HTML help navigation pane...

[Anjali]

Hi,
We are using Flare 3.1 to generate our application help file and I have a couple of issues that we are not able to resolve...

1. We are displaying context sensitive help in our application without the navigation pane. But the user has the option of showing the navigation pane by clicking on the 'Show' toolbar button. Once the user shows the navigation pane and exits out of the help, the next time you launch a context sentive help without the navigation pane(using the skin) it still shows the navigation pane. How can we force it not to use the 'most recently used tab in the navigation pane'?

2. Also, along with the context sensitive help(without navigation pane) we have a 'Contents' help menu that opens up the help file on the contents tab. If the user has opened a context sentive help and then selects the 'Contents' help menu it opens up two instances of the help file. How can we prevent this(i.e. if help is already open then either display the context sentive help or bring the 'contents' tab forward based on command)?

Thanks,
Anjali

[Anjali]

Also, we are trying to open the help file on the 'Search' pane but are not successful.

We ahve tried the following HTMLHelp calls..
1. Public Declare Function HTMLHelp_BaseCall Lib "hhctrl.ocx" Alias "HtmlHelpA" (ByVal hWnd As IntPtr, ByVal lpHelpFile As String, _
ByVal uCommand As Int32, ByVal dwData As HH_FTS_QUERY) As Int32

Dim HhFtsQuery As HH_FTS_QUERY

strHelpFileNameWithPath = Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.ExecutablePath), c_strHelpFileName)
With HhFtsQuery
.cbStruct = Len(HhFtsQuery)
.fUniCodeStrings = False
.pszSearchQuery = "taxes"
.iProximity = 0
.fStemmedSearch = False
.fTitleOnly = False
.fExecute = False
.pszWindow = vbNullString
End With
RetVal = HTMLHelp_BaseCall(IntPtr.Zero, strHelpFileNameWithPath, HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH, HhFtsQuery)

2. Public Declare Function HTMLHelp_BaseCall Lib "hhctrl.ocx" Alias "HtmlHelpA" (ByVal hWnd As IntPtr, ByVal lpHelpFile As String, _
ByVal uCommand As Int32, ByVal dwData As Int32) As Int32

intReturnValue = HTMLHelp_BaseCall(IntPtr.Zero, m_strHelpFileNameWithPath & ">HelpWithNavigationPane", HH_DISPLAY_SEARCH, 0)

Can someone please point me in the right direction.

Thanks,
Anjali

[RamonS]

Since you need to use the standard HTMLHelp API calls I recommend posting in developers forums as well. Most people here are tech writers and may not know enough about writing code to help you out.

[Pete Lees]

Hi, Anjali,

1. We are displaying context sensitive help in our application without the navigation pane. But the user has the option of showing the navigation pane by clicking on the 'Show' toolbar button. Once the user shows the navigation pane and exits out of the help, the next time you launch a context sentive help without the navigation pane(using the skin) it still shows the navigation pane. How can we force it not to use the 'most recently used tab in the navigation pane'?

It sounds like you may have selected the option to save the user-defined window position after first use. If you turn this off, the window should always open with the navigation pane hidden.

2. Also, along with the context sensitive help(without navigation pane) we have a 'Contents' help menu that opens up the help file on the contents tab. If the user has opened a context sentive help and then selects the 'Contents' help menu it opens up two instances of the help file. How can we prevent this(i.e. if help is already open then either display the context sentive help or bring the 'contents' tab forward based on command)?

Can you open the help in a global window? See:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... S.85).aspx

Also, we are trying to open the help file on the 'Search' pane but are not successful.

I think there are some problems initiating searches from an application. See this article:

http://helpware.net/FAR/far_faq.htm#search

Some other resources that may help:

http://frogleg.mvps.org/helptechnologie ... hhmfc.html
http://www.smountain.com/m_ProgrammingHelp.htm

Pete