Help on help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter swas
  • Start date Start date
S

swas

Hello,

I am trying to set up a basic help file for an mdb using form based help
(ie. each form can hyperlink to the appropriate page in help).

I am assuming a simple html file appropriately bookmarked would suffice.

Any searching for 'help' doesn't seem to get any results other than actual
Access 'help'.

Are there any good links to do a bit of background on best practice for
setting up this sort of thing? I do have VB6 and vb.net available, though not
proficient in these. They cover creating help files a little better, but I
need to determine what is a logical and simple way to walk into this.


Thanks in advance for any 'help'.


swas
 
I like to use HTML files for help as you can render them
quickly with Application.FollowHyperlink

if you want to jump to a particular place in the document,
make the spot like this:

<a name="MySpot">This is My Spot</a>

and make an internal hyperlink like this:
<a href="#MySpot">go to My Spot</a>

or an external hyperlink to the spot like this:
http://www.sitename.com#MySpot


Warm Regards,
Crystal
remote programming and training
http://MSAccessGurus.com

free video tutorials
http://www.YouTube.com/user/LearnAccessByCrystal

Access Basics
http://www.AccessMVP.com/strive4peace
free 100-page book that covers essentials in Access

*
(: have an awesome day :)
*
 
Thanks for the suggestion, but I need to be able to offer more detail than
labels can provide. I would like to include screen shots etc...


Regards


swas
 
Hi Alam,

I just tried something else based on your ideas ...

make an unbound object frame on the form with a Word Help
document as the SourceDoc -- then, when you show it, you can
size it* as well as make it visible

* that way, it can be tiny in the design view and when
needed, it can grow to accommodate what is in it.

the unbound object frame will not be visible -- and it will
be small. When Help is invoked by the user, it can become
visible and grow to the needed size.

When Enabled is No and Locked is Yes, the user cannot select
anything, just look. You can change how the user can interact.

next step -- get it to start the display at a bookmarked
location ...

Well, I would have never thought to try this without reading
your post -- thanks. While I will still use HTML for some
Help systems, this method will be handy too -- thank you :)

Warm Regards,
Crystal
remote programming and training
http://MSAccessGurus.com

free video tutorials
http://www.YouTube.com/user/LearnAccessByCrystal

Access Basics
http://www.AccessMVP.com/strive4peace
free 100-page book that covers essentials in Access

*
(: have an awesome day :)
*
 
Hi Alam,

thank you <smile>

Make a small command button (cmd_ShowHelp) to show or hide
help. In this example, the name of the control with the
Word Help doc is called --> OLE_Help

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Private Sub cmd_ShowHelp_Click()
' « = chr(0171)
If Me.cmd_ShowHelp.Caption = "«" Then
'make Help small
With Me.OLE_Help
.Width = 0
.Height = 0
End With
' » = chr(0187)
Me.cmd_ShowHelp.Caption = "?"
Else
'make Help big
With Me.OLE_Help
.Width = 5 * 1440
.Height = 3.3 * 1440
End With
Me.cmd_ShowHelp.Caption = "«"
End If
End Sub
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

you can experiment with triggering the code to enlarge and
shrink the Help differently, of course ;)

screen measurements are in TWIPS (20ths of a point)
1" = 72 points
1 point = 20 twips
1" = 1440 twips

Warm Regards,
Crystal
remote programming and training
http://MSAccessGurus.com

free video tutorials
http://www.YouTube.com/user/LearnAccessByCrystal

Access Basics
http://www.AccessMVP.com/strive4peace
free 100-page book that covers essentials in Access

*
(: have an awesome day :)
*
 
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