Security Updates Break HH

KB323180, MS02-055

Shortcuts and WinHelp commands in compiled CHMs now work only on local drives.

No known work around.

KB810687, MS02-055

There is a new Group Policy that can restricts the use of shortcuts to certain folders on the local PC. By default MS have not yet enabled this however your system administrator may enable the policy and thus break shortcut commands from CHMs on the local machine.

MS Security Bulletin MS02-055 says: "The policy sets the HelpQualifiedRootDir key under the System Administrative Template". Normally a search through the registry will not find this key. It is only found if the policy is enabled. Deleting or Renaming this Key will disable the policy.

Registry settings work around at KB810687

KB840315, KB873343

Only files that have the .chm file name extension can be used as compiled HTML Help files. Programs that use other file name extensions (eg. .ITS) for compiled HTML Help files will no longer display content by using HTML Help.

Change over to using .CHM extension.

Registry settings work around at KB873343

MS05-001, KB892675

ActiveX part of HHCtrl.ocx (main HH engine) now only works on the local machine. This breaks servers and websites that use the TOC and Index controls. Also breaks other commands such as HH Related Topics command and HH Version command.

Registry settings work around at KB892675

KB902225, MS05-026

Can't open downloaded CHMs from the web.

Work around at KB902225 says:

To resolve this problem, click to clear the Always ask before opening this file check box in the Open File-Security Warning dialog box, and then click Open. Alternatively, right-click the file that you want to open, click Properties, and then click Unblock.

KB896905, MS05-026

This breaks our product FAR in 2 places that I know of. In the FAR TOC editor is a test command which displays the current TOC or Index being edited in a HTML Frame set (as uncompressed help using HH ActiveX Visual controls). When you click a TOC or Index item the topic opens in the left frame instead of the right.

Policy/Registry settings work around at KB896905