HelpView Addin (use the Visual studio help system in PEllesC IDE)

[frankie]

This addin use the standard visual studio help system in the IDE throug the HelpViewer or a standard browser (using online MS query).
Select the word for which you want help and press F1.

You can configure the help to use the "HelpView.exe" viewer supplied by MS, or to search MS online help (using MS DEV Query) through a browser.
You can select which browser to use: the default or a user specified browser.
The selection includes the use of the PellesC IDE internal browser, but is not working at the moment (seems I forget how to use addins to create new documents...).

When the use of the HelpView.exe is selected the addin configures automatically the locations of executable and catalog.

You can enable debug by setting the symbol 'DEBUG'. When this symbol is defined the addin becomes verbose reporting many info in the output tab.

To help the development of the system I wrote an helper program, 'TestSerchView', that can be used to run the addin as a standard standalone program outside the PellesC IDE (you don't need anymore to compile, copy, test, etc) getting rid of IDE crashes in case of bugs.
To compile the addin for standalone use simply define the symbol "TESTING". Then you can run the DLL from IDE.

I built this addin using info found here.

[jj2007]

When opening SearchHelpView.ppj, I get a box saying Bad version on 'SearchHelpView.ppj', and the IDE closes.
When I open the IDE, then the ppj, I get first the same box, then a second one saying "Module 'POIDE.EXE' caused an 'Access violation' exception at address 0048d6b6."

Other projects work fine. This is POIDE version 8.00.60.

[frankie]

Hello JJ.
I downloaded the project and opened it with no problems.
Maybe your download was corrupted?

[TimoVJL]

Project is 64-bit, so 32-bit poide.exe can't handle it.

Here is modified workspace for 32/64-bit.
Project files are modified and TestSearchView.c too.

[frankie]

Yes I made available only the 64bits version.
Thanks Timo.

[jj2007]

Thanks, Timo. It now opens, and I can build it. With the help of Google and some trial and error, I found out that I had to copy the DLL to C:\Masm32\PellesC\Bin\AddIns\SearchHelpView.dll

Then I restarted the IDE and under Tools/Customise/Add-Ins, I activated Addin for use with Helpviewer 2.x

No effect, but I see this in the output window:

Number of subkeys: 2
(1) v1.0
(2) v2.2

Number of subkeys: 1
(1) Setup

Number of values: 2
(1) AppRoot
(2) LocalStore
Error opening helpViewer key. Code 0X2.
MS Help Viewer 2.x failed!

I am curious how you are accessing the help viewer. I use it in RichMasm, too, but my method seems different, it uses a browser and a URL (in this case, for finding GetDlgItem) of the form http://127.0.0.1:47873/help/1-6824/ms.help?product=VS&productVersion=100&method=f1&query=GetDlgItem&locale=en-US&category=DevLang%3aC%2B%2B

[frankie]

Then I restarted the IDE and under Tools/Customise/Add-Ins, I activated Addin for use with Helpviewer 2.x
No effect, but I see this in the output window:

Number of subkeys: 2
(1) v1.0
(2) v2.2

Number of subkeys: 1
(1) Setup

Number of values: 2
(1) AppRoot
(2) LocalStore
Error opening helpViewer key. Code 0X2.
MS Help Viewer 2.x failed!

You have installed help system 1.x and 2.x, and my code was too simple to handle multiple help systems. Please use the new version that should solve the problem.

I am curious how you are accessing the help viewer. I use it in RichMasm, too, but my method seems different, it uses a browser and a URL (in this case, for finding GetDlgItem) of the form http://127.0.0.1:47873/help/1-6824/ms.help?product=VS&productVersion=100&method=f1&query=GetDlgItem&locale=en-US&category=DevLang%3aC%2B%2B

This is for help system 1.x, not working on help 2.x.

[jj2007]

Please use the new version that should solve the problem.

Now it works, kind of: takes ages to open a browser-type page saying "No content was found on your computer". Even the third time it still takes over two seconds to see that page. Oh Micros**t...

Anyway, compliments, if my setup was ready for that, it would be a nice addition.

P.S.: I clicked on the manage content thing, and tried to install the basics, VS fundamentals and VS C++. No effect, then I discovered a tiny line saying "you had errors - click here". MsgBox:

Code: [Select]

The following errors occurred while performing the requested tasks:

An error occurred while updating content: Unable to update content. To install content from online,
switch to the user account you used to log on to the computer, and try again.
I am on that account, of course. Just for fun, I could try Windows help now, but I don't want to spoil my whole day, so I will give up at this point. Bill Gates should be thrown into jail until he has paid everybody for the extra work that this s**tware has caused to Millions of users.

[frankie]

JJ
To update contents you must log as an administrator:

Sent by Microsoft on 09/02/2015 14:45
Hi Seva Alekseyev. Thank you for submitting this issue. Unfortunately this is a limitation of the current help viewer. To install online content you must be logged in as an administrator on that machine. We have a suggestion tracking this improvement for a future release but will close this bug because we do not use Connect bugs to track product suggestions.

For full issue description see here.

P.S. What you need for WinAPI is in "Windows Desktop App development"  .

[TimoVJL]

Have anyone seen a local viewer for those .mshc files?

Documentation ISO 2.7/4GB

EDIT: Or just download some new help cab's from MS, about 300 MB.
Using this

Code: [Select]

;Windows Desktop App Development
[Server]
URL=https://offlinebook.mtps.microsoft.com/2fdcd860-b91b-4808-8e5d-49a457b2c468/
[Files]
File_1=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_0(b25d1053-6a3f-d38d-f7b1-baf2f30af078).cab
File_2=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_1(03aa0b59-bc51-92fe-786b-ba657f2b4200).cab
File_3=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_2(5d25098a-db2f-25f5-b2ed-03f6ad62b110).cab
File_4=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_3(031d3411-a97d-938f-4670-5fdb1f7eed3b).cab
File_5=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_4(e125c1e2-da3b-d29e-5448-0697d7155074).cab
File_6=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_5(e2ee8606-de36-ef9c-d915-8925cf72bcae).cab
File_7=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_6(2a916792-e581-5e4b-8085-366d14ad4148).cab
File_8=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_7(919d6f43-17ab-a8fa-595c-7823eb9deeaa).cab
File_9=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_8(c3a16ea1-ac71-fb99-1d1f-e470e574d4bd).cab
File_10=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_9(9320b800-4b1e-bd77-8fdd-a35550fefea6).cab
File_11=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_10(3930d14e-dbec-007a-6aea-a20f0f11a2ae).cab
File_12=v2Windows Desktop App Development_en-us_vs.85_11(7040b047-9d8b-a034-3f27-950684bba092).cab


[frankie]

There is not so much info about help 2.x on the net.
Anyway a good point to start is http://hv2.helpmvp.com/home.
A tool to migrate help 1.x can be found here: http://mshcmigrate.helpmvp.com/.
Info to manage help 2.x from MS are here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh492077(v=vs.110).
Various info can be fond on http://thirdblogfromthesun.com/2011/05/create-a-basic-help-file-for-the-microsoft-help-viewer/.
I hope this helps... 

P.S. Help 2.x cannot be accessed using a network protocol.

[frankie]

Posted a new release of the addin, that permits the use of a standard browser for inline help using MS queries.

For those who have problems to make functional their helpview please read and follows instructions here on paragraph "Blow Away the Store" to reset everything (is the only way to do it! I solved my problems this way). Then you can download again the help catalogs you want.
Important: Do it using an administrative account! (MS want an administrator for this job).
P.S. The article make reference to "VisualStudio11" that is obsolete. You can refer to "VisualStudio15" that is the most recent at time of this post (of course all registry must be adjusted to reflect the new catalog. See the link I provided).