Auto Index=Yes
>
>[INFOTYPES]
>' hmm, nothing in this section
>
>
>All the above can be input via the "HTML Help Workshop" UI, or by editing
>the *.hhp. As written all the files would need to be in the same folder. The
>two context id's above of course are 1000 & 1100
>
>
>I still use the html help API, I never worked out how not to hardcode the
>path of the help file. Also, although I call context help with F1 (about the
>control in focus), I also call help in various other ways, eg rt-click.
>You'd also need the API for popups. Anyway, hopefully the above template
>will get you going.
>
>Regards,
>Peter T

That's done the job, thanks!

I didn't hardcode the path to the help file, I just placed the name of
the .chm file in Project/Properties/Help File Name. So that is the
ONLY difference between using WinHelp or HtmlHelp for my VB6 app, i.e.
no HtmlHelp API declared anywhere!

In fact, since the ContextIDs stay the same for either, I could retain
..hlp for, say, Windows 98, 2000 and XP and switch to .chm on Vista et
seq by changing App.HelpFile on the fly. (I still prefer WinHelp to
HtmlHelp, because it's what I've grown up with!)

Thanks again.

MM

22 Feb 2009 3:45 PM

Peter T

"MM" <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message

>>I still use the html help API, I never worked out how not to hardcode
>> the path of the help file.

> I didn't hardcode the path to the help file, I just placed the name of
> the .chm file in Project/Properties/Help File Name.

I think it needs the full path there, which means hardcoding

> seq by changing App.HelpFile on the fly.

Ah ha, indeed that works without hard coding, obvious (now that is).

> I could retain
> .hlp for, say, Windows 98, 2000 and XP and switch to .chm on Vista et
> seq by changing App.HelpFile on the fly.

..chm should work fine in all those versions, not sure about w95.

Regards,
Peter T

22 Feb 2009 5:28 PM

MM

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On Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:45:39 -0000, "Peter T" <peter_t@discussions>
wrote:

>"MM" <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
>
>>>I still use the html help API, I never worked out how not to hardcode
>>> the path of the help file.
>
>> I didn't hardcode the path to the help file, I just placed the name of
>> the .chm file in Project/Properties/Help File Name.
>
>I think it needs the full path there, which means hardcoding
>
>> seq by changing App.HelpFile on the fly.
>
>Ah ha, indeed that works without hard coding, obvious (now that is).
>
>> I could retain
>> .hlp for, say, Windows 98, 2000 and XP and switch to .chm on Vista et
>> seq by changing App.HelpFile on the fly.
>
>.chm should work fine in all those versions, not sure about w95.
>
>Regards,
>Peter T
>

I DID end up declaring the HtmlHelp API as I needed this in
Form_Unload:
Call HtmlHelp(Me.hWnd, App.HelpFile, HH_CLOSE_ALL, 0&)

MM

22 Feb 2009 4:24 AM

Bob Riemersma

Maybe http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa261329(VS.60).aspx

Show quoteHide quote

"MM" <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:7cg0q4dk6qr0mje2chkd2iguche7k8nrpr@4ax.com...
> According to MS KB 189086, "Visual Basic 6.0 has added support for
> HTML Help files that eliminates the need for calling the API directly.
> See Visual Basic's online help for more information."
>
> Well, I've looked at VB's online help and I can find zilch on the
> subject.