HelpContext

[Frinavale]

I've created a help document that describes all of the methods and objects in my namespace.

It's to be used by other developers as a reference to understand what my methods do and how my objects are supposed to be used with the methods.

Apparently in VB6 there's a way to set the HelpContext ID for a function/object that matches an ID in a help file... so that when the developer has selected a method and presses F1 (in the VB6 editor) the help file opens to the help for the function.

Does anyone know how to achieve this in .NET??

[anijos]

You can use the HelpFile property.

HelpFile Property

[Frinavale]

I already looked at this article.
It was of no use to me...

For instance, the article states:

If a Help file is specified by the HelpFile property, it is automatically called when the user presses the Help key (or the F1 key) in the error message dialog box.

The article seems pretty specific to the Err Object and is mostly about how to link help files into error messages.

[nukefusion]

I think that particular help file property is for providing extended help on errors that may occur within your application.
For developer documentation, I'm not sure if you can associate a particular user-defined file against a method/property/class etc. I think the standard way to produce documentation in .NET is the XML documentation route.
If you're using C# you would type 3 forward slashes before a method/property or in VB.NET you would type 3 apostrophes - the designer then inserts some XML tags in the editor. You'd then fill in the documentation for the method/property in these XML tags the designer provides for you.

[Frinavale]

I think that particular help file property is for providing extended help on errors that may occur within your application.
For developer documentation, I'm not sure if you can associate a particular user-defined file against a method/property/class etc. I think the standard way to produce documentation in .NET is the XML documentation route.

Thanks a lot for your input.

I was worried that it might not be possible any more because XML documentation has become the standard. (Worried that I was assigned to do an impossible task)

I've already created XML documentation for the software development kit. I used DocProject for Sandcastle to create the compiled help file based on the XML documentation.

Happy with the help file, they wanted to link it into Visual Studio (somehow) so that when the user presses F1 on a particular function/object that help file will be brought up. They have done this before for their VB6 applications and I guess they don't understand that this is no longer the way things are done.

Somehow VS brings up help on .NET functions/objects when you press F1...It's too bad that it's not possible for it to bring up help for my functions/objects.

Ok, so now I just need to figure out how to specify the IDs for the topics in my help file so that the VB6 editor can link to it.

Thanks again

-Frinny

[nukefusion]

Is the help file you want to integrate an HTML Help 2.0 file with the extension .HxS generated using docproject/sandcastle?
DocProject should generate a configuration tool called H2Reg.exe that you can use to integrate those help files into VS. Once done the F1 functionality should already be there as far as I know.

[Frinavale]

It's not done with Help 2.0......
I'm going to try that now :)
I just have to install the VS2008 SDK package first.

I didn't think anyone on this forum would have used DocProject/Sandcastle before.


I'm so happy!

Thanks!

[Frinavale]

I have installed the Visual Studio SDK package, configured my DocProject to use Help 2.x, and have compiled a new help file.

The .HsX file has been generated for the help but now I can't find the H2Reg.exe tool...and for some reason windows explorer crashes every time it attempts to search the FireFox folder (???).

Where is the H2Reg.exe tool located?

(I found a site that says it should be at "c:\program files\Helpware\ H2Reg\" but it's not there)

Thanks again for your help

-Frinny

[balabaster]

It's not done with Help 2.0......
I'm going to try that now :)
I just have to install the VS2008 SDK package first.

I didn't think anyone on this forum would have used DocProject/Sandcastle before.

I'm so happy!

Thanks!

I'm hurt by the implication :oP

I've used both Sandcastle and nDoc... alas, I've only just come across your question and one of the other guys already gave you everything I know about how to do this. If you need any further help, just shout.

[Frinavale]

I'm hurt by the implication :oP

I've used both Sandcastle and nDoc... alas, I've only just come across your question and one of the other guys already gave you everything I know about how to do this. If you need any further help, just shout.

I should have more faith in this forum!
It's just that Sandcastle and DocProject aren't really .NET controls...but rather tools developed in .NET to help .NET developers with their documentation. I didn't think it appropriate to ask a question about this tool here...but in the end I guess should have just asked here first...

Do you know where the H2Reg tool is installed???

[balabaster]

Just in case you can't find the H2Reg: H2Reg Registration Utility

Also - here's the nDoc documentation. It's very similar to Sandcastle and you may be able to gleen some extra useful information that is cross discipline:

http://www.reflectionit.nl/ndoc.aspx

[Frinavale]

I've briefly checked out nDoc 1.3...but found it was limited to .NET Framework 1.1 and decided not to use it (my app's developed in 3.5). I'll check out the link you sent me though.

[balabaster]

I've briefly checked out nDoc 1.3...but found it was limited to .NET Framework 1.1 and decided not to use it (my app's developed in 3.5). I'll check out the link you sent me though.

Yeah, I stopped using nDoc because of it's lack of support for Generics. But a lot of the stuff I learned for nDoc back in the day still applies with Sandcastle. So I actually think the document is more useful than it might first seem.

[Frinavale]

Reflection IT - Integrate NDoc HTML Help in VS.NET

OK, this looks quite useful.

[Frinavale]

I've used the Example H2Reg INI script to register/install my help.

After installing, the help is still not available using F1 in Visual Studio.

I think it might have something to do with the the nsColfile in my INI script:

[Reg_Namespace]
;<nsName>|<nsCo lfile>|<nsDesc>
myNamespace|COL _Master.HxC|My Documentation

Do you know what the nsColfile refers to?
I do not have an HxC file in my Bin folder....

-Frinny