helpFile

Topic group Related topics

Identifies a help file that contains context-sensitive Help topics. This can be set to either a Windows help file (.hlp) or a Microsoft Compiled Html Help file (.chm).

Property of

Most form objects.

Description

Use helpFile in combination with helpId to provide context-sensitive help from a Windows Help file. Context-sensitive help appears for the object that has focus when the user presses F1, or chooses Help | Context Sensitive Help from the default menu.

After creating the Windows Help file, follow these steps:

1. Assign the name of the Help file to the form’s helpFile property. This assigns the default Help file for all help topics.

2. Assign a context ID or index string for the form’s default Help topic to the form’s helpId property.

3. For individual controls that have their own help, assign the appropriate value to the control’s helpId property.

4. If an individual control has a topic in a different Help file, assign that file to the control’s helpFile property.

Warning!

If you assign the F1 key as the shortCut key to your own menu item, pressing F1 executes the onClick for that menu item; it does not display context-sensitive help. Context-sensitive help is also disabled if you assign an onHelp event handler.