Using Help for Spatial Aspect Viewer

 

  The Spatial Aspect Viewer uses Windows Help system, based on .hlp-files, for its help. The help provides comprehensive explanation of each visual feature of user interface. But Microsoft disabled using of the system, beginning from Windows Vista, by default. A base file of the system WinHlp32.exe has a stub representation on such system, having small size about 10KB. The stub redirects user to Internet for help. Nevertheless Microsoft provides option for users of new Windows versions for install legacy WinHlp32.exe file, by separated installation, which depends from version of OS. More than, Windows 10 doesn’t have this option. You can see detailed explanation of the issue on Microsoft site: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/917607. Also having the optional installation doesn’t close the issue forever. Since Windows Update performs overwriting the legacy help file with its stub again after some time. And after this overwriting, future reinstall of the legacy help file performs flawless, but without actual changing the file. Author on his system experienced this behavior.

  And so author did particular workaround for the issue. It is particular, because user should have the last version of the WinHlp32.exe file from an OS version, which is not higher than current OS of user. So file from XP, which typically has size about 280KB, should work OK on all systems. This file should be placed in folder, where the Spatial Aspect Viewer is installed. The program will check existence of the issue before launching any help command. And only in case of detecting the issue, the program will try using the local WinHlp32.exe file in its folder, by appropriate command line call with followed single tone management of the new process for the file. Missing of the file will result in error message box for the case.

  Using help file of the program outside of it can be performed by drag-and drop action. Here icon of the help file should be dropped in icon of the local WinHlp32.exe file. Also user can create a separate shortcut, which utilizes the local exe-file explicitly in text of its target.

  Also user can work with the program without its help. Status bar will provide majority of detailed explanations for respective commands and controls, upon moving mouse pointer over them. Also tool-tips exist for them all. Additionally user can utilize User Manual for Spatial Aspect Explorer, which contains explanation for majority of features of Viewer, reused in Explorer.

 

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