My attempt at getting help via the IDE

[StrandElectric]

HI all

Well, I started to download the help file recommended. I am on ADSL1 at this
exchange, and after settling the average down, my system told me that it
would take 23 hours to do this download! That is absurd! I abandoned it of
course.

So now I have the help system packaged with the free download of visual
basic 2008 Express, containing heaps of 'This information not found' for
even the most straightforward stuff, plus 'vb2008 for Dummies' (which it is
not) plus 'VB2008 Step by step', with heaps of syntax missing.

It is absurd to be in a position where I have to pester you kind fellows or
wildly guess (sometimes works) for each and every keyword and piece of
syntax, as well as the curly stuff. *Someone* must have written a book like
Dr David Lien (of interpreter BASIC fame). There each keyword was laid out
on a separate page with the correct syntax, a brief descripion of what it
does and a couple of *examples*. Why can't Microsoft do it with the help
sysm. The vb6 one is fine.

Does the free download of vb2010 have a similarly useless help system with
so much missing?

 

[Armin Zingler]

Am 14.01.2011 00:21, schrieb StrandElectric:
*Someone* must have written a book like

Dr David Lien (of interpreter BASIC fame). There each keyword was laid out
on a separate page with the correct syntax, a brief descripion of what it
does and a couple of *examples*. Why can't Microsoft do it with the help
sysm. The vb6 one is fine.

Keywords:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ksh7h19t(VS.90).aspx

Nowadays programming is more than stringing keywords. It's also about concepts.

Does the free download of vb2010 have a similarly useless help system with
so much missing?

I don't like it at all. Obviously I'm not the only one:
https://connect.microsoft.com/Visua...ary-documentation-is-not-user-friendly-at-all

 

[Mayayana]

This won't help with your slow download, but may
be of use: I wanted to be able to read the recent SDK
files without needing to install .Net. The current versions
come as HXS files and won't work with Circa VS6 MSDN.
And the Win7 SDK won't even install on less than Win7.

I ended up writing some VBScripts. One will convert an
HXS to a CHM, adding a Favorites/links window. The other
will unpack all of the HXS files from an SDK and then
create an HTA viewer, with index. The HTA is not as
comfy as the MSDN reader, but it does allow one to
access an index for the entire SDK.

In most cases, only
a few of the help files are needed, anyway, so I've found
that I end up just using a few of the HXS file converted
to CHM. For instance, just about everything web-related
is in inet.hxs. Shellcc.hxs has all of the shell/common
controls help, etc. (I don't know offhand how many files
are used for the whole .Net help.)

http://www.jsware.net/jsware/hxs2chm.php5


--
--
| HI all
|
| Well, I started to download the help file recommended. I am on ADSL1 at
this
| exchange, and after settling the average down, my system told me that it
| would take 23 hours to do this download! That is absurd! I abandoned it
of
| course.
|
| So now I have the help system packaged with the free download of visual
| basic 2008 Express, containing heaps of 'This information not found' for
| even the most straightforward stuff, plus 'vb2008 for Dummies' (which it
is
| not) plus 'VB2008 Step by step', with heaps of syntax missing.
|
| It is absurd to be in a position where I have to pester you kind fellows
or
| wildly guess (sometimes works) for each and every keyword and piece of
| syntax, as well as the curly stuff. *Someone* must have written a book
like
| Dr David Lien (of interpreter BASIC fame). There each keyword was laid out
| on a separate page with the correct syntax, a brief descripion of what it
| does and a couple of *examples*. Why can't Microsoft do it with the help
| sysm. The vb6 one is fine.
|
| Does the free download of vb2010 have a similarly useless help system with
| so much missing?
|
|

 

[StrandElectric]

Am 14.01.2011 00:21, schrieb StrandElectric:
*Someone* must have written a book like

Keywords:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ksh7h19t(VS.90).aspx

Nowadays programming is more than stringing keywords. It's also about
concepts.

Understood. But that's precisely where you can get too conceptual and too
abstract. For example, if I want to lock a door I need to find the key and
place it in the right hole before turning it (usually) clockwise. If I get
held up discussing molecular strengths of the metal used in the key and the
lock and the leverage of the lock tongue bearing and so on, I'll never get
the job done. A happy medium I venture to suggest!

 

[StrandElectric]

This won't help with your slow download, but may
be of use: I wanted to be able to read the recent SDK
files without needing to install .Net. The current versions
come as HXS files and won't work with Circa VS6 MSDN.
And the Win7 SDK won't even install on less than Win7.

I ended up writing some VBScripts. One will convert an
HXS to a CHM, adding a Favorites/links window. The other
will unpack all of the HXS files from an SDK and then
create an HTA viewer, with index. The HTA is not as
comfy as the MSDN reader, but it does allow one to
access an index for the entire SDK.

In most cases, only
a few of the help files are needed, anyway, so I've found
that I end up just using a few of the HXS file converted
to CHM. For instance, just about everything web-related
is in inet.hxs. Shellcc.hxs has all of the shell/common
controls help, etc. (I don't know offhand how many files
are used for the whole .Net help.)

Sorry, a forest of acronymns that is way over my head. I'm as thick here
Mayayana as I was in the vb6 ng (I think I remember you there).

But FWIW I think I have made a breakthrough. There appear to be two UK books
online and available in hardcopy that do exactly what I want. I'll enquire
further.

BTW, a bouquet for vb2008 (same for vb6). The intellisense system is VERY
helpful. I can write whole wodges of code using just the tab, the odd
bracket or full point, and the down/up arrow.

 

[Armin Zingler]

Am 14.01.2011 05:47, schrieb StrandElectric:

Understood. But that's precisely where you can get too conceptual and too
abstract. For example, if I want to lock a door I need to find the key and
place it in the right hole before turning it (usually) clockwise. If I get
held up discussing molecular strengths of the metal used in the key and the
lock and the leverage of the lock tongue bearing and so on, I'll never get
the job done. A happy medium I venture to suggest!

I agree, but I prefer getting acquainted with the environment instead of blindly
trying to find the locks. ;-) (isn't there a counter-analogy for everything?)
Don't care, I've already learned from you that other approaches work, too.

 

[Mayayana]

| Sorry, a forest of acronymns that is way over my head. I'm as thick here
| Mayayana as I was in the vb6 ng (I think I remember you there).
|

HXS - the file extension of so-called "HTML Help 2" files.
HTML Help is CHM files, which replaced HLP files. HLP files
were designed to use RichText and require that programmers
buy MS Word. CHMs were an outgrowth of web-mania. They
switched to an HTML format that uses an IE browser window
for display and looks suitably "webby". HXS is an outgrowth
of XML-mania. Both CHM and HXS formats are compressed files
that essentially contain websites, but HXS replaces some of
the gratuitous HTML with gratuitous XML, in order to keep
current with fashion trends.

SDK - software development kit. (You really didn't know
that?) Any collection of help and samples gets released
as an SDK. The "platform SDK" is the whole shebang. Windows
platform SDKs have been coming in HXS format for several
years now.

HTA - A webpage file with HTA file extension. If the extension
is HTA then IE will open it as an "HTML Application", using
mshta.exe. There is *no* security for HTAs, except that the
file must be local. That means that complex software can
be written as webpages, using only the IE DOM and script.

DOM - don't ask.

| BTW, a bouquet for vb2008 (same for vb6). The intellisense system is VERY
| helpful. I can write whole wodges of code using just the tab, the odd
| bracket or full point, and the down/up arrow.
|
Well, OOP might be artless, but at least it's
sensibly designed, I suppose.

 

[Nobody]

HXS - the file extension of so-called "HTML Help 2" files.

Yes, but he can't download individual files, so he has to wait 23 hours for
the full download(or ask a friend with high speed connection), or perhaps
there is a way to order just the CD from Microsoft.

 

[Mayayana]

| Yes, but he can't download individual files, so he has to wait 23 hours
for
| the full download(or ask a friend with high speed connection), or perhaps
| there is a way to order just the CD from Microsoft.
|

Please read the thread before responding. My
first line:

"This won't help with your slow download, but may
be of use:"

Not only is it the case that he can't download
individual files, but once an SDK is downloaded
the MSIs need to be unpacked in order to get at
the HXS files. But if someone can get the SDK
ISO(s), and is willing to make the effort, they
can have any version of any help file they want
as a CHM. Those CHMs can even be added to the
VS6 MSDN reader if desired, though the process
for that is a pain in the neck.