OS_ShellExecute "document.chm" - how to close it?

[ReneMiner]

It seems impossible to shell a help-file-document using OS_Shell.
If it were possible to shell in ASync-mode then i would have some process-ID.

Just there is no way to check if the process with the given ID is still running since OS_ProcessIsRunning() awaits a process-name.

It works to use this for example:

Uses "OS"
' thinBasic-InstallPath has to be "C:\thinBasic\" for this

OS_ShellExecute("open", "thinBasic.chm", "", "C:\thinBasic\Help", %SW_SHOWNORMAL )

but this does not return any process-ID

How can i determine now if this help-file is already|still open (so not to open another one) ?
And how can i close it again when my script ends?

[ReneMiner]

Help!

How can i shell *.chm-help-files - and close them again when my script ends?

[ErosOlmi]

Do not shell, use native Windows API

The following is an abstract on ho I open help when you press F1 over a token.
Identify the token then pass it to a function similar to the following example.

The following example is a working thinBasic script using thinBasic.chm file as help and searching for "Dim" keyword.
You help file must be created with correct topics/keywords in order to search.

Ciao
Eros

  Declare Function HtmlHelp Lib "hhctrl.ocx" Alias "HtmlHelpA" ( 
                    ByVal hwndCaller As DWord, 
                    pszFile As Asciiz, 
                    ByVal uCommand As DWord, 
                    ByVal dwData As DWord) As DWord
    
  Type HH_AKLINK
    cbStruct     As Long       ' sizeof this structure
    fReserved    As Long       ' must be FALSE (really!)
    pszKeywords  As Asciiz Ptr ' semi-colon separated keywords
    pszUrl       As Asciiz Ptr ' URL to jump to if no keywords found (may be NULL)
    pszMsgText   As Asciiz Ptr ' Message text to display in MessageBox if pszUrl is NULL and no keyword match
    pszMsgTitle  As Asciiz Ptr ' Message text to display in MessageBox if pszUrl is NULL and no keyword match
    pszWindow    As Asciiz Ptr ' Window to display URL in
    fIndexOnFail As Long       ' Displays index if keyword lookup fails.
  End Type


  %HH_KEYWORD_LOOKUP       = &H000D


  '------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ' Open content sensitive help
  '------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Function thinBasic_Help(ByVal hParent As Long, ByVal HelpKeyword As String) As Long
    Local link      As HH_AKLINK
    Local sWord     As String
    Local hHlpWnd   As DWord
    Local lCounter  As Long
  


    sWord =   Ucase$(Trim$(HelpKeyword)) + ";" + _
              LCase$(Trim$(HelpKeyword)) + ";" + _
              MCase$(Trim$(HelpKeyword))


    link.cbStruct     = SizeOf(HH_AKLINK)
    link.fReserved    = %FALSE
    link.pszKeywords  = StrPtr(sWord)
    link.fIndexOnFail = %FALSE            '---We will automatically do this


    '---thinBasic help file
    hHlpWnd = HtmlHelp(hParent, "c:\thinBasic\Help\thinBasic.chm" + $NUL, %HH_KEYWORD_LOOKUP, VarPtr(link))
    If hHlpWnd <> 0 Then
      'MsgBox 0, "Help found"
    End If
  
  End Function




thinBasic_Help(0, "Dim")

[ReneMiner]

yeah- that's one step beyond already... this would be the function for [F1]-key.

And can i just shell the file too - without to pass any keyword?-

Edit, nevermid. fIndexOnFail = True does it

[ErosOlmi]

Yes exactly.

I do not go into the index because on fail I need to loop though all user helps installed in thinBasic.
Researched keyword maybe is a keyword of other help files.
And only if I end without any keyword found ... I switch into thinBasic index.

%HH_KEYWORD_LOOKUP command info can be found in Microsoft documentation here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...(v=vs.85).aspx
with all other possible commands regarding help.