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Q196275: PRB: Repeatedly Pressing F1 Key on VB Application May Crash Help

Article: Q196275
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): 5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinHelp kbOSWinNT kbVBp kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbOSWin98 kbGrpDSVB
Last Modified: 16-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If you create a project with context-sensitive Help in Visual Basic and hold
down the F1 key, an error may occur. This error will be different depending upon
the operating system.

On Windows NT, you may see the following error messages:

  Windows Help

  Help could not read the current Help file. Make sure there are no errors on
  the disk, or if the file is on a network server, that the server is active.
  (163)

  Winhlp32.exe - Application Error

  The instruction at "0x0102ebd" referenced at "0x00000001". The memory could
  not be "read".

The memory addresses may vary.

On Windows 98 or Windows Me, you may see the following error.

  This program has performed an illegal operation and will shutdown. If the
  problem persists, contact the program vendor.

This error may also occur if the F1 key is quickly pressed many times.

RESOLUTION
==========

The F1 key is used in Visual Basic as a way of providing Help for the current
item. Repeatedly hitting this key would cause the Help system to go a level
deeper each time it is pressed. In most cases, Help for a topic does not go more
than two or three levels deep. Avoid repeated or continuous pressing of the F1
key.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that are
listed at the beginning of this article.

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

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
---------------------------

To reproduce this behavior, create an application with either Visual Basic 5.0 or
Visual Basic 6.0 having context-sensitive Help on a form or control. With focus
on the form or control having context-sensitive Help, hold the F1 key down.
After a period of time you may see one of the above error messages.

This problem could also be reproduced in the Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0 IDE
(Integrated Development Environment).

This problem will not occur in the Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 IDE.

Step-by-Step Example
--------------------

1. Create a Standard EXE project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.

2. Click on any control on the Visual Basic toolbox, such as a CommandButton.

3. Hold down the F1 key and note that of the above error messages appears as a
  result.

REFERENCES
==========

Online Help for Microsoft Visual Basic versions 5.0 and 6.0.

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbWinHelp kbOSWinNT kbVBp kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbOSWin98 kbGrpDSVB 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVB600Search kbVB500 kbVB600
Version           : :5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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