WinHelp 4.0 Bug List

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WinHelp 4.0 Bug List


This list is provided as a service only. It was compiled from information collected from various sources, and is not an official list from Microsoft.

List courtesy of Stephen Pruitt. Send questions or comments about this list to steve@beyondhelp.com.
Copyright © 1996 Beyond Help, LLC
Last modified: April 14, 1996


Bugs in WinHelp Runtime


  • Transparent bitmaps pick up the background color of the scrolling region, even if they are located in the non-scrolling region. Reported by Mary Deaton. No resolution.

  • Help file causes display to flicker madly in 256-color mode. Reported by Ron Loewy. Problem occurs when a topic contains either 16 or 256 color bitmaps -- each bitmap causes the display to redraw. Fixed in NT 4.0 for standard 16-color bitmaps.

  • An Alink jump to a secondary window in a different HLP file displays a blank main window as well as the proper secondary window. Reported by Sabrina Nelson.

  • 256-color bitmaps print in black and white (no grays) under Win32s 1.30a, Win 3.11, HP LaserJet 4L. Reported by Michael Malcolm Anderson. No workaround.

  • Jumps to context IDs or keywords defined in the middle of a topic only work in non-autosizing windows. Reported by John Hunt. Workaround: do not use autosizing windows with midtopic jumps or keywords.

  • WinHelp may crash if you select a keyword defined in the beginning of a topic, then select a keyword defined in the middle of the same topic. Reported by Kathy Seesing. No workaround.

  • You can only copy text from a popup window in a WinHelp 3.1 Help file using Ctrl+C if the popup is displayed from a secondary window. It fails if displayed from a main window. Reported by Cub Lea. No workaround.

  • A single ampersand in the COPYRIGHT text is replaced by an underscore in WinHelp 4.0. It was displayed as entered under WinHelp 3.1. The workaround is to use a double ampersand. Reported by Ann Adam.

  • If one CNT file is included in another CNT file, WinHelp ignores the default HLP filename and default window name specifications of the "included" file. Reported by Stephen Pruitt. Workaround: specify filename and window name on all topic entries.

  • Popup hotspots don't work within topics being displayed as context sensitive help. Reported by Ann Adam. Workaround: use JumpID macro to jump to another topic.

  • If a user running in 256-color mode switches focus away from a Help file and then returns, 256-color WMFs will not have the correct colors. Note: 256-color BMPs will be redrawn properly. Reported by Ralph Walden. Workaround: do not use 256-color WMFs.

  • Internal ShellExecute commands that use the fourth, fifth, or sixth parameters (operation, path, or topic ID) do not work. Only the first three parameters can be used. Reported by Microsoft. Workaround: define and call external ShellExecuteA API in shell32.dll.

  • If a Help file that uses a normal button bar jumps to a Help file that doesn't use any buttons, the window is drawn with space left for a button bar. This extra space is removed after jumping to another topic within the second file. Reported by Stephen Gilson. No workaround.

  • If a page (topic) entry is defined on the same level as a preceding book entry in a CNT file, the page entry is displayed at the level of the page entries associated with that book entry. Reported by Kathy Seesing. Workaround: define topic as one level higher than intended, or define a dummy book entry containing the one topic.

  • The CNT file option :Nofind used to disable the Find tab does not work, and is rejected by the compiler. Reported by Kathy Seesing.

  • The scroll bars in WinHelp do not cause the window to be redrawn until the mouse button is released. Reported by Kathy Seesing. This is by design; only as much of the topic as is shown is actually read from the help file to improve performance.

  • The KLink macro ignores any keywords after the first, unless the CNT file includes at least one additional HLP file (even if that file does not exist). ALink works properly. Reported by Kathy Seesing. Workaround: include reference to nonexistent HLP file in CNT file.

  • KLink or ALink macros that list multiple keywords will show topics more than once in the results list if those topics contain hits on more than one keyword. Each topic appears once for each keyword with a match. Reported by Kathy Seesing. No workaround.

  • If a window is positioned over another window such that a button on the top window is directly over a button on the lower window, clicking on the visible button may cause the button in the lower window to be executed. Reported by Kathy Seesing. No workaround.

  • Compare macro doesn't display windows side by side. Reported by Microsoft. No workaround.

  • KLink macro executed from a button within a popup window displays the Klink dialog box behind the popup. It works fine executed from a hotspot. Reported by Jack Downing. No workaround.

  • If two HLP files that use a combined index through the CNT file have some identical keywords and corresponding topic titles, WinHelp appends the HLP file name to all but the first duplicated title in the results list. Reported by Leonor Ciarlone. No workaround.

  • Text beginning with or immediately following (not sure which) a typographical apostrophe in the non-scrolling region is raised or lowered as the font size is increased or reduced through the WinHelp options menu. Reported by Graham Hurst. No workaround.

  • Items added to the floating menu after it has been displayed do not appear; they must be added before the menu is displayed. Reported by John Bradnam. No workaround.

  • If a topic that is being displayed as context sensitive help does not exist, two error message boxes are displayed if Help Author mode is on. Reported by Steve Rothstein. Workaround: ignore, since it only happens if Help Author mode is on. This should not affect most users.

  • When a T-CARD instance of WinHelp is started a hidden window is created that may not be closed when WinHelp is closed. This prevents WinHelp from reopening. The hidden window can be found with FindWindow("MS_TCARDHELP",0). Reported by David VanAusdale. Workaround: have app close training card with WM_DESTROY message using code such as the following:

      HWND hwndWinHelp = FindWindow("MS_TCARDHELP", NULL);
      If (hwndWinHelp) SendMessage(hwndWinHelp, WM_DESTROY, 0, 0)

  • If a user opens another WinHelp window from a T-CARD window, when the second window is closed a WM_CLOSE message is sent to the application to close the T-CARD window also. Reported by David VanAusdale. Workaround is instead of opening another TCard window, call a TCard() macro and tell the app to invoke an application-invoked instance of help. Training cards were not designed to have more then one window.

  • CITATION info is only included when copying topic material; it should also be included when topics are printed. Reported by Allison Tidd. No workaround.

  • Double underlined text that isn't part of a hotspot appears without underlining. Reported by David Brown. No workaround.

  • Text with dotted underlining appears with a single underline. eported by David Brown. No workaround.

  • The last line of a topic may be displayed with excess space before it. It appears to be displayed with the "space before" option of the paragraph. Reported by Dana Cline. Workaround: do not use Space Before in final paragraph; insert blank lines before paragraph instead.

  • Autosizing for small secondary windows doesn't always provide enough height to display the entire topic. Reported by Dana Cline. Workaround: put topic material inside a one-cell table.

  • A button in a secondary window that invokes the Exit() macro causes the buttons to be erased but the window isn't closed. A similar hotspot works properly. Reported by Stewart Walker. Workaround: use hotspot instead of button.

  • Commands in the main [Config] section aren't executed before displaying a topic displayed through the WinHelp API with HELP_CONTEXT. Reported by Ted Epstein. Workaround: repeat needed commands in Config for secondary windows displayed through context sensitive call.

  • Executing a CloseWindow macro in a topic entry footnote in a secondary window to close a different secondary window may cause the main window to end up with the focus. Reported by Davis Straub. Workaround: use CloseSecondarys()

  • Only two levels of includes in CNT files are processed; INCLUDE statements in second-level files are ignored. Reported by Kathy Seesing. Workaround: manually merge the CNT files.

  • An AVI file displayed by an mci command first appears in a popup window at upper left corner of the Help window, is erased and redrawn, erased again, and then appears at the location of the mci command. Reported by Stephen Pruitt. Workaround: position mci command at top left corner or use API commands or third party DLL.

  • REPEAT option in mci command does not work. Reported by Stephen Pruitt. Workaround: use third party DLLs.

  • Clicking on an embedded button in a popup window does not close the popup. If the button causes a jump there is no good way to close the popup. Reported by Stephen Pruitt. Workaround: use graphic image of desired button in a standard hotspot.

  • In a text hotspot in a bullet list that contains a typographical (curly) apostrophe in the displayed text, the text following the apostrophe is not green, underlined, or active as a hotspot. Reported by Davis Straub. Workaround: format bullet list manually with hanging indent and desired bullet character.

  • Multikey Help calls for other than A or K keywords result in error message "There is an error in your help file. Call the vendor for updated version." No workaround.



Help Workshop (Compiler) Bugs

Note: Most or all of these bugs should be fixed in HCW/HCRTF 4.02, to be distributed through MSDN subscription later this year.


  • The online documentation that ships with Help Workshop 4.0 incorrectly states that the limit for the number of topics per keyword is 64,000. The correct limit is approximately 800 topics per keyword -- although this will vary somewhat depending on the size of the keyword. Reported by Jack Deland; documented in Microsoft Knowledge Base.

  • The Help Workshop tool (Hcw.exe) causes a page fault if Hcrtf.exe is run concurrently with no switches or with invalid switches. The error is "This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down." Reported by Jack Deland; documented in Microsoft Knowledge Base.

  • Help Workshop doesn't use the default indent values used by Word in numbered lists. You must define a tab stop at 0.25" in Word to get it to display properly in WinHelp. Note: unlike WinHelp 3.1, you can at least use the same formatting in all paragraphs. Reported by Stephen Pruitt. Workaround: define tab stop at 0.25" in paragraph in Word.

  • The first (or sometimes last) bulleted list will show the wrong sized bullet. Reported by Stephen Pruitt. Workaround: specify exact point size in Format, Bullets and Numbering, Modify.

  • Numbered lists frequently show incorrect numbers (such as 1, 1, 2, 2). Reported by Stephen Pruitt. Workaround: type numbers as text rather than using numbered list.

  • Compiling file afxcore.rtf, provided by VC++, causes hcrtf to GPF after deleting the line "Record menu" from the first page. Reported by Erik Gawtry. No workaround.

  • You can crash HCW by defining an Include file in the MAP section, then deleting it without saving the HPJ file in between. A particular sequence of steps is required. Reported by Lynda G Cone. No workaround.

  • Specifying bmct emdash.bmp with compression causes the compiler to crash. It's OK if compression or the transparency option is removed. Reported by Ann Adam. Workaround: omit redundant 't' flag; emdash.bmp is monochrome, therefore transparent anyway.

  • Jumps to keywords defined in the middle of a topic always display in the default window defined in the CNT Base statement, not the window designated by the topic's > footnote. This can cause the above bug also. Reported by John Hunt. No workaround. Avoid using autosized windows with mid-topic keywords.

  • Compiling certain projects with both FTS and compression causes the compiler to crash. Turning off either compression or FTS allows the compile to complete. Reported by Lynda G Cone. Workaround: turn off FTS, create FTS index manually after compile.

  • The external ShellExecute API cannot be used in Help files compiled under WinHelp 4.0, as it conflicts with the new internal ShellExecute command. ShellExecute will work properly under WinHelp 4.0 if compiled with the Help 3.1 compiler. Reported by Microsoft. Workaround: register and call external ShellExecuteA API in shell32.dll.

  • After replacing the BMP in a SHG file with Shed's Edit Replace option, the resulting SHG file is twice the size of the original. Reported by Kathy Seesing. There will be no updates to Shed. However, while this will affect the size of the file on the hard disk, it should have no effect on the help file since the compiler recompresses all shed graphics.

  • KLink macro that only matches one topic jumps directly to that topic; it doesn't display the dialog box as described by the documentation. ALink macro does display the dialog box properly. Reported by Dave Walker. No workaround

  • A paragraph formatted with "Skip Numbering" in the middle of a numbered list shows a number 1, and the following paragraph is also numbered 1. Reported by Graham Hurst. Workaround: number paragraphs manually.

  • The HCW Report function cannot open a Help file located in a folder with a space in the name (such as "Program Files"). Reported by Charles Welty. Workaround: create report files in folders with simple names, then move file if needed.

  • HCRTF crashes when compiling an RTF containing an IfThenElse macro containing macros enclosed in quotes or apostrophes. It compiles and works properly if the quotes are removed. Reported by John Bradnam. No workaround.

  • RemoveAccelerator causes erroneous compiler errors with most possible parameter values, and runtime errors with others. No parameter values were found that compile and execute properly. Reported by John Bradnam. Workaround: use AddAccelerator to redefine key combination to execute some innocuous command such as SaveMark or Flush.

  • A SetPopupColor macro chained after a PopupID macro causes runtime error 1031 A ")" is missing. Reported by William Meisheid. No workaround.

  • Help files containing bullets formatted with Wingding (or other non-Symbol) fonts and compressed with Hall compression display the wrong bullet character. Zeck compression does not alter the bullets, and Symbol bullets are not affected. Reported by Ed Hess. Workaround: do not use Hall compression with these bullets.

  • The ExtInsertItem macro doesn't accept the string versions of the display state field. Only numeric values will compile successfully. Reported by Marta Kallstrom. Workaround: use numeric values.

  • If a command to create an embedded button contains errors, the command appears in the displayed text instead of creating a button. The compiler does not issue any error messages warning of this. Reported by William Meisheid. Workaround: none, but verify proper appearance and operation of all buttons during testing.

  • ALink and KLink macros that use a default topic must also have a Window parameter specified. Reported by David VanAusdale. Workaround: specify window parameter.

  • If you define an Include file in the Config section, then edit that entry, the resulting line says "#include #include filename". Reported by Stephen Gilson. Workaround: edit HPJ entry in Notepad.

  • The Escape key can no longer be used with AddAccelerator, even though it's listed in the usable keycodes. WinHelp now uses Escape to close the window. Reported by Brett Merkey. No workaround.

  • The last topic in an RTF file may be displayed with different formatting than was assigned to it. The workaround is to create a dummy following topic that's never used. Reported by Dana Cline. Workaround: create a dummy following topic that's never used.

  • The HCW Send Macro test function only accepts extremely short entries. It doen't warn you if you use a longer entry, it just truncates it. No workaround.

  • If the footnote text in comment (@) footnotes is colored rather than left Auto color, the text appears in the body of the topic at the location of the footnote code. Reported by William Meisheid. Workaround: format footnote text as Auto color.

  • ExtAbleItem won't compile with the CHECKED option. Reported by Jordan Zimmerman. Workaround: use value of 8 instead of CHECKED.

  • ControlPanel command requires format CP(cpl_name, "panel_name, tabnum") rather than the documented CP(cpl_name, panel_name, tabnum) to display a selected tab. Reported by Neil J. Rubenking. Workaround: use quotes around combined panel name and tab number entries.

  • The Help compiler will crash if you have more than approximately 140 A or K footnotes in a topic. Also, each footnote shouldn't exceed about 16K in length. Reported by Northern Telecom. Workaround: use fewer footnotes, as long as each footnote does not exceed 16,000 characters.