XE 2015: User and Reference Guide in Microsoft Help Viewer?

[FortranFan]

I just noticed my installation of Intel Parallel Studio 2015 doesn't add the content for "User and Reference Guide for the Intel® Fortran Compiler 15.0" in Microsoft Help Viewer.  I tried to add it myself by pointing to the msha file in <C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Composer XE 2015\Documentation\msvhelp\1033\compiler_f> folder, but it doesn't seem to include the user and reference guide.  I recall getting this guide in Help Viewer during the beta testing phase of 2015 version.

Did something change in the official release and is the content now no longer made available in Help Viewer?  Or do I need to take some separate action to add content in the Microsoft Help Viewer?  I don't recall being asked about anything during the installation process.

The installation does include the Intel Fortran documentation in the form of an HTM file that I can view in a browser, but it is useful to get at the same content in Microsoft Help Viewer too.

Thanks,

[Steven_L_Intel1]

We went to an HTML version only in this release. Microsoft's continually changing the format and tools for the Help Viewer were making things too difficult for us. The functionality should be the same.

[FortranFan]

Steve Lionel (Intel) wrote:

We went to an HTML version only in this release. Microsoft's continually changing the format and tools for the Help Viewer were making things too difficult for us. The functionality should be the same.

Bummer!  I was under the impression Microsoft improved their structure significantly with Viewer version 2.0 and retained it for 2.1 and that things were going to be easier moving forward once someone had made the investment to add content in the 2.0 format!

Personally for me, it is not a big deal; I'd have preferred the Viewer but can live with the HTM option.  But I know a lot of my colleagues work with mixed-language solutions and they strongly prefer Fortran help and documentation to be in the Viewer since they are already in the Viewer for their other stuff.  Almost all of them are currently using the XE 2013 version, so they are yet to experience this change - it won't go down too well when they do.  For example, a coder is used to certain features with the Viewer such as "Add to Favorites" which all works well for their C++/C# code but not for Fortran anymore.  So this can be another knock on Fortranners i.e., another aspect of the "separate, often second-class" feeling when working with Fortran. Product developers for Fortran may want to keep this in mind.

Thanks for the update, Steve.

[Steven_L_Intel1]

Well, it works for Microsoft C++ but Intel C++ also uses HTML Help.