Hi

For some reason each time I try to access the VFP 9 help file the following messagebox appears:

An ActiveX control on this page might be unsafe to interact with other parts of the page. Do you wish to allow this interaction?

If you select Yes, the help file does appear but when you try to view the examples, the hyperlinks will not expand.

A couple of searches revealed that this could be setting in IE so I changed that without success. I am also using a FireFox browser but that doesn't have settings the same as IE9.

I have not installed any additional software and this message has only recently appeared. Virus checked etc all done.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated as the help file is very useful.

I am using VFP9, Windows 7.

Thank you

Lee

Is the help file on a network drive?

Lee,

Which setting in Internet Explorer did you try? The reason I ask is that there is a specific setting that tells it to prompt for permission when it encounters a page with ActiveX controls. The setting in question is Options / Security / Custom Level / Automatic Prompting for ActiveX controls. You need this to be set to Disable.

The fact that Firefox is your default browser doesn't make any difference. The FoxPro help file uses IE to render its pages.

Failing that, I think Dan's suggestion is worth following up. Microsoft doesn't like its CHM Help files being accessed across a network. If that's what you're doing, try moving it to a local drive.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips, training, consultancy

danfreeman: No, the help file is on a standalone desktop computer

Mike: "Automatic Prompting for ActiveX controls. You need this to be set to Disable". Yes, this is already set at disable.

I'm racking my brains on this one, just not sure why it's happening.

Apologies for the delay in replying and thanks for your posts so far.

Lee

In IE9 I don't find the options about ActiveX and scripting in the extended tab of the internet options. In this section you could allow ActiveX.
Why use an ActiveX within the chm? Could you replace it by something else?

Bye, Olaf.

Hello Olaf

I am not creating a chm I'm trying to use the VFP 9 help file for my own guidance unless I've misunderstood you.

Lee

In your original post you mention using Firefox. Walk away from that. It is unrelated. The Windows help system uses the Internet Explorer ActiveX control to display help topics. This actually doesn't have anything to do with VFP since it's the Windows help system that's misbehaving.

OK? Got that? Just want to make sure we've established that as a baseline.

Given that baseline, we're obviously looking at EITHER IE security settings *or* Windows security settings. It could go either way. For example, if you have that help file installed in a directory where executable content is "controlled" (not the right word), you might rightly expect Windows to jump up and say hello.

Since you say that this was working before and only recently stopped working, you need to figure out what changed. When something stops working, that should always be your first question: what changed?

A likely candidate is either Windows Update or IE's update (or even both). It's your job to figure out which.

Ok, misunderstood.

I suggest you simply try to download the enhanced community version of the fox help from VFPX here:
http://vfpx.codeplex.com/releases/view/23319

Install and then see if the new chm does not misbehave. Otherwise still the question is about IE or windows settings.

Bye, Olaf.

One other question: how are you opening this help file?

Are you doing it from inside VFP or are you double-clicking it from Windows Explorer?

Olaf: Downloading now as I post this....

danfreeman: From inside VFP. And with regards to: "Since you say that this was working before and only recently stopped working, you need to figure out what changed. When something stops working, that should always be your first question: what changed?"

A likely candidate is either Windows Update or IE's update (or even both). It's your job to figure out which."

This is something I have been trying do and as far as I am aware, nothing has changed. I have also carried out a restore to a previous point over a month ago just in case. I use the VFP 9 help file to assist with my projects and look for sollutions to the best of my ability.

I'll see what happens with the new VFP help file but it appears to me that the last few posts I have made on Tek-Tips seem to have had some negative replies so for that reason, I wont bother you again guys.

Thanks for all the help in the past.

Lee

Don't go away! We're just getting to some interesting information!

You've now provided important information we didn't have before: that you're opening the help file from within VFP. What happens if you double click the file from Windows Explorer? This is a very important piece of the puzzle, not some mental game-play.

If the help file opens just fine outside of VFP, then we know your instance of VFP doesn't have sufficient privileges to launch outside processes. If not, then another problem is indicated. Either way, it's important to know before deciding what to do next.

Lee,

I'm sorry you think some of your recent posts have had negative responses. I don't know the details, but I'm sure that's not what was intended.

As far as your present problem is concerned, Dan and Olaf do seem willing to help. So please stay around; you might still get a solution.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips, training, consultancy

Ok sorry guys , perhaps it was just me misinterpreting the responses (thanks Mike).

In answer to danfreeman: "You've now provided important information we didn't have before: that you're opening the help file from within VFP. What happens if you double click the file from Windows Explorer? This is a very important piece of the puzzle, not some mental game-play."

Yes, I can open the help file outside of VFP9 within windows explorer with no errors.

The mystery continues....

Thank you


Lee

Quote:

Yes, I can open the help file outside of VFP9 within windows explorer with no errors.

That actually lifts the veil on the mystery quite a bit. There's nothing at all wrong with the help file, or with Windows. VFP is running with the wrong permissions level. I'm betting, as I suggested earlier, a Windows Update changed this but you may not have noticed the behavior for some time so you don't associate it.

What happens if you right-click on VFP9.exe and choose "Run as Administrator"? The help file should work just fine.

If that's the case, you have several options. All of them revolve around right-clicking vfp9.exe, choosing Properties, and visiting the Compatibility tab.

For future reference, you might want to create a desktop shortcut to the help file and always open it that way anyway. I often have the VFP help file open even if VFP isn't running.

Quote (Dan)

I often have the VFP help file open even if VFP isn't running.

Including for when you're answering questions on Tek Tips, I assume.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips, training, consultancy

Good morning

I'm not back until tonight so don't have access to my desktop computer. As soon as I can I will update this thread with a result.

The joys of iPads I say!

Thanks again guys


Lee

danfreeman

I tried your suggestion by running the vfp9.exe file as an administrator but I'm still getting the ActiveX message when I try to use the Help File.

I have already created a shortcut from the Help File to my desktop and that works fine.

The compatibility was set to Windows XP service pack 3 and the run as administrator check box was clicked. VFP9 runs ok but again the help file gave the activex message.

So in view of that, I am happy for the time being that I can at least use the help file if needs be and when I get some more time I'll look into this a bit deeper and post back.

I'm giving you stars for your help (and inspiration)

Thanks again for your posts guys, I appreciate it.


Lee

As the chm works directly, but not from within vfp9, try to register vfp9.exe via calling "vfp9.exe /regserver". Do the same with foxhhelp9.exe, which you find in \PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\MICROSOFT SHARED\VFP.

This is not as easy with Win7 as in XP. Either you turn UAC off for the moment, or you need to elevate by running cmd.exe by right click and "run as admin" and then executing these command lines from there while cmd.exe runs as admin.

But actually reinstalling VFP9 should also help with it, then.

Bye, Olaf.

Hi Olaf

Quote (OlafDoschke)

"But actually reinstalling VFP9 should also help with it, then."

I tried a reinstall but still got the same message ActiveX message. I will take a look at your other suggestions and post back in due course.

The fact I have access to the help file via a desktop shortcut helps in any case.

Thank again


Lee

If you're going the reinstall route be careful of the pitfalls.

If the initial install was flawed, and lead to this problem, then repeating exactly the same process will probably achieve exactly the same result! <g>

Make sure you run the installer as administrator!

dan is right, that could help.

But actually as you said the help refused to work recently, my thinking was the flaw could be fixed by a reinstall. Because of course while installing, the vfp9 runtimes and fox9hhelp.exe are registered during the setup process.

You might try to uninstall first, then perhaps install to C:\Users\Public\VFP9 instead of the default installation folder.

Bye, Olaf.