ID Number: Q68989
1.03 1.05 1.06 1.07 | 1.03 1.05 1.06 1.07
MS-DOS | OS/2
buglist1.03 buglist1.05 buglist1.06 buglist1.07
Summary:
When using HELPMAKE.EXE to decode concatenated help databases, you
must use the "Decode Split" option (/DS). If a concatenated help
database is decoded with either "Decode" (/D) or "Decode Unformatted"
(/DU), HELPMAKE may be caught in an infinite loop that will eventually
fill the hard disk.
More Information:
If OS2.HLP is decoded with
helpmake /D /Ooutfile OS2.HLP
HELPMAKE will decompress the first database in OS2.HLP over and over
until either the disk fills up or you stop the program (with a
CTRL+BREAK, for instance).
If OS2.HLP is decoded with
helpmake /DS OS2.HLP
it is broken into STRUCT.HLP, MACROS.HLP, and TABLES.HLP. These help
files can then be decoded properly with the /D or /DU option.
If you don't know how a help file is assembled, the following are the
steps to take to decompress it:
1. Save a backup copy of the help file in case of problems.
2. Rename the help file to "TEMP.HLP".
3. Split the file as follows:
HELPMAKE /DS TEMP.HLP
If the file is not a concatenated database, you will get a single
file with the name of the help database as it was originally built
(the internal database name).
If the file is a concatenated database, you will get individual
help files with the internal database names. For OS2.HLP, these are
STRUCT.HLP, MACROS.HLP, and TABLES.HLP.
4. Decode the resulting files as follows:
HELPMAKE /D TEMP1.HLP /OTEMP1.SRC
HELPMAKE /D TEMP2.HLP /OTEMP2.SRC
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem with HELPMAKE.EXE versions
1.03, 1.05, and 1.06. We are researching this problem and will post new
information here as it becomes available.