How to open a help document from vba

[chamdan]

Hi,

I have a Help document located at this address: "C:\D-Drive\WISDDM\PLANNER\PLANHELP.HLP
How would you call it using vba?

I tried

Code: Select all

Application.Run   "C:\D-Drive\WISDDM\PLANNER\PLANHELP.HLP

" but it did not execute. A small macro showing how would certainly be appreciated.

Chuck

[HansV]

The .hlp file format was used in Windows XP and earlier versions of Windows. Recent versions of Windows have no built-in support for them. Which version of Windows are you using?

[chamdan]

Window 7 Professional

[chamdan]

I tried the following:

Code: Select all

Sub TestHlp()
Dim Hlp As Object

Helping = "C:\D-Drive\WISDDM\PLANNER\PLANHELP.HLP"    ' Define Help file.
 Hlp CreateObject("Help.Application")
    Hlp.Open (Helping)
    Hlp.Visible = True
    
End Sub

But I am getting the following message:

error.jpg

[Doc.AElstein]

Does this sort of thing do anything for you?

Code: Select all

Sub GetHelp()
Dim Cnt As Long
On Error GoTo Bed
 Let Cnt = 1 / 0
Bed:
 Application.Help HelpFile:=Err.HelpFile, HelpContextID:=Err.HelpContext
 Debug.Print Err.HelpFile & "   " & Err.HelpContext
End Sub

For me it brings up a help window, and this in the Immediate window:
C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\VBA\VBA6\1031\VbLR6.chm 1000011

Help.JPG

[HansV]

Thanks. You'll need to install WinHelp32, the application needed to view .hlp files. You can download it from Error opening Help in Windows-based programs: "Feature not included" or "Help not supported"
Let me know if your code works after that.

[chamdan]

I tried to install it the windows 7 64 bit version but it displayed a message saying that the update was already installed. Then I tried a gain to run the macro but same message appeared.

[chamdan]

Hans,

If I double click the help document from inside the folder it opens.

[HansV]

Create a new module in the Visual Basic Editor (Insert | Module)
Copy the following code into the module:

Code: Select all

Public Declare Function ShellExecute _
  Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" ( _
  ByVal hwnd As Long, _
  ByVal lpOperation As String, _
  ByVal lpFile As String, _
  ByVal lpParameters As String, _
  ByVal lpDirectory As String, _
  ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long

Public Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1
Public Const SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED = 3

Change the macro to open the help file as follows:

Code: Select all

Sub TestHlp()
    Dim Helping As String
    Helping = "C:\D-Drive\WISDDM\PLANNER\PLANHELP.HLP"    ' Define Help file.
    ShellExecute Application.hWnd, "Open", Helping, 0&, 0&, SW_SHOWNORMAL
End Sub

If you'd like the help file to be opened in a maximized window, change SW_SHOWNORMAL to SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED.

[chamdan]

Hans you deserve a nice and cold

[HansV]

Thanks!