adding a help (.chm) file to access application

[Peterchogudo]

Please I have designed an access application and also created a compiled file. But I cannot attach it within code to work from my application.

I need urgent help to achieve that.

Thanks

Peter Chogudo

 

[boblarson]

In Design mode for a form, put in the path and file name for the help file in the property labled "HELP FILE."

Do that for each form.

Then, you put the topic ID number for each item you want context-sensitive help in the HELP CONTEXT for each of those items. For example, if you want a command button to be able to bring up context-sensitive help, you would put the topic ID number for that command button in the HELP CONTEXT property of that command button.

I hope that helps.

 

[Peterchogudo]

Adding help (.chm). additional information. Urgent

But what i really want to do is to activate the help file as a menu item on the menu bar of my startup form not as a context sensive help for an individual form.

The help file covers the whole application. U know I want to replicate a typical application help file showing how to use my specific application to a user

 

[boblarson]

For that, put the path and name of the help file in the HELP FILE property of each form and then create a menu item that, when selected, does a keystroke of F1.

Or, you can use the Shell command to open the file directly.

 

[Peterchogudo]

Help attching (.chm) file

I have tried using the SHELL command. But it does not work. It seems the command only expects files in a .EXE format.

Have u tried using the SHELL command to call a .chm file. If u have then let me have the code snippet.


Thanks. Waiting for ur reply

 

[boblarson]

Have you even tried putting the path and name of the help file into the form's HELP FILE property and then using the SENDKEYS command to send an F1 from your menu? The benefit of doing that is that your user can also just manually use the standard F1 to bring up help without even using a menu item, but then they can use the menu too.

 

[ghudson]

Why not use the Shell command to open your help files? You have to point to the location of the help file executable [hh.exe] on your computer and then to the location of your help file.

For HTML .chm files

Call Shell("C:\WINDOWS\hh.exe X:\YourHelpFile.chm", vbNormalFocus)

For the old .hlp files

Call Shell("C:\WINDOWS\system32\winhlp32.exe X:\YourHelpFile.hlp", vbNormalFocus)

 

[boblarson]

I prefer using the method that allows you to EITHER click on the menu OR to bring up help the way almost all programs let you: to click F1. But, either way will work for the menu item. If you don't do it by putting the path and name into the HELP FILE property of a form, then if your user clicks F1, expecting to bring up help in the MS Standard way, then they will get the Access help file and not yours.

 

[Peterchogudo]

Thanks Ghudson your option worked very well for me.

Boblarson I am yet to try out ur option very soon and will keep u posted.

Thanks colleagues u have made my day. Appreciate it

Peter
Nigeria.

 

[ghudson]

You are welcome.

I would use an AutoKeys macro if you really wanted your help file to open if the user presses the F1 key in your application. Search around if you need more info on the AutoKeys macro. It is one of the only two macros an applicaiton should have. The other is the AutoExec macro.

 

[coyote]

Hi guys
I went through this post because I was experiencing the same problem.
I tried the call procedure and my help file opened.
My question is
Because am distributing my application to customers how do i ensure that the help file opens.
My help file is in the same folder as the application.
On my machine this works well but if I move or rename the folder I get the message
Can't find the help file.chm
Am planning to make the front end an MDE so the user wont be able to change the file path.

Another qustion when the help file opens from the application, can it be closed when the application is closed. For now it remains open.

 

[cathypapu]

Using the Call Shell("C:\WINDOWS\hh.exe X:\YourHelpFile.chm", vbNormalFocus) i am getting two help files opening at a time and i am not able to switch the application and the .chm using alt+tab and the icon for the application is appearing twice in the alt+tab window.

can anyone provide a solution for the above issue


Thanks in Advance,
Cathy

 

[ms.slc]

I've read through the thread, and would like to do the same thing. What is a .chm file and how do you create it? I feel like there is something else I should know to fully understand the thread. I want my help document to reside within the database, is that possible? I have to distribute my database to several users.

 

[shadow9449]

What is a .chm file and how do you create it?.

CHM is a Compiled HTML Help File. It's a very common file used for documenting Windows applications ever since Windows 2000.

You can create them using Microsoft's HTML help workshop: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21138

There are many good tools out there to make this task much easier. The one I use is called Dr. Explain: http://www.drexplain.com/

It's not the cheapest out there but I like it's features. There are probably free editors out there that do a good job too.

I I want my help document to reside within the database, is that possible?

I'm not sure if it's possible but it's not the common way to do it. You would probably be better off distributing the help file external to your database application that can be called by your application using the methods described earlier in this thread.

I hope this helps.

SHADOW

 

[zoherk]

i tried the call shell() option to open .chm file in ms access VBA, it opens the window but the right side data is not coming only index data is coming.

so what is the solution ?

 

[shadow9449]

i tried the call shell() option to open .chm file in ms access VBA, it opens the window but the right side data is not coming only index data is coming.

so what is the solution ?

When you open the CHM file outside of the application, does it load completely or does it load the way it seems to be loading using the shell? If it doesn't load correctly then I would suspect something is wrong with the CHM file.

SHADOW

 

[spikepl]

Right click the file, see if there is an Enable button shown...