Where is code for F1 Help text?

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

juancha - 10 Nov 2006 19:11 GMT

I am translating forms which use Status bar and F1 Help text for screen
readers to make forms accessible to persons who are blind. I also use a CAT
tool called DVX which retains formatting of the base form by filtering
English text out and replacing with my translated text. Since much of the
Help text repeats the form labels for the benefit of the screen reader, I
would only have to translate once IF I could access the Help text with my CAT
filter. Where is code for these entries? What is it written in? Any
suggestions? Is it possible to export Help text or manipulate in any way?

TIA

Reply to this Message

John Nurick - 12 Nov 2006 09:24 GMT

Hi Juancha,

In Windows applications, F1 Help text is normally stored in compiled
form in .CHM or .HLP files. Access applications may use either of these
or a "home-brewed" system to respond to F1.

HLP is the older format, used by the WinHelp system that's vbeen
included in Windows since the early 1990s if not before.

CHM is used by the more modern HTML Help system, which in turn is used
by almost all current Microsoft software.

Inspect the form's HelpFile property. If it points to a HLP or CHM file,
that's where the help text is stored. If possible, get the developer to
provide the source file for the compiled HLP or CHM file: this is
normally in RTF or HTML format. Otherwise, search the web for
decompile CHM
or some such.

If the HelpFile property is empty, F1 help is being provided some other
way. Maybe there's a form in the database to display help, with a table
where the help text is stored.

>I am translating forms which use Status bar and F1 Help text for screen
>readers to make forms accessible to persons who are blind. I also use a CAT
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>TIA

--
John Nurick [Microsoft Access MVP]

Please respond in the newgroup and not by email.

Reply to this Message

John Nurick - 12 Nov 2006 09:34 GMT

My brain wasn't in gear when I wrote this. For Word things are a bit
different.

If this is a form consisting of formfields in a protected document, the
status bar text and help message are stored in the StatusText and
HelpText properties of each formfield.

If the form is a VBA Userform, the text below is relevant, except that
the HelpFile property belongs to the VBA project rather than the form.

Hi Juancha,

In Windows applications, F1 Help text is normally stored in compiled
form in .CHM or .HLP files. Access applications may use either of these
or a "home-brewed" system to respond to F1.

HLP is the older format, used by the WinHelp system that's vbeen
included in Windows since the early 1990s if not before.

CHM is used by the more modern HTML Help system, which in turn is used
by almost all current Microsoft software.

Inspect the form's HelpFile property. If it points to a HLP or CHM file,
that's where the help text is stored. If possible, get the developer to
provide the source file for the compiled HLP or CHM file: this is
normally in RTF or HTML format. Otherwise, search the web for
decompile CHM
or some such.

If the HelpFile property is empty, F1 help is being provided some other
way. Maybe there's a form in the database to display help, with a table
where the help text is stored.

>I am translating forms which use Status bar and F1 Help text for screen
>readers to make forms accessible to persons who are blind. I also use a CAT
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>TIA

--
John Nurick [Microsoft Access MVP]

Please respond in the newgroup and not by email.

Reply to this Message

juancha - 13 Nov 2006 15:11 GMT

John,
Thanks for your response. I know how to open add/edit status bar and F1 help
text by opening each field properties window, but I was hoping there was a
cleaner way to access the Help text itself. In this case, forms contain many
fields which repeat the form text for the benefit of the screen reader and I
have to open each properties, then Help text window to see what text it
contains, then back out, find corresponding Spanish text, go back in, and
hope the Spanish equivalent "fits" within the character limits. If not, I
create a new field and divide and insert Spanish as needed.

There has to be a better way, but I can't "see" the code attached to the
field properties Help text. Any suggestions for a better workaround?

Thanks again for any assistance you can give,

Juancha

> My brain wasn't in gear when I wrote this. For Word things are a bit
> different.
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
>
> Please respond in the newgroup and not by email.

Reply to this Message

Jean-Guy Marcil - 13 Nov 2006 15:36 GMT

juancha was telling us:
juancha nous racontait que :

> John,
> Thanks for your response. I know how to open add/edit status bar and
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> the field properties Help text. Any suggestions for a better
> workaround?

Do you mean this kind of help:

Dim fldForm As FormField

Set fldForm = ActiveDocument.FormFields(1)

With fldForm
'If you do mt include this line, WOrd will assume that the text for the
F1 help is from an AutoText
.OwnHelp = True
.HelpText = "Help when using F1 Key"
.StatusText = "Help displayed in Status bar"

MsgBox .HelpText
MsgBox .StatusText
End With

But, if AutoText entries were used to create the Help text, try this
instead:

Dim fldForm As FormField

Set fldForm = ActiveDocument.FormFields(2)

With fldForm
MsgBox NormalTemplate.AutoTextEntries(.HelpText).Value
End With

(Of course, change NormalTemplate if needed to reflect were the AutoText is
stored)

Signature

Salut!
_______________________________________
Jean-Guy Marcil - Word MVP
jmarcilREMOVE@CAPSsympatico.caTHISTOO
Word MVP site: http://www.word.mvps.org

Reply to this Message

juancha - 16 Nov 2006 18:04 GMT

Jean-Guy,
Merci beaucoup. I passed your response on to some of my programming friends
for their perusal. I'm sure they will understand what to do.

Juancha

> juancha was telling us:
> juancha nous racontait que :
[quoted text clipped - 44 lines]
> (Of course, change NormalTemplate if needed to reflect were the AutoText is
> stored)

Reply to this Message