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Q138781: How to Call a Windows Help Search Macro by Using Code

Article: Q138781
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): 3.00
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbcode
Last Modified: 12-AUG-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article shows by example how to use program code to invoke Windows Help and
open the Search macro.

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

Developers who write a custom Windows Help file for their application may also
want to include program code that invokes their help session and goes
immediately to the Search macro. This can be done with one of the following
examples.

NOTE: For backward compatibility, Visual FoxPro still supports FOXTOOLS.FLL
(included in earlier FoxPro versions), the Visual FoxPro API library that allows
calls to 16-bit .DLL functions. However, in Visual FoxPro, the DECLARE command
is the preferred method for calling .DLL functions.

The following code shows how to call Visual FoxPro Help and open the Search macro
by using Foxtools.fll.

     SET LIBRARY TO HOME()+"FOXTOOLS.FLL"             && Locates Foxtools
     hhand=REGFN("WinHelp","ICIC","I")
     LPZFILENAME=alltrim(HOME())+"FOXHELP.HLP"
     WCOMMAND=258
     DWDATA="SEARCH()"
     declare Integer FindWindow in Win32Api String,String
     hwnd=FindWindow("","")
     HELP
     =CALLFN(hhand,hwnd,LPZFILENAME,WCOMMAND,DWDATA)
     RELEASE HHAND
     SET LIBRARY TO                                   && Releases Foxtools

The following code shows how to call Visual FoxPro Help using Declare:

     LPZFILENAME=HOME()+"FOXHELP.HLP"+CHR(0)
     HELP
     help_command=258
     Declare Integer WinHelp in Win32Api Integer, String, Integer, String
     =WinHelp(0,LPZFILENAME,help_command,"SEARCH()")

The following code shows how to call a specific Help topic within Visual FoxPro
Help:

     LPZFILENAME=HOME()+"FOXHELP.HLP"+CHR(0)
     HELP
     help_partialkey=261
     Declare Integer WinHelp in Win32Api Integer, String, Integer, String
     =WinHelp(0,LPZFILENAME,help_partialkey,"form properties")

This example specifically calls the "Form Properties" Help topic. Experimentation
with this will demonstrate various degrees of functionality. For example,
altering the last line of code such that "form properties" is replaced with
"form" will bring up the Search macro with the search index moved to "form."

For more information on creating Windows Help and the Help Compiler, please see
the "Professional Features Guide" packaged with the Professional Edition of
Microsoft Visual FoxPro.

Additional query words: VFoxWin

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Keywords          : kbcode 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVFP300
Version           : 3.00

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