Open Custom Help

[sconard]

Two related issues:
1.
I would like to place a button on my form to open the helpfile that was set on form load. I cannot find the syntax for opening the helpfile from a button on a form.

'sets help file on form load
Private Sub Form_Load()
Form.Helpfile = CurrentProject.Path & "\helpfile.chm"
end sub

2.
If a user opens the form that has this helpfile set, the microsoft access help will open if the user clicks F1 prior to clicking on any controls of the form. Is there any way around this so that the set helpfile opens if the user clicks F1 prior to clicking on the form?

[ADezii]

Two related issues:
1.
I would like to place a button on my form to open the helpfile that was set on form load. I cannot find the syntax for opening the helpfile from a button on a form.

'sets help file on form load
Private Sub Form_Load()
Form.Helpfile = CurrentProject.Path & "\helpfile.chm"
end sub

2.
If a user opens the form that has this helpfile set, the microsoft access help will open if the user clicks F1 prior to clicking on any controls of the form. Is there any way around this so that the set helpfile opens if the user clicks F1 prior to clicking on the form?

You can Open a Help File (*.chm), or any File for that matter, simply based solely on its Extension. Follow these 3 Steps:

1. Actual code to Open the Help File.
   

   Dim blnRetVal As Boolean
   blnRetVal = Execute_Program(CurrentProject.Path & "\Helpfile.chm", "", "")

2. Declaration in Standard Code Module.
   

   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

3. Public Function, with extensive Error Checking code, so that this functionality can be used anywhere in your Application.
   

   Public Function Execute_Program(ByVal strFilePath As String, _
       ByVal strParms As String, ByVal strDir As String) _
       As Boolean
    
   'run program ' <R6>
   Dim hwndProgram As Integer
   hwndProgram = ShellExecute(0, "Open", strFilePath, strParms, strDir, 3)     '3 ==> Show Maximized
    
   'evaluate errors (if any)
   Select Case (hwndProgram)
     Case 0
       MsgBox "Insufficent system memory or corrupt program file."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 2
       MsgBox "File not found."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 3
       MsgBox "Invalid path."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 5
       MsgBox "Sharing or Protection Error."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 6
       MsgBox "Seperate data segments are required for each task."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 8
       MsgBox "Insufficient memory to run the program."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 10
       MsgBox "Incorrect Windows version."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 11
       MsgBox "Invalid program file."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 12
       MsgBox "Program file requires a different operating system."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 13
       MsgBox "Program requires MS-DOS 4.0."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 14
       MsgBox "Unknown program file type."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 15
       MsgBox "Windows program does not support protected memory mode."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 16
       MsgBox "Invalid use of data segments when loading a second instance of a program."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 19
       MsgBox "Attempt to run a compressed program file."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 20
       MsgBox "Invalid dynamic link library."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case 21
       MsgBox "Program requires Windows 32-bit extensions."
         Execute_Program = False
           Exit Function
     Case Else
   End Select
     'All is well if we get to this point
     Execute_Program = True
   End Function

[sconard]

Thanks. Very nice bit of code and useful for many things.
What would be preferable is to open the help page associated with the form with some call. This allows the help to open within access and not force user to close separate window. In addition it uses the default helpfile set for the form which is already defined.

I also still do not know how to have the set helpFile for the form open with an F1 depress prior to clicking on a control on the form.