help on help

I want to make sure that peghelp.exe is not running when I start my
application. How do I find out if it is and then destroy the process?

I'm using this to find out if it exists :

HWND Help = ::FindWindow(_T("Help"), _T(""));

However, I always get NULL even when it is definitely running.

I have also found that when help has been started in windows that it is
difficult to terminate it, while if I call
CreateProcess(TEXT("peghelp.exe"),... then I can destroy the process.

I guess I should just leave it at seeing if anyone can help out with finding
the help window handle first though.

Ilya
Thu Dec 30 01:47:17 CST 2004

You can use tool help functions for find the "peghelp.exe" process.
(Process32First, Process32Newt and other)
"newest newbie" <newestnewbie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6F06345C-C29D-4702-9019-4A36F3FFA824@microsoft.com...
> I want to make sure that peghelp.exe is not running when I start my
> application. How do I find out if it is and then destroy the process?
>
> I'm using this to find out if it exists :
>
> HWND Help = ::FindWindow(_T("Help"), _T(""));
>
> However, I always get NULL even when it is definitely running.
>
> I have also found that when help has been started in windows that it is
> difficult to terminate it, while if I call
> CreateProcess(TEXT("peghelp.exe"),... then I can destroy the process.
>
> I guess I should just leave it at seeing if anyone can help out with
finding
> the help window handle first though.

Peter
Thu Dec 30 04:12:08 CST 2004

The second parameter of FindWindow is the windows caption (First is the
class name) so try:-
FindWindow(NULL, _T("Help"));

Peter

--
Peter Foot
Windows Embedded MVP
www.inthehand.com | www.opennetcf.org

"newest newbie" <newestnewbie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6F06345C-C29D-4702-9019-4A36F3FFA824@microsoft.com...
>I want to make sure that peghelp.exe is not running when I start my
> application. How do I find out if it is and then destroy the process?
>
> I'm using this to find out if it exists :
>
> HWND Help = ::FindWindow(_T("Help"), _T(""));
>
> However, I always get NULL even when it is definitely running.
>
> I have also found that when help has been started in windows that it is
> difficult to terminate it, while if I call
> CreateProcess(TEXT("peghelp.exe"),... then I can destroy the process.
>
> I guess I should just leave it at seeing if anyone can help out with
> finding
> the help window handle first though.

r_z_aret
Thu Dec 30 14:54:08 CST 2004

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 16:11:02 -0800, "newest newbie"
<newestnewbie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I want to make sure that peghelp.exe is not running when I start my
>application. How do I find out if it is and then destroy the process?
>
> I'm using this to find out if it exists :
>
>HWND Help = ::FindWindow(_T("Help"), _T(""));
>
> However, I always get NULL even when it is definitely running.

I was skeptical about "Help" in this context. But I just used Remote
Spy ++, and confirmed it is, indeed, the window class name for the
main window for the help system (PegHelp). Have you tried using NULL
(defined in windef.h), rather than _T(""), as the second argument?
That's what I use as the second argument when I specify the window
class name. Otherwise, I'm puzzled.


>
>I have also found that when help has been started in windows that it is
>difficult to terminate it, while if I call
>CreateProcess(TEXT("peghelp.exe"),... then I can destroy the process.
>
>I guess I should just leave it at seeing if anyone can help out with finding
>the help window handle first though.


-----------------------------------------
To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please indicate which newsgroup and message).

Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
PenFact, Inc.
500 Harrison Ave., Suite 3R
Boston, MA 02118
www.penfact.com

newestnewbie
Thu Dec 30 18:11:01 CST 2004

Thank you everyone very much for your help with help :)

Here's what worked for me:

FindWindow(NULL, _T("Help"));

Thanks again

r_z_aret
Fri Dec 31 15:13:29 CST 2004

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 16:11:01 -0800, "newest newbie"
<newestnewbie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Thank you everyone very much for your help with help :)
>
>Here's what worked for me:
>
> FindWindow(NULL, _T("Help"));

A word of caution:

Using FindWindow and specifying a caption (second argument) can be
slow or worse. The following is includes a detailed discussion
http://www.flounder.com/nomultiples.htm
(look for a section called "Why FindWindow doesn't work" and then look
for a paragraph that starts "But things get worse".

I _think_ FindWindow is less problematic when using only the first
argument. This is based mostly on my own _anecdotal_ experience with
both uses of FindWindow, but not controlled testing or even decent
notes. It is partly based on what I don't see in the article I
referenced and similar discussions (sorry, I think any attempt to
clarify this sentence will muddy instead).


>
> Thanks again

-----------------------------------------
To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please indicate which newsgroup and message).

Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
PenFact, Inc.
500 Harrison Ave., Suite 3R
Boston, MA 02118
www.penfact.com