Microsoft KB Archive/186872

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FIX: Error "The topic does not exist" Using VC5 Help & Word 97

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Q186872

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, version 5.0

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SYMPTOMS
When you use the Visual C++ 5.0 MFC AppWizard to create a project that includes context-sensitive help, the following error occurs when you try to access Help from the application:

The topic does not exist. Contact your application vendor for an updated

Help file. (129)

The help compiler may also display errors in the Microsoft Help Workshop, such as :

HC4002: Warning: The RTF file .\ is corrupted at offset <###>

CAUSE
This error message is generated by two situations:


 * The Help file does not exist.
 * The Help file does not contain a specific context-sensitive mapped topic.

One possible explanation for why the help file may not exist is that the help compiler that ships with Visual C++ 5.0 does not properly recognize Rich Text Format (RTF) tag names created in Microsoft Word 97 RTF documents. As a result, the help compiler does not generate a help file when the project is built.

RESOLUTION
NOTE: The updated version of the Help Compiler, 4.03, is shipped with Microsoft Visual Studio, version 6.0.

The following file corrects this problem and is available for download from the Microsoft Software Library:

"Hcwsetup.exe" For more information about downloading files from the Microsoft Software Library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

"Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services"

Rebuild the Project with the Updated Help Compiler

 * 1) Install the new help compiler. Use either the Run command on the Start menu to run Hcwsetup.exe or double-click Hcwsetup.exe in Windows Explorer. When prompted to select the destination folder, type the path to the [DevStudio Path]\Vc\Bin directory.
 * 2) Verify that the correct version is now installed. Click Start, and then point to Programs, Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0. Click Help Workshop. On the Help menu of Help Workshop, click Version. The files Hcw.exe, Hcrtf.exe, and Hwdll.dll should be version 4.03.0002.
 * 3) Rebuild the project in Developer Studio so that the new help compiler creates a new Help file.

STATUS
The updated version of the Help Compiler, 4.03, is shipped with Microsoft Visual Studio, version 6.0.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

 * 1) Create an MFC AppWizard (exe) project in Visual C++ 5.0.
 * 2) In Step 4 of the wizard, select Context-sensitive Help under "What features would you like to include?". Click Finish to create a new Project Workspace.
 * 3) Edit the Afxcore.rtf file in the [Project Name]\hlp directory with Microsoft Word 97, and save it.
 * 4) Build the project, and launch the resulting MFC application.
 * 5) On the Help menu of your application, click Help Topics. If a dialog box with a Contents tab appears, double-click on any topic. The error message appears.