Frequently Asked Questions > Winhelp questions

Microsoft Windows Vista is not shipped with active support for the Winhelp format. When a Vista user tries to open a Winhelp file they will only see an error message.

The current Winhelp situation in Windows Vista:

Vista does actually support Winhelp but to get the support every user must download and install a patch from Microsoft. Developers are not permitted to distribute this patch with their software. What the future will bring is not entirely clear, but there have been rumors that Microsoft may at some point disable Winhelp support entirely in Vista.

Since Winhelp is an obsolete help system we thus strongly recommend that all help authors should start transitioning away from Winhelp as soon as possible.

Downloading support for Winhelp in Vista:

Individual users can download the patch to activate Winhelp support in Vista here:

Download Microsoft Winhelp patch for Vista

Winhelp is fully functional in Vista when this patch is installed. However, note that developers are not permitted to distribute this patch with their products. Every user must download it and install it on their own computer. In addition to this, it is possible that support for Winhelp may be removed in the future.

Developing Winhelp in Vista

The Winhelp compiler is fully functional under Windows Vista and you can also display Winhelp if you install the patch. Even so, we no longer recommend using Winhelp as a user assistance format.

Alternatives to Winhelp:

We recommend using HTML Help for help installed on the user's computer and Webhelp for help accessed over local networks or the Internet. You can make context calls to the main help using both these formats but in both cases you will have to rewrite the calls in your application:

This API is documented in the help of Microsoft HTML Help Workshop, which is installed automatically when you install the Microsoft HTML Help Compiler. You can also find added information for using this API in most current programming languages in the tutorials you can download from the EC Software website. The Helpware website and the MS Help Wiki are also excellent sources of information for programmers.

You can make context calls directly to topics in your Webhelp and specific jump targets within topics using regular URLs. For details on the syntax and implementation see Context calls to Webhelp.

Note that Webhelp can also be used for help installed on local computers if you want. You should just remember to activate the option Enable local testing for MS Internet Explorer in the Compile menu.

Now that Winhelp is no longer fully supported by Microsoft, HTML Help is the only way to implement field-level popups Field-level popups are ontext popups displayed directly within your application, without displaying the main help. Note that HTML Help popups are plain-text only, so you can no longer use formatted text, images or hyperlinks in your field-level popups.

See Using Context-sensitive Help for details on implementing field-level popups with HTML Help.

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