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Q100191: FIX: VB Pro Setup Fails to Correctly Associate .HLP Files

Article: Q100191
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): 3.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 11-JAN-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition for Windows, version 3.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, version 3.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If you click a file with the .HLP extension from File Manager, you may receive
this message:

  Cannot Run Program. There is no application associated with this file. Choose
  Associate from the File menu to create an association. (This error occurs
  when running Microsoft Windows version 3.11 operating system.)

  -or-

  Cannot access the file at this time. Make sure the file is not in use by
  another program and it is a valid program file. (This error occurs when
  running Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11.)

CAUSE
=====

The Setup program in the Professional Edition of Microsoft Visual Basic version
3.0 for Windows adds the following problem line to the extensions section of the
WIN.INI file if no association for .HLP file currently exists:

  HLP=D:\WINDOWS\SETUPWIZ.INI ^.HLP

If there is already an entry for the .HLP file extension in the WIN.INI file no
change is made by the Setup program.

WORKAROUND
==========

Locate the following line in the WIN.INI file in the \WINDOWS directory:

  HLP=D:\WINDOWS\SETUPWIZ.INI ^.HLP

Replace it with the following line:

  HLP=WINHELP.EXE ^.HLP

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in Microsoft Visual Basic version 3.0
for Windows. This bug was corrected in Microsoft Visual Basic version 4.0 for
Windows.

Additional query words: buglist3.00 3.00 Help fixlist4.00

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB300Search kbVB300
Version           : :3.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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