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Local help

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    Local help

    Hi everyone,

    So it's Christmas morning and I'm working in the new version.

    We have a choice of web help or local help and I am setting up a machine which is usually not on the internet so I wish to set the preference to local help. When I do so I am informed that I have to download the alphafivehelp file which is 31 megs.

    Actually, I already have (think I have) this file on the machine. That is, I have the AlphaFiveHelp.chm from the learning center (30+ megs).

    So two questions:
    -is it the same file; and,
    -is there somewhere to which I can copy it to remove the download message? (V6 program folder perhaps)

    Thanks,
    Bill
    Bill Hanigsberg

    #2
    RE: Local help

    The Local Help option looks for "AlphaFiveHelp.chm" in your A5v6 program folder. But I do not know if it is the same CHM as what you have downloaded from the learning center. I'll see if I can get Ed to tell us.

    -Lenny

    Lenny Forziati
    Vice President, Internet Products and Technical Services
    Alpha Software Corporation

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Local help

      The latest version of the CHM file goes into the build directory. However, there is always something of a lag. You can get the latest and greatest from the Learning Center page.

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Local help

        Thanks to you both. I check the learning center often and download the latest chm using my office's fast line.

        Bill
        Bill Hanigsberg

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Local help

          Man, I am just not having ANY luck with v6 at all. I downloaded the latest .CHM help file and placed in the V6 program folder, but when I either hit F1 -or- select the User Guide from the menu, nothing happens. Do I perhaps have a bad install or something? I can't activate, check for new versions or access help. (I know these are all separate problems - I have posted those as well.) I'm sure it'll be just a matter of time.

          Scott

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Local help

            Scott, did you see my follow-up in the thread about checking for a new version? (http://msgboard.alphasoftware.com/alphaphorum/read.php3?num=15&id=316&loc=0&offset=0&sortby=lastreply&direction=desc&thread=316#MSG327)

            Lenny Forziati
            Vice President, Internet Products and Technical Services
            Alpha Software Corporation

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Local help

              Exact same as Scott.

              Dave
              Dave Jampole
              www.customalpha.com

              Women and cats will do whatever they want. The sooner men and dogs realize that, the happier they will be.

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Local help

                Lenny,

                Yes I saw that and responded at that thread just now. (Socket timeout error message.) My firewall is definitely down though. This is weird...

                Scott

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Local help

                  Lenny,

                  Additionally, here is the error message I get when I try to open the .chm file using Start, Run. I get nothing (the same as Scott) trying to access help from within V6.

                  Dave
                  Dave Jampole
                  www.customalpha.com

                  Women and cats will do whatever they want. The sooner men and dogs realize that, the happier they will be.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Local help

                    Scott,

                    "...when I either hit F1 -or- select the User Guide from the menu, nothing happens."

                    For your information, after copying the AlphaFiveHelp.chm to the A5v6 program folder I got the same results. Other help features are available (xbasic reference, xdialog reference, tutorials etc.).

                    I have had no install or activation issues; nor have I downloaded the patch. But the help issues you report are probably not clues to whatever is affecting your installation.

                    Good luck,
                    Bill
                    Bill Hanigsberg

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Local help

                      You're right, William. I am also able to open those as well (except for XBasic Reference).

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: Local help

                        Guys,

                        Update on my previous problem with the Help (.chm) file.

                        Initially, I got a bad download (400K). After re-downloading the full 31Mb .chm file, I CAN get to the help by using Start, Run and navigating to the A5V6 folder and clicking on AlphaFiveHelp.chm, but when I try to access help from within V6, I either get an Unhandled Exception error and then Alpha shuts down or if I try accessing help from the CP, from form design mode, from form view, I get nothing - no help, no error, just the hourglass icon for a few seconds and then back to where I was.

                        Is a bewildermint.

                        Dave
                        Dave Jampole
                        www.customalpha.com

                        Women and cats will do whatever they want. The sooner men and dogs realize that, the happier they will be.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: Local help

                          Dave,

                          I got an unhandled exception once as follows:
                          -Open A5V6
                          -when presented with a list of previous databases select cancel;
                          -now I'm looking at an empty A5 frame with a menu and toolbar;
                          -press F1 to get the unhandled exception.

                          I didn't try it a second time.

                          So I guess there are a few rough edges in the way the help is called.

                          Bill
                          Bill Hanigsberg

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: Local help

                            Bill,

                            If we waited for V6 to run 100% with no minor glitches, we would be waiting forever. It's a shame that we take the tons of new features for granted and focus on the few minor problems, but that's human nature.

                            I suspect that there will be a number of patches, like there was when V5 shipped.

                            Dave
                            Dave Jampole
                            www.customalpha.com

                            Women and cats will do whatever they want. The sooner men and dogs realize that, the happier they will be.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: Local help

                              I just drag a copy of the shortcut to the chm to the task bar. That way it's always available. However, I am not seeing the problem you are seeing. I installed the release version over the beta and it works fine accessing help thru the menu or F-1 for context sensitive help.

                              Russ

                              Comment

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