The venerable Windows Help program is not supported in Windows Vista out of the box. Furthermore, developers are explicitly prohibited from distributing it with their applications. The viewer is now available via a seperate download.
According to KB 917607, the 32-bit version of Windows Help is no longer being supported.
Therefore, starting with the Microsoft Windows Vista and the Microsoft Windows Server Code Name "Longhorn" operating system releases, the Windows Help program will not ship as a component of Windows. Also, third-party programs that include .hlp files are prohibited from redistributing the Windows Help program together with their products. Users who want to view 32-bit .hlp files must download the program from the Microsoft Download Center, and then install it on their computers. The download for Windows Help is still in development and will be available in early 2007.
Oddly enough, the 16-bit version will continue to ship with Vista.
A search showed only one .HLP file on my computer. Surprisingly, it was included in the VC++ 8.0 samples file from the May 2006 Edition of MSDN Library.
InfoQ Asks: Are you still using or creating .HLP files?
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Community comments
Erroroneous Report, please correct or rescind this news item.
by Brett Jacobson,
Re: Erroroneous Report, please correct or rescind this news item.
by Jonathan Allen,
Re: Erroroneous Report, please correct or rescind this news item.
by William Wells,
Erroroneous Report, please correct or rescind this news item.
by Brett Jacobson,
Your message is awaiting moderation. Thank you for participating in the discussion.
Microsoft released WinHlp32 (.hlp Viewer) for Windows Vista on March 7, 2007.
www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?family...
Re: Erroroneous Report, please correct or rescind this news item.
by Jonathan Allen,
Your message is awaiting moderation. Thank you for participating in the discussion.
My appologies for the error.
Re: Erroroneous Report, please correct or rescind this news item.
by William Wells,
Your message is awaiting moderation. Thank you for participating in the discussion.
According to the info on the above download site Jonathan Allen's report is correct. To quote from the Overview section of the MS download site "Windows Help (WinHlp32.exe) is a Help program that has been included with Microsoft Windows versions starting with the Microsoft Windows 3.1 operating system. However, the Windows Help program has not had a major update for many releases and no longer meets Microsoft's standards. Therefore, starting with the release of Windows Vista, the Windows Help program will not ship as a feature of Windows. If you want to view 32-bit .hlp files, you must download and install the program (WinHlp32.exe) from the Microsoft Download Center."