Gethub PFPX Help File

[John Stephen]

I downloaded the VFP help file from get

https://github.com/VFPX/HelpFile,

unzipped it and ran the install. I installed it into Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Foxpro 9 folder. Now I can't figure out how to get it to come up in VFP9. Any ideas thanks.
John

 

[Olaf Doschke]

[ol 1]
[li]It's called Github.[/li]
[li]you should download a setup, when you unzip it you find an EXE, a setup.[/li]
[li]The setup automatically detects where HOME() is and installs there if you have the need to locate a folder that's a sign you don't have VFP9.[/li]
[li]If your help system doesn't work with F1, go into options, file location tab, this is where you configure some important file locations.[/li]
[li]You'll notice you have the VFPX help by a footer in every help topic:

[/li]
[/ol]

Bye, Olaf.

Olaf Doschke Software Engineering

https://www.doschke.name

 

[John Stephen]

Typo, yes I downloaded and ran dv_foxhelp_vfp9sp2_v1.08.exe but it didn't offer a path to install in, was just blank that's why I chose the VFP9 folder. The HOME() function returns C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\MICROSOFT VISUAL FOXPRO 9\ so all should be Ok. Cheers John

 

[Olaf Doschke]

it didn't offer a path to install in

No such dialog?

Are you sure you downloaded the setup and not just a zipped chm file?

Bye, Olaf.


Olaf Doschke Software Engineering

https://www.doschke.name

 

[John Stephen]

Yes I did all that and the dv_foxhelp.chm is sitting in the folder and it will run if I double click on it in Explorer but I can't get it run run in VFP using SET HELP ON and SET HELP TO <file and path...>
However it doesn't matter I can run it outside VFP. Thanks for your help

 

[Tore Bleken]

Tools->Options->File Locations. Set the Help file correctly (dv_foxhelp.chm), and press Set As Default. If that doesn't help, restart your computer.

 

[John Stephen]

Yes I set the help file correctly and set as default, still doesn't run from within VFP, however I don't care I will run it from Windows all day. This seems to be all down to Windows Update along with a heap of other problems Windows update creates. Thanks all for your help. Cheers John

 

[Mike Lewis]

I have a separate shortcut for the Help file on my Quick Launch bar (or whatever it's called now). I start the Help file when I boot the computer, and leave it running the whole time, even when I'm not working in VFP. (Being able to access the Help quickly is especially useful when answering questions on Tek Tips.)

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips and downloads

 

[Tore Bleken]

Be aware that the help file must reside on a local disk, you can't have it on a server. It's a "security feature".

 

[John Stephen]

Thanks, it is a stand alone computer but I might try moving it 'closer' to shorten the path

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Did you copy over your VFP installation or did you install it?
If so, did you register everything that needs registering? Including foxhhelp9.exe?

Bye, Olaf.

Olaf Doschke Software Engineering

https://www.doschke.name

 

[John Stephen]

Hi Olaf, no I am way past being able to install it, although I have the original CD image none of that will work so I do copy it over yes. Because the application I have been building for twenty years has most of the dll's I use I use that installation to keep things alive and no it wouldn't have the foxhelp9.exe in it. I don't have a foxhelp9.exe.

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Then you forgot to copy over the runtimes. An application you compile needs vfp9r.dll or vfp9t.dll to run, as VFP9.exe itself is its own runtime, also all resource DLLs like vfp9renu.dll are not used by the VFP9 IDE itself, it uses vfp9enu.dll. But there is foxhhelp9.exe, that's not installed into the Home() folder, so you forgot to copy over C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\microsoft shared\VFP, which has foxhhelp9.exe and foxhelpps9.dll. While this whole folder mainly is not necessary to run the IDE, the help related runtimes are also used by the IDE.

Besides you can install VFP, I know what you mean, you have modified not only settings, you may have changed ffc classes and other stuff yourself, well you could carry that over after a new install. It's possible and if you don't have an older computer with that common files Microsoft shared folder, you could also get the help runtimes with the VFP runtime installer Prolib once did:

https://github.com/VFPX/VFPRuntimeInstallers.

Besides just copying over you don't install msxml3 and4, while they were part of XP or older Office versions, they're not part of Win10, so try using XMLAdapter or other classes (needing MSXML4), try using soap toolkit, try using XMLToCursor (that needs msxml3). It's always better to install and you find a recent thread about it.

Bye, Olaf.

Olaf Doschke Software Engineering

https://www.doschke.name

 

[John Stephen]

Thanks Olaf, all good stuff to keep in mind. Cheers John