# Call path for specific win help file?



## noveltech (Sep 29, 2002)

In Need of proper path for calling specific window help pages.

Example would be: Call "setting up password in the window screen saver" help page.

Is there a way to call any/all specific window help files from within a script?

All advise welcomed! and thank you.


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## Mosaic1 (Aug 17, 2001)

Windows Help Tutorial for VB here.

http://www.vbexplorer.com/VBExplorer/winhelpapi.asp

Scroll down to this section 
*Displaying A Particular Help Topic*

EDIT: I am not sure what language you are using. This is for Visual Basic, not VBS.


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## noveltech (Sep 29, 2002)

Using command line in windows 98. The path for specific help files.

As in: C:\Windows\help\???.hlp /specific string???? for specific help topics?


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## Mosaic1 (Aug 17, 2001)

LOL I see. Am not sure. You are in the Development Forum Not the Windows 95 98 me Forum. This one is for Programming and web languages. Any question like this is going to be assumed to be about the subject at hand.


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## Mosaic1 (Aug 17, 2001)

I played with it a little and I don't believe what you want to do is possible. Using help from the start menu is faster too. I can bring up a subject and display it in the right pane. Next step is to
right click on the windows and choose view source from the pop up menu. It will open in notepad. Save it as a html file. Create a shortcut to the html file. When you open it however, if it contains a link, that link will not work.


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## noveltech (Sep 29, 2002)

Thanks Mosaic1 for the feedback.

I have had the same thoughts for many days now...

I am working with Visual Dialog Script = VDS and was hoping to find a way to open the help files from within the script.

It's terrible to receate the help files after so many talented programmers have created the Windows Help Files.

There must be a way to interact with them.

I can open the main help windows and the many chm's.

It's the specific pages...I can not open.

As in: C:\Windows\help\???.hlp /specific string???? for specific help topics?

Thanks again for your assistance.

Mike


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## Mosaic1 (Aug 17, 2001)

That's because they are compiled and I honestly don't know what else to suggest. Possibly another Forum which specializes in scripting. It would be nice to be able to key something in and have a page appear. I generally use help from the start menu. Even creating a shortcut to a particular help file doesn't
get that specific. I agree. If I ever see anything in my research, and that often happens, I'll keep this post in mind.


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

I'm not real familiar with VDS but the following type of shortcut (or batch) file will work to open the "To check files and folders for errors " topic in windows.chm

c:\windows\hh.exe C:\WINDOWS\Help\windows.chm::/idh_disk_logical.htm

Can you provide me with a bit of script which opens the file so I can try to fill it in for you?

I'm also not sure which version of windows you're running under or which files are available to you (the example i gave is 98) - but if you open the help file of interest and browse to the page you want - right click it and choose properties to get it's 'name'.

There are several flavours of help as well - so ??


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## Mosaic1 (Aug 17, 2001)

IMM,
That's a nice trick. Thanks. One quick thing.I think you had a typo. Left out a space in that command before the :: Here it is rewritten. 

c:\windows\hh.exe C:\WINDOWS\Help\windows.chm ::/idh_disk_logical.htm 

Mo


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

Nope - should be w/o the space I think (tho' both work). In the best of all worlds I wouldn't be worrying whether or not whitespace will be stripped correctly


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## Mosaic1 (Aug 17, 2001)

IMM,
I copied and pasted the command exactly from your original post and it didn't work. It opened help at the beginning of the list. 

I then added the space and it worked. I did it several more times and the result was the same. 

Win98 SE IE 6

Mo


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

Hmmm (verry interesting) - what's your version of oleaut32.dll, hh.exe, OLE32.DLL, SHDOCLC.DLL, SHDOCVW.DLL etc. ? Which IE is on the machine?


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## Mosaic1 (Aug 17, 2001)

IE 6 
hh.exe 5.2.3644.0
oleaut32.dll 2.40.4518
ole32.dll 4.71.3328
shdoclc.dll 6.00.2715.400
shdocvw.dll 6.00.2719.2200


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

We're a long ways apart. Is that IE6 with SP1 ?

hh.exe 4.74.8875
oleaut32.dll 2.40.4515
ole32.dll 4.71.3328
shdoclc.dll 5.00.3314.2100
shdocvw.dll 5.00.3314.2100

I guess that doesn't give me much of a clue as to what's changed - I'll try to look into it later if I find time.

Thanx for the info.


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## Mosaic1 (Aug 17, 2001)

IMM,
No. Just IE 6 .
I haven't upgraded to SP1 yet. I am letting that wait.

Mo


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## noveltech (Sep 29, 2002)

without the space: page is called ok with search win open

with the space: page is called with contents win open


===using:
Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)
Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)

hh.exe 4.74.9273
oleaut32.dll 2.40.4277
ole32.dll 4.71.2900
shdoclc.dll 6.00.2600.0000
shdocvw.dll 6.00.2600.0000


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