DOCUMENT:Q202563 11-JAN-2001 [vbwin] TITLE :HOWTO: Call Win32 WinHelp API from Visual Basic PRODUCT :Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows PROD/VER:WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,6.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbAPI kbWinHelp kbSDKWin32 kbVBp kbVBp400 kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbGrpDSVB kbDSupport ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= This article demonstrates how to programmatically invoke the Windows 32-bit Help engine using the WinHelp API from a Visual Basic program. MORE INFORMATION ================ The steps below provide sample code to programmatically call the 32-bit WinHelp API from a 32-bit Visual Basic application: Step-by-Step Example -------------------- 1. Create a new Standard EXE project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default. 2. Add a CommandButton (Command1) to Form1. 3. Paste the following code into Form1's module: Option Explicit Private Declare Function WinHelp Lib "user32" Alias "WinHelpA" _ (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpHelpFile As String, _ ByVal wCommand As Long, ByVal dwData As Long) As Long Private Const HELP_CONTENTS = 3 Private Const HELP_FINDER = 11 Private Sub Command1_Click() Dim lResult As Long Dim sHelpFile As String Dim lCommand as Long, lOption as Long sHelpFile = "winfile.hlp" lCommand = HELP_CONTENTS lOption = 0 lResult = WinHelp(Me.hwnd, sHelpFile, lCommand, lOption) End Sub 4. Run the project and click on the CommandButton. NOTE: The Help Constants topic of the Visual Basic Help file has additional values for the third parameter (command parameter). HELP_CONTENTS is still kept in WinHelp for backward compatibility with 16-bit Help files. The HELP_FINDER command is preferred for 32-bit Help files. REFERENCES ========== Visual Basic API Text Viewer, Online Help and Books Online. For additional information about invoking WinHelp, please click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q86771 HOWTO: Invoke Search in Windows Help from Visual Basic Program ====================================================================== Keywords : kbAPI kbWinHelp kbSDKWin32 kbVBp kbVBp400 kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbGrpDSVB kbDSupport Technology : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVB600Search kbVBA500 kbVBA600 kbVB500 kbVB600 kbVB400Search kbVB400 Version : WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,6.0 Issue type : kbhowto ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.