Hide/Enable Help Icon in runtime

[LarryEllefson]

Developed custom MSACCESS 2007 application for user and will distribute with
Runtime package. Have custom Help file also which is presently called by
pressing F1 OR clicking a command button on each form.

Microsoft disables the Help button in Runtime but leaves it on the
application toolbar.

Does anyone know if you can either:

1. Hide the Help button on the toolbar (since it is disabled anyway)
OR
2. Call my custom .chm Help file by repurposing the disabled Help button on
the Access Runtime toolbar.

I don't know why Microsoft disables the Help button in Runtime applications
and still leaves it on the toolbar, but it is useless there unless I can use
it to call my own Help files.

I tried to hide it using Ribbon customization XML coding procedures but
couldn't make that work. I also tried to redirect the Help button to call my
custom Help file but that didn't work either.

Is there any Ribbon XML commands that will do any of the above?

Does anyone have any ideas? I have been all over the net trying get an
answer including Microsoft forums.

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

You can disable it here:

http://www.accessribbon.de/en/index.php?FAQ:13


However, the above may not be much help since you hint it is disabled anyway
in the runtime....

If you want your "own" help file to launch, then specify the help file name
in the "other" tab of the form....

I not tried using that help file feature, but it should override the built
in help file if you do this....

if you not generating true help files, then you likely best just use the
above to disable the ?

 

[Hide/Enable Help Icon in runtime]

If you call your custom help file using the Help File command line on the
form it calls the custom help file by pressing F1 but does NOT overide the
Help question mark icon on the form toolbar or command bar or whatever it is
called. and yes you "grey" out (disable) the question mark icon by using the
Ribbon customization procedure but it's already disabled on the runtime
application anyway, just not "greyed". Thank you for your time and comments.

 

[Sky]

Perhaps you can repurpose the help command with something like this:

<commands>
<command idMso="Help" enabled="true" onAction="MyCustomHelpFunction()"
/>
</commands>

I don't know if it would work with the runtime.

- Steve

 

[LarryE]

Thank you and yes it does work WITH CONDITIONS:
I tried this before BUT I didn't have the Public Function in my general
module set to :

Public Sub ORCASHelp(control As IRibbonControl, ByRef CancelDefault)

where ORCASHelp (the name I gave to the function) calls the custom help file.

This part must be there: (control As IRibbonControl, ByRef CancelDefault)

So now in my custom ribbon
<command idMso="Help" enabled="true" onAction="ORCASHelp"/>
the Help question mark calls my custom file.

 

[JohnnyRedneck]

Hi there,
Been looking to do this for a while and just had success with...
1. under <commands> section in my USysRibbons table added: <command
idMso="Help" enabled="true" onAction="Macro4"/>

2. Macro4 uses "Runcode" to call a function that launches my custom .chm file.

I plan to use a public variable to set context as each form loads.
Hope this helps
John

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Perhaps you can repurpose the help command with something like this:

<commands>
<command idMso="Help" enabled="true" onAction="MyCustomHelpFunction()"
/>
</commands>

I don't know if it would work with the runtime.

Golly...that's is nice help + answer. Thanks a bunch....

 

[Sky]

Sorry, I omitted the equals sign. You can do it with a callback function as
you stated.

But I think you can also call your own simple function if you add the equals
sign to the onAction expression, as follows:

<command idMso="Help" enabled="true" onAction="=MyCustomHelpFunction()" />

- Steve

 

[Kim M.]

But is there a way to hide Help Icon altogether? I tried setting visible to
false and it did not like that much!

Thanks,
Kim