KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q93114: DOCERR: HELP_PARTIALKEY Doesn’t List Topics in Dialog Box

Article: Q93114
Product(s): Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kb16bitonly
Last Modified: 20-FEB-2000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) 3.1 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

Page 987 of the Windows SDK "Programmer's Reference, Volume 2: Functions" manual
incorrectly describes the HELP_PARTIALKEY command for the WinHelp API as:

  Displays the topic found in the keyword list that matches the keyword passed
  in the dwData parameter if there is one exact match. If there is more than
  one match, displays the Search dialog box with the topics found listed in the
  Go To list box.

This statement is not correct.

MORE INFORMATION
================

If the HELP_PARTIALKEY command is specified when calling the WinHelp API and
more than one match exists, or if there is one exact match for the keyword but
the keyword is defined for more than one topic, then the search dialog box is
displayed. The Go To list box found in the Search dialog box does not display
the topics as the documentation states.

The first keyword that matches the dwData parameter is selected in the keyword
combo box. If the keyword is an exact match, then the user should choose the
Show Topics button to display the topics in the Go To list box. If there are
multiple matches, then the user should decide which keyword is correct, select
that keyword, and choose Show Topics in order to fill up the Go To list box.

For example, if a Help file contains the following keywords

  Rectangle
  Stack
  Stand
  Start
  Stop
  Triangle

and WinHelp is called using the HELP_PARTIALKEY command, with dwData pointing to
a string containing "st", the Search dialog box will be displayed with the
keyword "Stack" selected in the keyword combo box. The user must determine which
of the keywords beginning with "st" is correct, select that keyword, and choose
the Show Topics button, which causes the Go To list box to be filled.

In this same example, if Stack is passed as a keyword, there is one exact match.
If only one topic has Stack for a keyword, then that topic will be displayed in
the Help engine. If multiple topics have Stack as a keyword, then the Search
dialog box will be displayed with Stack selected in the keyword combo box, but
the Go To list box will remain empty until the user chooses the Show Topics
button. When this button is chosen, the Go To list box will be filled with the
titles of the topics marked with the keyword Stack.

Additional query words: 3.10 hc hcp listbox docerr

======================================================================
Keywords          : kb16bitonly 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbSDKSearch kbWinSDKSearch kbWinSDK310
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1

=============================================================================

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.