Help File problem

[Farabi]

MASM help file (.hlp) is not working on Windows Vista. How to solve it?, or is there another version of MASM help file that work on Vista?

[hutch--]

With Vista you need to download the winhelp engine directly from Microsoft, they do not allow it to be redistributed so that is the main solution. If you have an install disk from XP or Win2000 copy the winhlp32.exe from it to Vista and it apparently works OK.

The next version of MASM32 has CHM help files and you can use the beta in the masm32 forum as its very close to release.

[asmfan]

Try to google for winhlp32.exe and you'll find the KB article by MS that solves the problem - msu package for vista.

[Mark Jones]

Tried the Win7 x64 beta. There is no .hlp viewer included, and the microsoft KB patch does not cover the beta, so what are people using in the mean-time?

[hutch--]

Mark,

Try getting the winhelp engine from one of your 32 bit distribution disks and see if that works.

[UtillMasm]

this is old file, mybe it can help you.

Code Select Expand

KB917607 (WinHlp32.exe for Windows Vista)
Filename
Windows6.0-KB917607-x86.msu
Sha1
63f8bbe90d42c8837a370906656d68a8fcfd4ec2

WinHlp32.exe for Windows Vista
WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit Help files have the ".hlp" file name extension. To view .hlp files on Windows Vista, you need to install this application.
3/7/2007
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info.aspx?na=22&p=12&SrcDisplayLang=en&SrcCategoryId=&SrcFamilyId=&u=%2fdownloads%2fdetails.aspx%3fFamilyID%3d6ebcfad9-d3f5-4365-8070-334cd175d4bb%26DisplayLang%3den
Windows Help program (WinHlp32.exe) for Windows Vista
Brief Description
  WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit Help files that have the ".hlp" file name extension. To view .hlp files on Windows Vista, you need to install this application.
Quick Details
  Version: 1.0
  Knowledge Base (KB) Articles: KB917607
  Date Published: 3/7/2007
  Language: English
  Download Size: 601 KB - 611
  *Download size depends on selected download components.
Overview
  Windows Help (WinHlp32.exe) is a Help program that has been included with Microsoft Windows versions starting with the Microsoft Windows 3.1 operating system. However, the Windows Help program has not had a major update for many releases and no longer meets Microsoft's standards. Therefore, starting with the release of Windows Vista, the Windows Help program will not ship as a feature of Windows. If you want to view 32-bit .hlp files, you must download and install the program (WinHlp32.exe) from the Microsoft Download Center.
System Requirements
  Supported Operating Systems: Windows Vista; Windows Vista Business; Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Business N; Windows Vista Enterprise; Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Home Basic; Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Home Basic N; Windows Vista Home Premium; Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Starter; Windows Vista Starter N; Windows Vista Ultimate; Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition
  The Windows Help program is available for Windows Vista only.
Instructions
  This download is available to customers running genuine Microsoft Windows. Click the Continue button in the Validation Required section above to begin the short validation process. Once validated, you will be returned to this page with specific instructions for obtaining the download.
Additional Information
  For additional information about this download, including known issues and development recommendations, please refer to the Knowledge Base article, "Windows Help program (WinHlp32.exe) is no longer included with Windows".

[Mark Jones]

I tried downloading and installing the Vista patch, but it will not run on Win7. Opening it with 7zip, some .CAB files are present, but their contents are file fragments, so no extractable file can be produced.

I had a backup, pulled the WinHelp32.exe (8kb) from XP SP3, but it also refused to run. (I think there are some .DLL's which are needed.) I think Microsoft had anticipated this (my) behavior---running the WinHelp32.exe redirected to the notice saying to download the patch. ::)

Very frustrating.

I wonder how many eons it would take to convert the Win32.hlp?
http://www.help-info.de/en/Help_Info_WinHelp/hw_converting.htm

For that matter, it would make more sense to just write a new one, using assembly examples. :eek