DOCERR: HELP_PARTIALKEY Doesn't List Topics in Dialog Box (93114)

SUMMARY

Page 987 of the Windows SDK "Programmer's Reference, Volume 2: Functions" manual incorrectly describes the HELP_PARTIALKEY command for the WinHelp API as:

Displays the topic found in the keyword list that matches the keyword passed in the dwData parameter if there is one exact match. If there is more than one match, displays the Search dialog box with the topics found listed in the Go To list box.

This statement is not correct.

MORE INFORMATION

If the HELP_PARTIALKEY command is specified when calling the WinHelp API and more than one match exists, or if there is one exact match for the keyword but the keyword is defined for more than one topic, then the search dialog box is displayed. The Go To list box found in the Search dialog box does not display the topics as the documentation states.

The first keyword that matches the dwData parameter is selected in the keyword combo box. If the keyword is an exact match, then the user should choose the Show Topics button to display the topics in the Go To list box. If there are multiple matches, then the user should decide which keyword is correct, select that keyword, and choose Show Topics in order to fill up the Go To list box.

For example, if a Help file contains the following keywords

Rectangle
Stack
Stand
Start
Stop
Triangle

and WinHelp is called using the HELP_PARTIALKEY command, with dwData pointing to a string containing "st", the Search dialog box will be displayed with the keyword "Stack" selected in the keyword combo box. The user must determine which of the keywords beginning with "st" is correct, select that keyword, and choose the Show Topics button, which causes the Go To list box to be filled.

In this same example, if Stack is passed as a keyword, there is one exact match. If only one topic has Stack for a keyword, then that topic will be displayed in the Help engine. If multiple topics have Stack as a keyword, then the Search dialog box will be displayed with Stack selected in the keyword combo box, but the Go To list box will remain empty until the user chooses the Show Topics button. When this button is chosen, the Go To list box will be filled with the titles of the topics marked with the keyword Stack.