----------------------------------- Ashi_Mashi2 Sat Apr 09, 2005 11:30 pm How to create a help file? ----------------------------------- Hi everyone... I want to create a help file in VB. I want to use something like those 'tree diagrams' that have different topics/subtopics, etc (like Windows traditional help file)...how can i do it?..thanks ----------------------------------- Brightguy Tue Apr 12, 2005 9:15 am Re: How to create a help file? ----------------------------------- You don't use VB to create help files. They are actually .rtf text files (that have to follow a very specific format). You can use the "Help Workshop" (comes with Visual Studio, I think) to compile the text along with your help contents. When I first wanted to make a help file I couldn't find any free programs so I did it manually. I just checked for a page with that format description but found [url=http://www.danish-shareware.dk/soft/shelpm]this program. I haven't used it, but it looks good. ----------------------------------- Ashi_Mashi2 Tue Apr 12, 2005 3:37 pm thx ----------------------------------- ok..thanks a lot...i donwloaded the program..i just need to learn how to use it and i think i'll be fine;)...but, when i am done making the help file, how can i run it in VB? ----------------------------------- Brightguy Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:37 pm Re: thx ----------------------------------- You can associate a help file with your application in the project properties or by setting App.HelpFile, and whenever you press F1 the help file will open. The CommonDialog control also has a HelpFile property and you can use the ShowHelp method to open the help file. And I think there's a winAPI HelpFile function that you can use to open help files. ----------------------------------- Ashi_Mashi2 Thu Apr 21, 2005 8:56 pm ----------------------------------- thanks....so, how can i direct the help file to open up in a specific place? i mean whenever i run the help file, it starts from the beginning...i want it to start say from the part that is related to the specific part of my project...thx ----------------------------------- Brightguy Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:06 am Re: ----------------------------------- When creating your help file, I think every topic gets a context ID. You should be able to open to a specific topic if you know the HelpContextID... CommonDialog.HelpCommand = cdlHelpContext CommonDialog.HelpContext = HelpContextID CommonDialog.ShowHelp And if you press F1 the App.HelpFile will open using the HelpContextID property of the object that currently has the focus. ----------------------------------- Ashi_Mashi2 Sat May 07, 2005 4:46 pm ----------------------------------- ok..thanks...but, i am unfamiliar with common dialog...i mean i tried what you said, and it didnt even open the help file....so, can you please tell me how to do it, like a bit like 'step by step'. thanks a lot. ----------------------------------- GlobeTrotter Sat May 07, 2005 5:03 pm ----------------------------------- Press Ctrl+T in VB and then check off the CommonDialog control. Then drag the CommonDIalog onto your form. You can then use those commands. ----------------------------------- Ashi_Mashi2 Sat May 07, 2005 5:58 pm ----------------------------------- ok...i did that...but, still no result...i have my help file as "test.hlp", and in the common dialog menus, i set the "help file" to say "C:\test.hlp" and copied your code into a command control...i think i'm not doing something right. ----------------------------------- GlobeTrotter Sat May 07, 2005 8:09 pm ----------------------------------- What do you mean by "copied your code into a command control"? You add the Common Dialog Control to the form as you would a timer. Then you can use it in your code as CommonDialog.Whatever. ----------------------------------- Ashi_Mashi2 Sun May 08, 2005 9:54 am ----------------------------------- lol...sorry, i was in a hurry...i meant the command button...anyway, i know it doesnt matter where you put the code...but, it still doesnt work...anyway, i reasearched a lot and found out that there's more to it than just putting the code...using: App.HelpFile = "F:\temp\test.hlp" With Form1.CommonDialog1 .HelpFile = App.HelpFile .HelpContext = topicID .HelpCommand = cdlHelpContext .HelpKey = "the selected topic" '(*optional) .ShowHelp End With (i know it is almost the same as what you previously wrote) i could start the help file, but i dont know how to add id to the different topics...when i put a random number (like 1, 5, 12, etc) in the "topicID" field, i can get different parts of the help file..but, i dont know how can i direct them to the topic that i want, i.e., how to add the topic id to the help file? thanks agian ----------------------------------- Brightguy Sun May 08, 2005 1:01 pm Re: ----------------------------------- I can't remember if you can set your own topic IDs. I suspect there will be some way to do it in that help maker program.