Setting Up Form Help / Instructions

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Guest

I am looking for a way of setting up help / instructions for the use of forms
in my database. I have used help tips for buttons and fields but I would like
to set up detailed instructions for the use of each form.
I have thought about setting up a help table, query and form, so that when
you press a button on the active form, the help form opens and the source
data comes from the help query using the active form’s name as the criteria.
I don’t know if this is possible or the best way to go about it.

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Nick
 
Mybe there is a better way now, but we set up a help for the form with older
version of access, so if you wont get any better response then
1. Create a table "HelpTable" with two fields: FormName String, MessageText
Memo
2. Create a macro called AutoKeys:
In the macro propeties write the following
In the MacroName {F1}
In the action select RunCode
In the function name on the buttom write a function name =OpenHelpMessage()
3. Create a function in a module called OpenHelpMessage()

Function OpenHelpMessage()
Dim Message as string
Message=nz(dlookup("MessageText ","HelpTable","FormName ='" &
Application.Screen.ActiveForm.Name & "'"),"0")
If Message <> "0" then
msgbox Message ' Or open a form instead
End if
End Function
 
The "official" way of doing this (supported at least from Access 2000,
I believe) is to write and compile a Help file and then reference it
in the Form and Control Properties. The filename (which can be
different for each form, but usually won't be!) goes into the Form's
Help File Property (surprise!), and a value called a "Context ID" goes
into the Help Context ID Property of the Form and of any Control for
which you want specific Help. The Context ID acts as an index to pull
up the appropriate page of Help for the Form or Control. The advantage
of doing things this way is that the user gets a familiar Help
interface and can browse within the Help file. The disadvantage is
that writing and compiling Help files with the standard Microsoft
tools is a bit of an arcane art. I use a commercial program called
Help & Manual 3 (http://www.ec-software.com/), which makes it very
easy to write Help (and Manuals!), but the program is not cheap!

I am looking for a way of setting up help / instructions for the use of forms
in my database. I have used help tips for buttons and fields but I would like
to set up detailed instructions for the use of each form.
I have thought about setting up a help table, query and form, so that when
you press a button on the active form, the help form opens and the source
data comes from the help query using the active form’s name as the criteria.
I don’t know if this is possible or the best way to go about it.

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Nick
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Please respond to the Newsgroup, so that others may benefit from the exchange.
Peter R. Fletcher
 
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