VS 2010 - how do I get that nice F1 feature to work?

[WSinc]

It used to be with earlier VS 2008 and VS 2005 you could highlght a keyword, and it would jump right to
help for that keyword by pressing F1. But now it doesn't work the same way.

What it gives me is stuff unrelated to Fortran. I tried playing with the Help Library Manager, but it says the Fortran compiler stuff is "local." Which means the stuff should already be there.

I can use the HELP pull-down menu to search for a Fortran topic, but that's not the same as the F1 feature we used to have. It's about the 5th item down on the pull down menu.

Any clues about this? I didn't see an option to limit it to Fortran topics.

[IanH]

My local help doesn't come via internet explorer - it is delivered via the Help Viewer (which I strongly suspect is just a modified browser - given it connects to a web server anyway). When I configure help to be online then internet explorer is used (and I can connect to the local webserver using internet explorer manually), but perhaps the application used for local help is also configurable or is subject to other installation/system vagaries.

An example of what I see after I press F1 with the implicit keyword highlighted in the VS editor. This is using the VS2010 shell with service pack one, with ifort 12.1.7's integration (previous versions of ifort having been replaced as newer versions were released) on Windows XP SP3. I see the same with the full professional version of VS2010 SP1 on a different machine (still Windows XP SP3, ifort 12.1.7). On another machine with VS2010 professional on Vista with ifort 12.1.7 installed in parallel with 12.0.5, F1 works as expected.




What do you guys see?

[WSinc]

The F1 feature does not work for me either way.

But I have VS 2010 installed to two computers, and the HELP for
Fortran is not available on one of them. I can't get it on-line either.

That stuff about the Help Library Manager doesn't work either (at least for me).

Possibly the only way to resolve the issue is if someone can take a look using Remote Assist on my
computer and see what's installed.

As I said before, I think co-existing VS 2008 might be causing this.

[WSinc]

The F1 feature does not work for me either way.

But I have VS 2010 installed to two computers, and the HELP for
Fortran is not available on one of them.

I get VS 2010 SHELL when I open it, but that came with the Fortran download.

Is my stuff being blocked? About half the time the reply never appears.

[Wendy_Doerner__Intel]

Hi Wendy back again (I was on vacation yesterday). I can certainly set up a remote sharing to see your system if that would be helpful. Let me take the thread privately so we can work out the details and then I can post the results back to the thread.

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Wendy

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[dboggs]

Has any progress been made on this F1-instant-context-help problem? I notice that Update 8 has become available since this was reported. Not being thrilled about the introduction VS2010 (some nice new features but with questionable implementation and some old things that don't work well any more)--which I feel overall was a step backward, I don't want to spend any more time beta testing new versions unless I know what problems have been fixed.

THE F1 HELP PROBLEM IS A VERY SERIOUS ONE AND I WILL REVERT TO VS2008 IF IT IS NOT FIXED.

[Wendy_Doerner__Intel]

I am checking with the developer on status of a fix. It will not be in Update 8 which had code frozen before this bug was reported.

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Wendy

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[Steven_L_Intel1]

I don't think this is a bug, per se. The feature works if the local help is installed. As we can see from Bill's other threads, something prevented local help from being installed. I gave him some suggestions to get it working.

[dboggs]

I don't think the feature necessarily works if local help is installed. As has been determined from my postings in this thread, I have local help installed (not obvious that it's local but that's what I am told; see above) and F1 help does not work.

[davidspurr]

Just installed the latest version (Update 8) and pleased to find that F1 does bring up Fortran help on my machine desipte still having VS2008 / Version 11 installed. Is web based help not local, but appears to be IVF specific. eg highlighting 'SUM' and pressing F1 brings up the following web page

http://127.0.0.1:47873/help/1-25876/ms.help?product=VS&productVersion=100&method=f1&query=SUM&locale=en-US&DevLang=intelfor&category=DevLang%3aIntelFortran

[WSinc]

Glad you didn't have any problems -

Are you 32 or 64 bit?

Do you have the "full monty" or the VS 2010 SHELL?

My problem might be related to the specific package I was trying to install.

That URL looks like a LOCAL reference to Help contant, since it starts
with 127.0.0.1 etc. It would be nice if it COULD reference something on the Web directly.

But everything I have seen so far says otherwise.

[Steven_L_Intel1]

Quoting davidspurr

Just installed the latest version (Update 8) and pleased to find that F1 does bring up Fortran help on my machine desipte still having VS2008 / Version 11 installed. Is web based help not local, but appears to be IVF specific. eg highlighting 'SUM' and pressing F1 brings up the following web page

http://127.0.0.1:47873/help/1-25876/ms.help?product=VS&productVersion=100&method=f1&query=SUM&locale=en-US&DevLang=intelfor&category=DevLang%3aIntelFortran

It is local. It is connecting to a "web server" Visual Studio established on your own PC - the address 127.0.0.1 is "localhost" and always refers to the current computer.

[WSinc]

If you will permit my "soap box" - - - - - -

Wouldn't it make MUCH MORE SENSE to have on-line help for

the Fortran?

That way, any changes or correction would immediately be available to ALL

Fortran users, regardless of their installation package. And a lot of these problems would

go away.

They could still install it locally in case they don't have an Internet connection.

Like a software manager once told us: "Mysterious and Wonderful" gets you FIRED.

[Wendy_Doerner__Intel]

Note my F1 help also was restored with the Update 8, although Bills help was broken with it and we are working that issue in a private version of this thread and I will join back up with a root cause when we get to it.

Wendy D.
Intel Developer Support

[davidspurr]

Quoting Steve Lionel (Intel)

...

It is local. It is connecting to a "web server" Visual Studio established on your own PC - the address 127.0.0.1 is "localhost" and always refers to the current computer.

Oops, should have noticed that but was focussed more on the "IntelFortran" at the end of the link.

[dboggs]

I too have just installed update 8 and find that this pesky problem (F1) is now fixed. Hooray!

Now if the key problem were fixed (see other thread) (it is not) I could actually use VS2010!