Empty VBA Help Topic Windows

[Scott Hartog]

The problem is that I cannot access any of the VBA Help Topics by
clicking F1 or by selecting a topic from the table of contents. The help
window pops-up, but it is always empty. Note that the help table of contents
appears correctly in the right-side panel. This problem applies to the VBA
Editor started from Excel and from Visio. I have not tried it from the VBA
editor in other apps. It also applies to VBA help topics select from the main
app (Excel, Visio). Note also that the non-VBA Help Topics (like the main
Excel help) function correctly.

I originally posted this question on 7/7/2006 under the subject "Frustrating
Problem with VBA Help in Office2003", but no one responded. I'm re-posting
with a different subject line in the hopes of attracting an expert response.
At least 1 other person is also experiencing this problem. They posted under
the subject "Why can't I
access VBA Help topics?" on 6/6/2006 -- also with no resolution.

Details...

I have all (Excel, Visio, Word, Outlook, etc...) of the VBA Language
Reference options installed with Office2003. I have another machine with the
same installation and the VBA Help Topics work fine there. Essentially the
same applications are installed on both machines.

I am experiencing the problem listed in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as
KB887706. I have tried the solution listed in KB887706 (install Access2003).
I have also run the repair utility for Office2003 and the re-install utility
for
Office2003. I have additionally completely uninstalled Office2003 and
re-installed it
along with all the service packs and updates. (I re-booted between each
step.) For each of these attempts, I have installed all the Office2003
applications (including Access2003) and I have selected all of the VBA
Language Reference options to be installed.

None of these efforts have had the slightest affect on the problem. I
suspect that the problem is a registry entry or a file that is not removed by
the uninstall utility.

I rely heavily on the F1 key when I program VBA macros in Excel. Any help on
this issue would be greatly appreciated.

I have posted this to "Excel Programming" because there exists no forum
dedicated to VBA or to VBA help (at least none that I could locate).

--Scott Hartog

 

[moon]

I have that too Scott, not always.
If it happens, I just press Ctrl-Alt-Delete, I kill the MSOHELP.EXE process
and press F1 again.

 

[Bob Phillips]

same here.

--
HTH

Bob Phillips

(replace somewhere in email address with gmail if mailing direct)

 

[Mike Fogleman]

VBA Help is not automatically loaded from the Office CD. You need to check
the item VBA Help in the tree of things to install.

Mike F

 

[Scott Hartog]

Bob and Moon,

My VBA Help problem always happens. VBA Help used to work fine on this
machine, and I'm not sure what started the problem, but it has existed for
months now.

I attempted your suggestion...

I did not have an MSOHELP.EXE process until after I pressed F1 and the empty
help window was up. At that point, I kiiled the MSOHELP.EXE process. Now F1
does nothing. It doesn't even bring up the empty window anymore.

Is there a complete list of registry entries and .dlls associated with VBA
Help somewhere? I would like to uninstall Office2003 and make a clean sweep
of the VBA cobwebs left behind. (As I stated in my post, just uninstalling
and reinstalling does not fix my problem.)

--Scott

 

[Scott Hartog]

I have VBA Help installed. VBA Help used to work fine on this machine, and
then it developed this problem. I'm not sure what triggered the problem, but
it has existed for months now.

--Scott

 

[Trevor Shuttleworth]

Scott

I don't suppose you installed the Office 2007 Beta ?

I have the same problem as you ... not for every option but a lot. I
installed Office 2007 but didn't really like the interface and a couple of
bugs put me off so I uninstalled it. I've only noticed this problem since
then.

Oh, and Office 2007 screwed my MS Works applications. Not a big problem as
I don't use them that much but I liked having it as an option. I managed to
fix that ... at least at face value ... though I can't remember what I did.

Of course, it could be something completely different. I can't hand on
heart say it started then as I don't constantly use the VBA Help so it's
difficult to pinpoint the exact time it went wrong.

Thanks for highlighting this ... I was beginning to think it was just me.

Regards

Trevor