H2 Info

The main components of MS Help 2.x engine are: hxds.dll and hxvz.dll

Installed to: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Help\

Both files are COM so require registration.

Hxds.dll - Microsoft Help Data Services

Hxvz.dll - Microsoft Help Visuals (Visual components such as TOC and Index)

Note: Later versions of Technet also install MS help 2.x engine.

MSDN Library ships quarterly (Jan, Apr, Jul and Oct).

The Jan 2005 MSDN shipment states: This edition of MSDN library is the last edition that will automatically integrate in VS .NET 2003 and last edition that includes documentation for both VS 2003 and .NET Framework 1.1. Subsequent editions of MSDN Library will be designed to integrate with VS 2005. Also future editions of MSDN Library will install side-by-side. ie. Jan 2006 MSDN Library will install for VS 2003, and April 2006 MSDN Library will, or later, will install for VS 2005.

One user found that instabilities with Help 2.1 (disappearing TOC) were fixed by updating to Help 2.2 (ie. by installing .NET Framework 1.1 SDK or latest MSDN Library). However the MS Help team don't recall fixing any major bugs in 2.2. Hey if it works that's the main thing.

The Help 2.0 SDK (also known as Help 2.0 Workshop), is required to compile your help source to Visual Studio compatible help (.HxS) files. It is important to note that MS Help 2 is designed primarily for Visual Studio help integrators. It is not for creating general application help.

How to Install Help 2.x SDK

VSHIK = Visual Studio Help Integration Kit (AKA Help 2 SDK)

These are all free downloads.

• For VS 2002 (version 7.0) download VSHIK 2002 (Version 2.1)
• VSHIK 2002 Download
• For VS 2003 (version 7.1) download VSHIK 2003 (Version 2.2).
• VSHIK 2003 Download
• For VS 2005 (version 8.0) download Visual Studio 2005 SDK.
• For VS 2008 (version 9.0) download Visual Studio 2008 SDK.
• This was formally called the VSIP SDK but now the VS SDK contains the Help 2 SDK (version 2.5).
  • VS 2008 SDK 1.0 download -- http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=508
  • VS 2008 SDK 1.1 download -- http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21827

What does Help 2.0 SDK Install?

Help 2.0 SDK installs the following:

1. Help Compiler.
2. Help command line utilities - HxConv.exe, HxMerge.exe etc.
3. Help Workshop (integrates into Visual Studio .NET shell).
4. For VS 2005 and later the SDK now installs Innovasys HelpStudio Lite.
5. MSI modules used to integrate your help into VS help
6. Help SDK documentation.

If you use a non-msi registration solution such as H2Reg then MSI modules wont be required.

Help SDK only installs on systems containing Visual Studio .NET. However if you have your own MS Help 2 authoring program (such as FAR HTML or Virtual Media's XDK etc) then it is possible to Install VSHIK without VS .NET.

1. VSHIK 2002 (V2.1) is compatible with VS .NET 7.0 (2002)
2. VSHIK 2003 (V2.2) is compatible with VS .NET 7.1 (2003)
3. Help 2 SDK (V2.5) is now installed with "VS SDK" and is for VS .NET 2005.

Please install the version that matches your VS version. All versions of Help SDK can coexist on the same PC. If VS is not installed then install the later version. All versions are much the same except for documentation updates and VS compatible MSI modules.

About MSI Modules

The MSI modules are used to create installation packages that integrate the help you create into Visual Studio .NET help. VSHIK 2002 contains MSI modules compatible with VS .NET 2002, VSHIK 2003 contains MSI modules compatible with VS .NET 2003, etc.

Using the MSI modules can be very complex. Many developers find it much easier to ignore the MSI modules completely and instead install and register help content using their own installation tools, plus the non-MSI registration tool such as H2Reg.

MS Help 2.x runtime files must be installed before you can view MS Help 2 collections. A runtime standalone installer (like hhupd.exe for HTML Help 1.x), will not be made available as previously planned. Currently the only way to get the H2 runtime files onto a PC is to install one of the following Microsoft applications:

• Visual Studio .NET (Express version is free)
• MSDN Library (must be new H2 based one)
• Tech Net (must be new H2 based one)
• Microsoft Office XP Developer
• Microsoft Office 2007 - Only some of the Help 2 files are installed for Office 2007. HxDs.dll is installed but not DExplore or HxVz.dll which contains the visuals (TOC and Index controls) since Office 12 has it's own custom viewer.

Note that early versions of .NET Framework SDK (1.0, 1.1) also installed the H2 runtime. This is probably the only free method of installing the runtime.

29-Aug-2007

Visual Studio Express (basic version of VS) is a free download. Although you probably can't ship this with your software to customers, a small team of tech-writers who only want the H2 Runtime could download and install this from the MS web site.

Officially, you must have VS .NET installed to install Help 2 Workshop. Unofficially, you can tweak the VSHIK install (VS 7.x) or VS 2005 SDK (VS 8.0) so that it skips the VS .NET dependency check. Thus tech writers and build machines etc. do not need a copy of Visual Studio.

To setup your PC for MS Help 2 authoring without installing VS:

1. Install the MS Help 2 Runtime.
2. EG. Install MSDN, TechNet or .NET SDK (see Runtime info above).
4. Download VSHIK (VS 7.x compatible Help SDK) and follow the instructions on the FAQ page
5. or download VS 2005 SDK (VS 8.0 compatible SDK) and follow the instructions on the FAQ page

Note: For VS 7.x the free Microsoft Workshop authoring tool which runs only in the Visual Studio .NET shell will obviously not be available (since you are not using VS). However other H2 authoring tools such as our shareware tool FAR HTML will work.

Unofficially Microsoft have welcomed this installer tweak.