Subject:vanishing help!

Posted by: carlg

Date:12/8/2001 2:44:27 PM

When I click on Help Context & Index (or F1) the hour glass appears for 1 second then nothing comes up.
What are the possible causes of this.
I run NT4 sp6a, P3-800, 512MB ram, G400 v/c
Someone suggested it might be something that is causing an extra click (causing a help box to dissappear).
I've changed the mouse and keyboard... no avail.
Ideas? (I sure would like to see the help files!)
Carl Grout
carl@creativetrax.com

Subject:RE: vanishing help!

Reply by: nlamartina

Date:12/8/2001 4:47:55 PM

Carl,

The problem is most likely that your help files have been placed in the wrong directory during an installation. If you have more that one disk in your machine that you've been installing SoFo apps to, this will likely happen. In order to fix this, you simply need to move the files/directory. Look at you disk in File Explorer. Locate a directory named the following (where "X" is the letter of you disk):

X:\Program Files\Sonic Foundry\Help Files

This is the directory the help files SHOULD be in, but I’m guessing they're not in your case. Check and see if they are. If they're not, then we've identified the problem. The files in question should have a *.chm extension. Here are a few of their names:

sfbatch - Batch Converter 5
vegas30 - Vegas Video 3
vidcap30 - Video Capture 3
acid - Acid 3
forge - Sound Forge 5

Now look for another directory on your disk:

X:\Program Files\Sonic Foundry\Shared Plug-Ins\Help Files

Notice the difference. The files should NOT be here, but in the case they are, they won’t work (as you described). Look in this directory. If the help files are in here, versus the previously mentioned directory, then you'll need to move them. Just cut and paste the contents as necessary. Then everything should work fine.

Please note this information assumes you've installed to default directories. If not, adjust according to your needs, but follow the general idea.

Keep us updated on your situation,
Nick LaMartina

Subject:RE: vanishing help!

Reply by: kryten

Date:12/8/2001 6:32:20 PM

Also...this might have something to do with supported operating systems. If you are talking about Sound Forge 5, NT4 is not an officially supported OS. I believe this is due to the DirectX level that is required. I have successfully run SF5 on NT, but have not had a need to access the help file. I have upgraded to 2000 since, so I can't test this. Hope this helps.

Subject:RE: vanishing help!

Reply by: carlg

Date:12/8/2001 11:25:45 PM

Thank-you!
The help files were in the right place... but they still don't work through Sound Forge.
However, they do work when I click on the file directly. (so that helps!)
However, still very puzzling is the fact that Sound Forge doesn't bring them up.
Any other ideas?
Also, which files are the Key Board Shortcuts?

Carl

Subject:RE: vanishing help!

Reply by: nlamartina

Date:12/9/2001 3:58:22 PM

Carl,

Do you have any other SoFo apps with working help files? If so, find out if their help files are kept somewhere beside the default directory. Moving your helps files there could solve the problem (if that's the case, of course). Your files are on the disk. SForge just needs to see them, I guess.

In the meantime, here's how to find the keyboard shortcuts:

1. Open forge.chm
2. Look to the top toolbar with the large buttons.
3. Hit the "Shortcuts" key.
4. Voila. There be your shortcuts.

Hope this helps,
Nick LaMartina

Subject:RE: vanishing help!

Reply by: carlg

Date:12/10/2001 11:48:26 AM

All the help files were contained in Sonic Foundry\help\ directory and I also copied them to every other SoFo directory just to see what would happen.
However, the Help menu within SoFo still doesn't work (but files do come up with I click on them directly through Winfile and Explorer.
Here are the *.chm files I've made short cuts to on my NT start menu to get around SoFo not opening them up.
forge.chm
sfbatch.chm
sfbcfx.chm
sfhammer.chm
sfmirror.chm
sfppack1.chm
sfppack2.chm
sfppack3.chm
(I have also the sfxpfx 1, 2, 3... but see no reason to use them since I have the full version)

At first when I tried to click on one of the *.hlp files I got an error that said:
Windows Help Error!!!
Cannot find or load the file lnetwh32.dll. This file should be copied to C:\WINNT\System32 or a directory in your path.
So I found a copy of that file... for the heck of it copied it to all SoFo directories, WINNT dir, WNNT\System32 dir., even C:however, still no help file pops from inside SoFo.
The work around is ok... but sure puzzles me why SoFo doesn't pop up help files.
The biggest thing is... all context sensitive help in SoFo doesn't pop up either (using help dialog boxes or F1).
One other idea... I use another audio product in which just the "About box" vanishes...but the help file works fine.
I explained to me that his "About Box" only requires a mouse click in it to make it dissappear... and felt that since it pops up for 1/10 of a second then dissappears then it would seem to indicate a hardware or software setup causing a second click which automatically closes it.
I've unplugged the mouse and changed the keyboard and went to the "About" using keyboard.. but still, a vanishing 'about' box.
In SoFo's case... the "About" box comes up fine... but the Help file shows the hour glass for 2-3 seconds but no help file appears at all.
Any more ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks much!
Carl

Subject:RE: vanishing help!

Reply by: carlg

Date:12/10/2001 12:10:42 PM

Please read the above post from me..
this is just something new I found out.

The Help Files inside SoFo Batch Converter work perfect!
(but all the other SoFo program's help files still don't).
...batch converter was the last SoFo program I installed...
could have it redirected things in the registry somehow on other help file for SoFo?
Carl