help32.exe - It isn't present

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be59
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help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by be59 »

Hello everybody,
something is missing, I'm talking about the help32.exe.
Practically ReactOS has all things, that are needed. I know, that Win-Help-Files
are based on HTML and I know, that a ActiveX-Module to show this exits.
No help is an Usability-MCA(Maximum credible accident).
Yes, I think, many persons can't use Windows(Yes, they can't do this) and need the help.

So, why don't we have a help?
I see no reason. So, lets make a help. And Obama said: Yes, we can.
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Black_Fox
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by Black_Fox »

help32.exe doesn't exist in XP SP3 either. Did you by any chance mean winhlp32.exe? This exists and works on both XP and ReactOS.
Lone_Rifle
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by Lone_Rifle »

he is indeed referring to winhelp32, which indeed is present. It's now just a matter of coming up with reasonable documentation. There is an archive of html files in our Bugzilla which has not been attended to for a long time due to the lack of winhelp32 until recently, so perhaps if somebody could give those files a once over we could test and then include the help files in release. Personally I've found most help files in Windows to be not helpful at all, and have found much better support through Googling.
Mrkaras
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by Mrkaras »

Although I think reactos should have winhelp32 I'm not sure it actualy fits the does "windows have it" test, current windows versions no longer include winhelp32, only old versions do. I believe Microsoft no longer sells XP as of 31 jan 2009 (individual shops will still have stock).
be59
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by be59 »

Yes, but better help than Windows is a little feature, that improves ReactOS. :o
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Black_Fox
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by Black_Fox »

Mrkaras wrote:Although I think reactos should have winhelp32 I'm not sure it actualy fits the "does windows have it" test, current windows versions no longer include winhelp32, only old versions do. I believe Microsoft no longer sells XP as of 31 jan 2009 (individual shops will still have stock).
You're right with the cease in selling XP, also with Vista not including it by default, but it is still available for manual download (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917607) and for ReactOS developers the compatibility target is Server 2003 IIRC, which probably still includes winhlp32 :)
GoBusto
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by GoBusto »

Black_Fox wrote:
Mrkaras wrote:Although I think reactos should have winhelp32 I'm not sure it actualy fits the "does windows have it" test, current windows versions no longer include winhelp32, only old versions do. I believe Microsoft no longer sells XP as of 31 jan 2009 (individual shops will still have stock).
You're right with the cease in selling XP, also with Vista not including it by default, but it is still available for manual download (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917607) and for ReactOS developers the compatibility target is Server 2003 IIRC, which probably still includes winhlp32 :)
You could always go and grab Windows Home Server and check, since it is based on Server 2003.
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Black_Fox
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by Black_Fox »

I don't need trial only, but it's really overkill to do all this just to find out about presence of one file :)
MadWolf
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by MadWolf »

hi
winhlp32.exe is in Windows Home Server
RaptorEmperor
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by RaptorEmperor »

I thought the target was Windows 2000, with the intention of catching up to newer versions of Windows when we got that far.

Even if we don't find the help format personally useful, we should include winhelp32 for the sake of legacy support. I'm sure we could all find things about Windows we never use, but we need ReactOS to be as compatible with Windows as possible, because for every Windows feature we don't individually use, there's someone out there who does.

Microsoft attempted to kill the old help format with the release of Windows Vista by not equipping it to read the old format, but apparently last year they relented and released the software to read it. If Microsoft found the need to continue supporting the format, I think that's a strong argument for implementing it in ReactOS as well.
cppm
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by cppm »

Any ideas why MS decided to get rid of winhlp32 in Vista?
Do they use some other mechanism to provide the same functionality?
Mrkaras
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by Mrkaras »

I think they got rid fo winhlp32 in vista because they though it was about time, winhlp32 was the help system for win95, I think it may have been replaced by html help in win98 (maybe it was later than win98). I do agree that it being in reactos would be a good thing though.
Ged
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Re: help32.exe - It isn't present

Post by Ged »

helppane.exe is the exe for the new help framework
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