Hello friends,
I remember that in FiveWin it is possible to disable the F1 help function globally for the whole application using a SET command.
Am I remembering this correctly?
If so, what is the exact syntax?
Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Otto
Dear Otto,
SET KEY VK_F1 TO
or
SetKey( VK_F1, NIL )
or
SET HELPFILE TO ""
Dear Antonio, thank you very much for your quick reply. I haven’t really maintained the help system much in the past, but with AI I now think it’s very easy to write documentation, and it would be a shame not to do it.
I was thinking that this might be simpler than using F1: instead, I could add a kind of help-button function during Activate and Init, for example a small switch with a question mark in the bottom-right corner. When clicking this switch, a ShellExecute call would open an HTML document. I think this would be very practical.
So far, I’ve only tested this with dialogs, both created from resources and hard-coded ones. But it should work the same way with windows as well. The only thing I’m not completely sure about yet is how the coordinates behave when using resources — that probably needs a bit more testing.
Best regards,
Otto
Code: Select all | Expand
// Testing the FiveWin Class TBtnBmp at a DialogBox from resources
#include "FiveWin.ch"
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------//
function Main()
local oDlg
SET _3DLOOK ON
DEFINE DIALOG oDlg RESOURCE "Main" COLOR "N/B"
REDEFINE BTNBMP ID 110 OF oDlg ;
RESOURCE "Yes" NOBORDER ACTION oDlg:End()
oDlg:aControls[ 1 ]:lTransparent = .t.
REDEFINE BTNBMP ID 120 OF oDlg ;
RESOURCE "No"
REDEFINE BTNBMP ID 130 OF oDlg ;
RESOURCE "Cancel"
ACTIVATE DIALOG oDlg CENTERED ;
ON INIT AddHelpButton( oDlg )
return nil
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------//
procedure AppSys // Xbase++ requirement
return
function AddHelpButton( oDlg )
local nScale := 1.3 //2.05 // bei dir offensichtlich ~205 %
local nTop := ( oDlg:nBottom - 26 ) / nScale
local nLeft := ( oDlg:nRight - 26 ) / nScale
nTop := ( oDlg:nBottom - 46 )
nLeft := ( oDlg:nRight - 90 )
@ nTop,nLeft ;
BUTTON "?" ;
SIZE 16, 16 ;
ACTION ShowHelpForWindow( oDlg ) ;
OF oDlg ;
PIXEL
return nil
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------//
function ShowHelpForWindow( oWnd )
LOCAL cFile := "file:///C:\FWH\samples\testbtnb.html"
LOCAL cEdgePath := "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"
// Zielgr��e
LOCAL nWidth := 1260
LOCAL nHeight := 800
// Bildschirmgr��e
LOCAL nScrW := GetSysMetrics( 0 ) // SM_CXSCREEN
LOCAL nScrH := GetSysMetrics( 1 ) // SM_CYSCREEN
// Zentrierung
LOCAL nX := Int( ( nScrW - nWidth ) / 2 )
LOCAL nY := Int( ( nScrH - nHeight ) / 2 )
LOCAL cParams := ;
'--new-window "' + cFile + '" ' + ;
'--window-size=' + ;
LTrim( Str( nWidth ) ) + ',' + ;
LTrim( Str( nHeight ) ) + ' ' + ;
'--window-position=' + ;
LTrim( Str( nX ) ) + ',' + ;
LTrim( Str( nY ) )
ShellExecute( 0, "open", cEdgePath, cParams, "", 1 )
RETURN NIL
Code: Select all | Expand
#include "FiveWin.ch"
static oWnd
//----------------------------------------------------------------//
function Main()
local oBtn,oFont
local cVer := FWVERSION
SetHelpFile( "" )
DEFINE FONT oFont NAME "MS SANS SERIF" SIZE 0,-12
DEFINE dialog oWnd TITLE "Rounded Buttons in " + cVer size 500, 300 PIXEL
@ 5, 10 BTNBMP oBtn OF oWnd ;
SIZE 60, 70 ;
PROMPT cVer FILE "..\BITMAPS\sms.bmp" 2007 ;
FONT oFont BOTTOM ;
ACTION MsgInfo("Hello")
oBtn:lEllipse = .T.
@ 10, 75 BTNBMP oBtn OF oWnd ;
SIZE 100, 80 ;
PROMPT "&" + cVer FILE "..\BITMAPS\sms.bmp" 2007 ;
FONT oFont BOTTOM ;
ACTION MsgInfo( "Yes" )
oBtn:lEllipse = .T.
@ 70, 165 BTNBMP oBtn OF oWnd ;
SIZE 80, 60 ;
PROMPT cVer + CRLF + "FIVEWIN" FILE "..\BITMAPS\sms.bmp" 2007 ;
FONT oFont RIGHT ;
ACTION MsgInfo("Hello")
oBtn:lEllipse = .T.
ACTIVATE DIALOG oWnd CENTER;
ON INIT AddHelpButton( oWnd )
return nil
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------//
function AddHelpButton( oDlg )
local nScale := 1.3 //2.05 // bei dir offensichtlich ~205 %
local nTop := ( oDlg:nBottom - 26 ) / nScale
local nLeft := ( oDlg:nRight - 26 ) / nScale
nTop := ( oDlg:nBottom - 20 )
nLeft := ( oDlg:nRight - 20 )
@ nTop,nLeft ;
BUTTON "?" ;
SIZE 16, 16 ;
ACTION ShowHelpForWindow( oDlg ) ;
OF oDlg ;
PIXEL
return nil
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------//
function ShowHelpForWindow( oWnd )
LOCAL cFile := "file:///C:\FWH\samples\testbtnb.html"
LOCAL cEdgePath := "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"
// Zielgr��e
LOCAL nWidth := 1260
LOCAL nHeight := 800
// Bildschirmgr��e
LOCAL nScrW := GetSysMetrics( 0 ) // SM_CXSCREEN
LOCAL nScrH := GetSysMetrics( 1 ) // SM_CYSCREEN
// Zentrierung
LOCAL nX := Int( ( nScrW - nWidth ) / 2 )
LOCAL nY := Int( ( nScrH - nHeight ) / 2 )
LOCAL cParams := ;
'--new-window "' + cFile + '" ' + ;
'--window-size=' + ;
LTrim( Str( nWidth ) ) + ',' + ;
LTrim( Str( nHeight ) ) + ' ' + ;
'--window-position=' + ;
LTrim( Str( nX ) ) + ',' + ;
LTrim( Str( nY ) )
ShellExecute( 0, "open", cEdgePath, cParams, "", 1 )
RETURN NIL
html
Code: Select all | Expand
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>Help Button in FiveWin Resource Dialogs</title>
<style>
body {
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
line-height: 1.5;
margin: 40px;
color: #222;
}
h1, h2, h3 {
color: #003366;
}
pre {
background: #f4f4f4;
padding: 12px;
border-left: 4px solid #003366;
overflow-x: auto;
}
code {
font-family: Consolas, "Courier New", monospace;
}
.note {
background: #eef5ff;
border-left: 4px solid #3366cc;
padding: 10px;
margin: 15px 0;
}
.warning {
background: #fff2f2;
border-left: 4px solid #cc0000;
padding: 10px;
margin: 15px 0;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Help Button in FiveWin Dialogs</h1>
<h2>Purpose</h2>
<p>
This example demonstrates how to add a small help button to an existing
<strong>FiveWin dialog created from resources (RC)</strong>, without modifying
the resource file itself.
</p>
<p>
The help button opens an HTML help page in the system’s default browser and
is especially suitable for applications where documentation is created
<strong>incrementally</strong>.
</p>
---
<h2>Initial Situation</h2>
<ul>
<li>FiveWin version: <strong>19.03</strong></li>
<li>xHarbour 1.2.3 (32-bit)</li>
<li>Dialogs are defined using <strong>RESOURCE</strong></li>
<li>No existing help system</li>
</ul>
<p>
Existing dialogs should not be redesigned.
The help access must be unobtrusive and easy to maintain.
</p>
---
<h2>Basic Concept</h2>
<ul>
<li>The dialog is loaded normally from the resource</li>
<li>During <code>ACTIVATE DIALOG</code>, an additional button is created</li>
<li>The button is placed in the bottom-right corner of the dialog</li>
<li>Clicking the button opens an HTML file in the browser</li>
</ul>
<div class="note">
The help button is <strong>not part of the resource</strong> and is added
dynamically at runtime.
</div>
---
<h2>Main Program</h2>
<pre><code>#include "FiveWin.ch"
function Main()
local oDlg
SET _3DLOOK ON
DEFINE DIALOG oDlg RESOURCE "Main" COLOR "N/B"
REDEFINE BTNBMP ID 110 OF oDlg ;
RESOURCE "Yes" NOBORDER ACTION oDlg:End()
oDlg:aControls[ 1 ]:lTransparent = .t.
REDEFINE BTNBMP ID 120 OF oDlg ;
RESOURCE "No"
REDEFINE BTNBMP ID 130 OF oDlg ;
RESOURCE "Cancel"
ACTIVATE DIALOG oDlg CENTERED ;
ON INIT AddHelpButton( oDlg )
return nil</code></pre>
<p>
The critical part is the call to <code>AddHelpButton()</code> inside the
<code>ON INIT</code> clause.
</p>
---
<h2>Adding the Help Button</h2>
<pre><code>function AddHelpButton( oDlg )
local nScale := 2.05 // DPI scale factor (e.g. 205%)
local nTop := ( oDlg:nBottom - 26 ) * nScale
local nLeft := ( oDlg:nRight - 26 ) * nScale
@ nTop, nLeft BUTTON "?" ;
SIZE 22, 22 ;
OF oDlg ;
ACTION ShowHelpForWindow( oDlg ) ;
PIXEL
return nil</code></pre>
<h3>Important Notes</h3>
<ul>
<li>Resource-based dialogs use scaled coordinates</li>
<li>With DPI scaling enabled, a scale factor is required</li>
<li><code>PIXEL</code> ensures stable placement of the button</li>
</ul>
<div class="warning">
The DPI scale factor depends on the system configuration
(e.g. 1.25, 1.5, 2.0, 2.05).
</div>
---
<h2>Opening the Help Page</h2>
<pre><code>function ShowHelpForWindow( oWnd )
ShellExecute( 0, "open", ;
"file:///C:/fwh/samples/testreport.html", "", "", 1 )
return nil</code></pre>
<p>
The HTML help page is opened using the <strong>default system browser</strong>.
No browser-specific parameters are required.
</p>
---
<h2>Advantages of This Approach</h2>
<ul>
<li>No changes to existing resource files</li>
<li>Minimal code intrusion</li>
<li>Documentation can grow incrementally</li>
<li>No interference with system menus or keyboard shortcuts</li>
<li>Well suited for older FiveWin versions</li>
</ul>
---
<h2>Summary</h2>
<p>
The help button presented here is a pragmatic solution for
large, long-lived FiveWin applications.
</p>
<p>
It allows documentation to be added exactly where work is currently being
done, without the need to design a full help system upfront.
</p>
<p>
This makes the approach especially suitable for maintenance, ongoing
development, and gradual modernization of existing applications.
</p>
</body>
</html>
