Help files

[Rob.Mills]

Does anyone else have this happen.

When I look up things in the help file, many selections don't open anything. It's like you need to reference a library for them or something.

 

[Jack Cowley]

Access help is in need of help.... If you are using Access2000 then help questions related to code are available when you are on a code page. If you have Access97 then use the help there because you will at least find the answer, assuming that one is available. No guarantee that you will be able to understand the answer, but at least you should be able to find it.... Next thing to do is to get Microsoft to hire Pat Hartman to write the help files as her prose is at least 5 magnitudes better than that of the MS help file writers...

Jack

 

[Rob.Mills]

I'd have to agree that it needs help. I'm running 2000 and that's the only version I have. I was trying to look up things on replication. I just started dabbling in it and want to find as much info as I can. Mostly what I'm interested in is creating code that will automatically handle conflicts instead of giving the option to the users. Know of anywhere I can find some tips?

 

[Pat Hartman]

I went through this frustration at my last client's office, unfortunately I didn't take notes so I don't know where I got stuff. When I installed A2K on my home PC, I installed ALL the help files, etc. so I never had any problem. Most installations done by PC support in the office place do typical installs which leave these out. I would suggest uninstalling Office (not just Access) and reinstalling with ALL options selected (as they should be for a developer). You want ALL the help files for ALL the office products to be installed. Then to get the ancillary help files (you need ADO and DAO), make sure that the appropriate help files are installed (I don't know how if a full install of office didn't do it) and make sure that a reference to them is checked. Also, you will need to open the help dialog from the VBA window rather than the database window. The ADO help files are in the following directory on my system:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\ADO (win95)
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Office10\1033 (win XP)
The DAO files are in:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\DAO (win95)
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Office10\1033 (win XP)

Thanks Jack, but I find most of the help entries helpful, probably because I have the background to understand what I am reading. The problem with help is FINDING anything.

 

[Jack Cowley]

You are welcome Pat. I must admit that the help files are generally 'helpful' but I do find the prose sometimes difficult. I am sure that some of it has to do with not being totally fluent in the language of Access, VBA and databases as Access is an avocation for me. I find your explanations concise and easy to grasp whereas an Access help explanation can leave me wondering what I just read. Be that as it may, I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate all that you do for those of us 'playing' with Access for our own amusement and amazement.

Jack

 

[Pat Hartman]

You know what I think the problem with the help files is (once you get beyond finding something relevant), I think they are written by professional people who don't actually do development with Access. So, in many cases, the examples they use are trivial and generally not helpful. One of the hardest things for me was figuring out syntax when refering to something other than a literal. Many of the posters have exactly the same problem. What a difference a non-trivial help example of DLookup() would make for example.

 

[Jack Cowley]

I could not have stated it better! That is why I want you to write the help files! I find some of the code examples almost irrelevant and only confuse the issue when a simple and direct example would have been so much better. I laughed out loud out your DLookup() example as that is PERFECT. I must see 3 questions a day on how to use DLookup() because the user can't make sense of it. Not a single example of using text or a date as criteria... Oh well, I am beating a dead horse....

Thanks Pat!