Need help opening CHM file

[boroarke]

Please bare with me, I am very new to VB. I have a help file named help.chm and this is in the same directory as all of my VB project files. On my main form, I have a command button named cmdHelp that when clicked, I would like it to open the help.chm file. Could someone please let me know what code I need to place in the click event? All help is greatly appreciated!!!
Bryan

[wiccaan]

Well if you want it to open in something like notepad you can do something like this:

Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation As String, ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal lpParameters As String, ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long 

Private Sub cmdHelp_Click()
ShellExecute 0&, vbNullString, "notepad", "C:\Location\Of\File\help.chm", vbNullString, vbNormalFocus
End Sub

[boroarke]

I would prefer it not to open in notepad. Id just like it to launch the help file I compiled. Any other ideas?

Bryan

[wiccaan]

Private Sub Form_Load()
App.HelpFile = App.Path & "\help.chm"
End Sub

[boroarke]

Thanks! That's just what I needed!
Bryan

[Megatron]

Originally posted by boroarke
I would prefer it not to open in notepad. Id just like it to launch the help file I compiled. Any other ideas?

Bryan

You can still use ShellExecute to open it.

ShellExecute 0&, "open", "file.chm", vbNullString, vbNullString, vbNormalFocus

[boroarke]

Please excuss my lack of skill, I am brand new. How would I initiate ShellExecute 0&, "open", "file.chm", vbNullString, vbNullString, vbNormalFocus from the click command of my command button? Could someone explain where I place that code and how I get my cmdHelp button to open it?
Thanks a lot!!
Bryan

[Megatron]

Place the code I gave you in a button, that's it.

Make sure you have the following line in the "General" (top) part of your Form.

Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation As String, ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal lpParameters As String, ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long

[boroarke]

okay, once I have that in the top part of the form, how do I call it using my cmdHelp button?
Thanks,
Bryan

[Megatron]

Put the code I gave you in your cmdHelp_Click() event

ShellExecute 0&, "open", "file.chm", vbNullString, vbNullString, vbNormalFocus

Replace file.chm with the full path of your chm file