Help system for an Access 2000 app.

[dixie]

I was wondering if there is a way of doing a simple help system with either
viewing a page in a browser or looking at a definite page in a .pdf file
when a help button was pushed on an Access application form. I understand
there are other ways of doing help files, but are these possible, what is
the easiest and how much work is it?

dixie

[Bob Alston]

dixie wrote:

I was wondering if there is a way of doing a simple help system with either
viewing a page in a browser or looking at a definite page in a .pdf file
when a help button was pushed on an Access application form. I understand
there are other ways of doing help files, but are these possible, what is
the easiest and how much work is it?

dixie

I recall some Access add-ons that do this. Suggest you do some Googling
and perhaps look at some of the Access support web sites.

Bob

[VRWC]

On Tue, 9 Nov 2004 09:59:24 +1100, "dixie" <di***@dogmail.com> wrote:

I was wondering if there is a way of doing a simple help system with either
viewing a page in a browser or looking at a definite page in a .pdf file
when a help button was pushed on an Access application form. I understand
there are other ways of doing help files, but are these possible, what is
the easiest and how much work is it?

dixie

The simplest way is to put a "HELP" item on a custom menu and have
each item on the help menu launch a standard form that fills a text
box on the open event with instructions based on the item the user
selects from that menu. You can also use the help ID property to
retrieve the proper text from a help table. Otherwise, there are some
really great help authoring systems out there that will compile a help
feature that looks and works just like the Windows help system. Just
Google on "Help authoring".

[dixie]

Has anyone had any experience at all with a program called HelpScribble - I
did a Google search and found this one by JGsoft. It looks easy to create
the help system, but I am not too sure about implementing it from Access.

dixie

"VRWC" <???@???.???> wrote in message
news:rj********************************@4ax.com...

On Tue, 9 Nov 2004 09:59:24 +1100, "dixie" <di***@dogmail.com> wrote:

I was wondering if there is a way of doing a simple help system with
either
viewing a page in a browser or looking at a definite page in a .pdf file
when a help button was pushed on an Access application form. I understand
there are other ways of doing help files, but are these possible, what is
the easiest and how much work is it?

dixie

The simplest way is to put a "HELP" item on a custom menu and have
each item on the help menu launch a standard form that fills a text
box on the open event with instructions based on the item the user
selects from that menu. You can also use the help ID property to
retrieve the proper text from a help table. Otherwise, there are some
really great help authoring systems out there that will compile a help
feature that looks and works just like the Windows help system. Just
Google on "Help authoring".

[Nick Coe \(UK\)]

"dixie" <di***@dogmail.com> wrote in message
news:41********@duster.adelaide.on.net...

Has anyone had any experience at all with a program called
HelpScribble - I did a Google search and found this one by
JGsoft. It looks easy to create the help system, but I am
not too sure about implementing it from Access.

dixie

HelpScribble is excellent value for money and Jan Goyvaerts
support has been timely and effective. I've no connection
other than as a satisfied customer.

I've heard good things about Help & Manual as well but can't
remember the url.

If you make a help file in HelpScribble each topic ID should
be the number you put in the Help Context ID (HID) property
for the form or control in your app.

IOW if you have a form with HID 1000 then the corresponding
topic in HS should have Topic ID 1000.

I won't tell you about my little baby AccHelp because
advertising is not allowed in this NG... :-)

Also have a look at the following:

The Help Wiki; very, very useful site:
http://www.mshelpwiki.com/index.php?page=MSHelpWiki

Also see Tony Toews notes on Help:
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/accshelp.htm

And another must visit is Helpmaster
http://www.helpmaster.com/

I've also started some articles on help creation for Access
(need finishing, they're a 'round tuit' I'm afraid):
http://www.alphacos.co.uk/html/writehelp.html

Good luck

--
Nick Coe (UK)
AccHelp v1.01 Application Help File Builder
http://www.alphacos.co.uk/
Download Free Demo Copy
----

[pj]

MS have an excellent help utility. download hcwsetup.exe from the MS site.
It's old 16 bit stuff but it works. MS's HTML help is more cumbersome and
resource intensive.
You write all help statements in a Word rtf file, with codes to pick up in
the program at context sensitive points.
The rtf is compiled into an hlp file and works well.

pj
"dixie" <di***@dogmail.com> wrote in message
news:41********@duster.adelaide.on.net...

I was wondering if there is a way of doing a simple help system with either viewing a page in a browser or looking at a definite page in a .pdf file
when a help button was pushed on an Access application form. I understand
there are other ways of doing help files, but are these possible, what is
the easiest and how much work is it?

dixie