Issues opening CHM help files


 Product:MicroStation
 Version:V8, XM, V8i
 Environment:N\A
 Area:Documentation & Help
 Subarea:N\A

Background

Sometimes users are facing issues when opening help files (compiled into CHM format) that are provided with Bentley applications. Most often these issues are related to user's environment and is not a flaw in help itself.  I’ll try to cover most frequent ones in this topic.

1. Cannot view CHM files from a remote location in network

Typically the following message is displayed:

Cause

Windows security update prevents accessing chm files over network because of vulnerability that could allow remote code execution.

Solution

  1. Easiest way to solve this issue is moving chm file to local drive. However you may be unaware you are using a network location, in order to check it: right click on the “Navigation to the webpage was canceled” message or anywhere in help reader window, click properties and look at the "Address" field.  Look to the path after the “mk:@MSITStore:“ phrase. If it begins with double slash, then you are using a networked drive.
  2. If you have to use network drive to store chm files, then please review following Microsoft recommendations to enable it: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896054

2. Opening help from application or directly from disk shows error message

The message contains the following:

"Cannot open the file: mk:@MSITStore: C:\Program Files (x86)\Bentley\MicroStation V8i (SELECTseries)\MicroStation\readme_MicroStation.chm".

A key in this message is "mk:@MSITStore" phrase. This solution may not apply if you get a different error type.

Cause

The Microsoft Help system is damaged. Typically it's hard to identify specific causes, but most often it is because of third party installers that either deploy older versions of Help components or fail to register them properly.

Solution

  1. Open command prompt as administrator
  2. Run the following commands to reregister help system components:
    regsvr32 %systemroot%\system32\hhctrl.ocx
    regsvr32 %systemroot%\system32\itss.dll

3. Help is displayed as XML instead of formatted text

Cause:

This is caused by incorrect .htm and .html filetype information in system's registry. Microsoft's HTML Help components will go wrong if a particular registry value is set incorrectly. Also you may notice that only some chm files are displayed incorectly, however other help files are working fine. It might happen if default browser was changed
from Firefox/chrome to Internet Explorer or the other way around.

Solution:

  1. Open regedit and do the following changes:
  2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\.htm and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\.html

    Ensure there is a “Content Type” key (string type) with data “text/html”
    Ensure there is a “PerceivedType” key (string type) with data “text”
  3. Check folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.htm and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html.

    If you don’t find these folders, then do nothing. Otherwise:
    Ensure there is a “Content Type” key (string type) with data “text/html”
    Ensure there is a “PerceivedType” key (string type) with data= “text”

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 Original Author:Linas Burneika