FIX: Problems Viewing C README.DOC in PWB 1.0 Online Help and QH (63661)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Programmer's Workbench for MS-DOS 1.0
  • Microsoft Programmer's Workbench for OS/2 1.0
This article was previously published under Q63661

SYMPTOMS

Problems can occur when attempting to access the C version 6.0 README.DOC from the main contents screen in the DOS version of Programmer's WorkBench (PWB) version 1.0 or QuickHelp via the online help.

When attempting to view the README.DOC file using the online help inside the DOS version of PWB, the messages "Error displaying help" and then "Cannot process cross reference" may be displayed in successive dialog boxes.

When attempting to view the README.DOC file from within QuickHelp, the message "The database README.DOC is not open, or the topic is not found" may be displayed.

RESOLUTION

The following are two possible workarounds for the problem in PWB version 1.0:

  1. The README.DOC file can be loaded into the help system by typing the following

    arg "$PATH:readme.doc!" arg pwbhelp

    with default keys:

    Alt+A $PATH:readme.doc! F1

    Note that this method may fail if there is another file named README.DOC in the path before the C 6.00 README.DOC. If this is the case, the other README.DOC will be loaded instead of the C 6.0 README.DOC. This method can also fail if there is not enough memory to load the file into the help system. -or-

  2. If the previous method fails, the C 6.0 README.DOC can be loaded into PWB as a normal text file by choosing Open from the File menu. The README.DOC can be found in the C 6.0 bound executable directory (for example, C:\C600\BINB).
The following are three possible workarounds for the problem in QuickHelp:

  1. Inside QuickHelp, choose Search from the View menu, type $PATH:readme.doc! and press ENTER. Again, this will bring up the first README.DOC on the path.
  2. You can also choose Open from the File menu and load the the file by giving the full path and filename of the C 6.0 README.DOC. QuickHelp allows you to open any text file under 64K in size.
  3. To enable direct access of the README.DOC from within QuickHelp via the README.DOC button, it is necessary to point the QH environment variable to the directory where the README.DOC is located. For example: 
          set qh=c:\c600\binb\readme.doc
    The QH environment variable is not documented in the C 6.0 printed or online documentation.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem with PWB version 1.0.

README.DOC access is not an issue with PWB version 1.1, since there is no longer a link to the README.DOC on the main Microsoft Advisor contents screen.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/23/2003
Keywords:kb16bitonly kbfix KB63661
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.