Detecting whether or not WinHelp is installed in Vista
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Since Microsoft is not letting developers include the WinHelp installer for Vista and Win2k8 Server, I need my installer to be able to detect the absence of WinHelp and then make a call into it to get the OS to pop up the window containing the download link. My problem is, since winhlp32.exe is always there, even if WinHelp is not installed, I need another way to detect the absence of WinHelp. Can someone point me to a Registry entry or file that is not there unless WinHelp is installed or a Registry entry that is different when WinHelp is installed vs when it is not? If possible, I would like my detection method to be a generic as possible (i.e., it shouldn't depend on whether it is being run on Vista, Win2k8 or a newer OS).
Rob Holstein (BSc) Software Developer Delta Controls, Inc.
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Since Microsoft is not letting developers include the WinHelp installer for Vista and Win2k8 Server, I need my installer to be able to detect the absence of WinHelp and then make a call into it to get the OS to pop up the window containing the download link. My problem is, since winhlp32.exe is always there, even if WinHelp is not installed, I need another way to detect the absence of WinHelp. Can someone point me to a Registry entry or file that is not there unless WinHelp is installed or a Registry entry that is different when WinHelp is installed vs when it is not? If possible, I would like my detection method to be a generic as possible (i.e., it shouldn't depend on whether it is being run on Vista, Win2k8 or a newer OS).
Rob Holstein (BSc) Software Developer Delta Controls, Inc.
Hi, Rob! I think the following info will help you: Unless WinHelp update is installed, the file %SystemRoot%\WinHlp32.exe weights 9 KB (9,216 bytes). After you have this update installed, its weight increases up to 290 KB. So, you can just check, if WinHlp32.exe's size is less than, for example, 50 KB. I hope it will help you.
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Hi, Rob! I think the following info will help you: Unless WinHelp update is installed, the file %SystemRoot%\WinHlp32.exe weights 9 KB (9,216 bytes). After you have this update installed, its weight increases up to 290 KB. So, you can just check, if WinHlp32.exe's size is less than, for example, 50 KB. I hope it will help you.
That doesn't seem to be the case. I'm looking at a Vista machine that has not had WinHelp installed, and its WinHlp32.exe weighs in at about 277 kB. I'm afraid I'm going to need a different solution.
Rob Holstein (BSc) Software Developer Delta Controls, Inc.