Where are the basic Help pages for Windows Dialog programming in Fortran in VS2019?

TonyRichards · ‎12-11-2021

Even after following instructions in answers to earlier posts here by myself I still have very imperfect access to Help files that would assist me in programming Windows Dialogs and generally taking advantage of using Windows API functions in Fortran.

I have folowed the instructions and downloaded the Intel Fortran Development guide and Reference help files to the appropriate directory, as recommended. This directory is

C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\oneAPI\compiler\2021.4.0\windows\documentation\en\compiler_f

There are corresponding files for the C++ compiler are in the nearby folder

C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\oneAPI\compiler\2021.4.0\windows\documentation\en\compiler_c

The ZOP file from which they were exracted is labelled, interestingly, 'F1 Help'.

When, in VS2019, I try to access Help...Intel Fortran Compiler and Libraries...Intel Visual Fortran Compiler, nothing Happens. There is also no response to F1.

When I try accessing Help...Intel Fortran Compiler and Libraries...Intel Visual Fortran Compiler C++ Compiler, a Browser window opens (I use Firefox) and TWO tabs open, TAB NUMBER 1 accesses the folowing index page for the FORTRAN compiler:

file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/Intel/oneAPI/compiler/2021.4.0/windows/documentation/en/compiler_f/index.htm#+hh_index.htm

TAB NUMBER 2 accesses the following rather different page for the C++ compiler:

file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/IntelSWTools/system_studio_2020/documentation_2020/en/compiler_c/iss2020/get_started_wc.htm

Although the Fortran Compiler Classic and Intel® Fortran Compiler (Beta) Developer Guide and Reference page provides a comprehensive Index, none of the entries in the index that mention or relate to programming dialogs is live and there is no response when they are clicked-on, indicating that either the index is in a limbo of its own, or the help for dialog programming is not reachable, either because the link goes nowhere or because the Help page for that subject is missing.

I dearly need this to be cleared up, as I cannot develop the programs that I wish to develop using VS2019 and the Intel Fortran compiler when it lacks access from within VS2019 to the basic necessary information on the routines and functions that must be used to do so.

Please can someone (Intel?) provide the way of filling in this serious, from my POV, gap which cripples the whole package as far as I am concerned. I am very disappointed that seamless installation of the most useful and basic help files for the One API Fortran compilers into VS2019 appears to be one aspect that the latest Intel Fortran Compiler installation fails to do, where previous Fortran compilers appeared to have no problems at all in achieving this. Digital Visual Fortran was excellent at this. I give Intel C+ for this aspect.

Here's hoping,

Anthony Richards

P.S. How about just providing links to the data accessed by this page for a start:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/develop/documentation/using-visual-fortran-windows-applications/top/using-dialog-boxes-for-application-controls/writing-a-dialog-application/using-a-modeless-dialog-box.html

andrew_4619 · ‎12-11-2021

If you want use use dialogs via the IFLOGM module the help is at https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/develop/documentation/using-visual-fortran-windows-applications/top.html

If you want to use the windows SDK direct you wont find much help in the intel stuff the best inline reference is at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/dlgbox/using-dialog-boxes

The examples being for C but the interfaces to most routines exist in ifwin. If you use the intel interfaces I would allwas actual check the intel source e.g. user32.f90 to check the details of the interface implementation as in some cases there are options to make it more 'helpful' for Fortran and in others not so you need to know.

TonyRichards · ‎12-11-2021

Thankyou Andrew, for this very useful information relevantto my problem.
However, I would expect such information to be made available on-hand when working in visual studio, and available from a menu option at least. The information source must be available somewhere, witness the comprehensive table of contents available from the Intel Fortran compiler introductory and Reference Guide help files that I downloaded and placed in the recommended location. Just as with any other Help file I was acquainted with, clucking on an index entry should take me to a help page with the full description of the entry in question. This does not happen. It is extremely frustrating and time wasting. Like being offered a fantastic menu in a restaurant and discovering, after a long wait, that there is no kitchen.

JohnNichols · ‎12-12-2021

I prefer the PDF's and putting them on the desktop where you can use the index search.

Steve_Lionel · ‎12-12-2021

The Windows programming text used to be an integrated part of the compiler documentation but was moved to a separate PDF many years ago. That said, it isn't sufficient to teach you how to do Windows API programming. For that, the best resource is still Compaq Visual Fortran: A Guide to Creating Windows Applications 1st Edition .

Or, you can do what I do and find a C example and translate it to Fortran. There are enough Windows API samples provided in the Intel Parallel Studio XE 2019 Samples Bundle to get you well underway.