How to read or convert MS-DOS' Help Files (.HLP) in Windows XP ?
I have some MS-DOS' Help Files (.HLP) I need to read/view (or to convert to other extension in order to read and/or edit)... However, when I click on them it appears a window (message box) saying "X.hlp is a DOS help file". How I can read it in Windows XP ?
Here's a sample from my PC.
http://members.cruzio.com/~steed/images/helpfile.jpg
Do you have anything defined under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT for .hlp in your registry?
Gary
http://members.cruzio.com/~steed/images/helpfile.jpg
Do you have anything defined under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT for .hlp in your registry?
Gary
ASKER
grsteed - here are my registry entries :
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
@="Help File"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00
65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32
00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00
6e,00,68,00,6c,00,70,00,33
00,00,00
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
@="Help File"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00
65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32
00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00
6e,00,68,00,6c,00,70,00,33
00,00,00
I believe that the .HLP file can be opened by a program from MS-DOS
call HELP.EXE, (or HELP.COM) that is a part of MS-DOS. According to
this link,
http://www.computerhope.com/helphlp.htm
HELP.EXE is supposed to be included in Windows XP, so I believe that
you should be able to right click the .HLP file, choose Open With...,
then browse to find HELP.EXE in either the Windows folder, or the Windows\System32
folder.
I've done this to access .HLP files when trying to make a USB drive bootable, and
it worked as I was working on getting the system files installed to the drive.
call HELP.EXE, (or HELP.COM) that is a part of MS-DOS. According to
this link,
http://www.computerhope.com/helphlp.htm
HELP.EXE is supposed to be included in Windows XP, so I believe that
you should be able to right click the .HLP file, choose Open With...,
then browse to find HELP.EXE in either the Windows folder, or the Windows\System32
folder.
I've done this to access .HLP files when trying to make a USB drive bootable, and
it worked as I was working on getting the system files installed to the drive.
Another method might be to use the Run... dialog and type HELP <filename>
where <filename> is the complete path to the .HLP file.
where <filename> is the complete path to the .HLP file.
Help.exe is used to access the information and help file from a MS-DOS prompt for help with MS-DOS commands not to open .hlp files.
According that reg key it uses %SystemRoot%\System32\winh
Here's another shareware program that will convert .hlp to .rtf. You should be able to view them that way. I don't know if this will let you edit them and save back to .hlp though.
http://www.sharewareconnection.com/windows-hlp-to-rtf.htm
Here's another possibility from this link http://www.ericphelps.com/batch/basics/index.htm
"Windows 95/98 Batch Help: You may wonder why you can't find DOS command help by using the Help icon on the Start menu. I wonder too. But if you get the missing "OldDos" commands, you'll get the HELP command. You can find the OldDos commands on your Windows 9x CDROM in the \Other\Oldmsdos directory or from:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Products/Windows/Windows95/CDRomExtras/OtherUtilities/olddos.exe
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/mslfiles/olddos.exe
You should know the "Help.com" command requires use of the "Qbasic.exe" and "Help.hlp" files as well. Other useful DOS commands are winset.exe and shortcut.exe. Winset lets you set environment variables globally (they persist once your batch file ends). Shortcut lets you make and modify shortcuts from the command line. You'll find both of these together as "envars.exe" on your CDROM under \Admin\Apptools\Envvars or from Microsoft at:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Products/Windows/Windows95/CDRomExtras/AdministrationTools/ApplicationTools/envars.exe
"
Cheers,
Gary
According that reg key it uses %SystemRoot%\System32\winh
Here's another shareware program that will convert .hlp to .rtf. You should be able to view them that way. I don't know if this will let you edit them and save back to .hlp though.
http://www.sharewareconnection.com/windows-hlp-to-rtf.htm
Here's another possibility from this link http://www.ericphelps.com/batch/basics/index.htm
"Windows 95/98 Batch Help: You may wonder why you can't find DOS command help by using the Help icon on the Start menu. I wonder too. But if you get the missing "OldDos" commands, you'll get the HELP command. You can find the OldDos commands on your Windows 9x CDROM in the \Other\Oldmsdos directory or from:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Products/Windows/Windows95/CDRomExtras/OtherUtilities/olddos.exe
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/mslfiles/olddos.exe
You should know the "Help.com" command requires use of the "Qbasic.exe" and "Help.hlp" files as well. Other useful DOS commands are winset.exe and shortcut.exe. Winset lets you set environment variables globally (they persist once your batch file ends). Shortcut lets you make and modify shortcuts from the command line. You'll find both of these together as "envars.exe" on your CDROM under \Admin\Apptools\Envvars or from Microsoft at:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Products/Windows/Windows95/CDRomExtras/AdministrationTools/ApplicationTools/envars.exe
"
Cheers,
Gary
ASKER
grsteed - the shareware application " Windows HLP To RTF" (from http://www.sharewareconnection.com/windows-hlp-to-rtf.htm) only converts Windows' HLP not MS-DOS' HLP files (to read Windows' HLP I just need to click on them; my problem is to read MS-DOS' HLP files, because when I click on them I get a window (message box) saying "X.hlp is a DOS help file").
The file help.com (from ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Products/Windows/Windows95/CDRomExtras/OtherUtilities/olddos.exe) only can read the file help.hlp (help about all MS-DOS' commands). It does not read other HLP files...
Regards.
The file help.com (from ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Products/Windows/Windows95/CDRomExtras/OtherUtilities/olddos.exe) only can read the file help.hlp (help about all MS-DOS' commands). It does not read other HLP files...
Regards.
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ASKER
saurabh_dua - are you really sure that «In ancient DOS time there was no MS-defined HLP file format. Every program had its own reader for its own help files.» ?
I think DOSBox is a good possibility, but there are some DOS hlp files I have without any exe/com attached to it.
Let's see if someone can say more things, but let me thank you for your help!
I think DOSBox is a good possibility, but there are some DOS hlp files I have without any exe/com attached to it.
Let's see if someone can say more things, but let me thank you for your help!
Yes, I'm sure of that, as in DOS, edit.com has it's own edit.HLP file, but it can be invoked only from EDIT.com's Hrlp menu, not by double click in windows.
If it's a DOS HLP file, search for the exe\com , there should be one..
If it's a DOS HLP file, search for the exe\com , there should be one..
ASKER
saurabh_dua - So is that reason that explains the inexistence of applications to deal with MS-DOS' HLP files ?
yes exactly.., that's the precise reason..
ASKER
OK, thank you. DOSBox is a good solution when possible.
http://www.thefreecountry.com/programming/helpauthoring.shtml
When I open a .hlp file on my XP pro machine, it opens up what looks like a Windows Help box.
The files are binary so they would need converting to edit.
Cheers,
Gary