Problems with the way Help behaves

[Alan Zarky]

In older programs, when you opened Help for a program, Help worked as a
separate program. If you set options so that it wasn't always on top, you
could alt-tab between your program and the Help program (although,
annoyingly, even though there was a "default" for whether Help was on top,
there appeared to be no way to set that default). In later versions of
Office (or maybe it is an XP issue), Help blocks at least part of the
program. So far as I can see, you can't just alt-tab back and forth between
the program and Help. You have to minimize Help to see the program and then,
each time you go back to Help, you have to do that again. (I realize there's
a button to control how much of Help you see, but that doesn't affect the
issue I'm talking about.) Since I often want to see the program, try out
what I think I've learned from Help, go back to Help for more help, etc., is
there any way to make it behave the way it used to?

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Alan,

Help is browser/HTML based in current versions.
You can 'dock' the help window to be side by side
with the app by grabbing the top of the help window
with your mouse then 'slam' it into the left or right
side of your screen while a Word or other Office app
file is open.

=========
In older programs, when you opened Help for a program, Help worked as a
separate program. If you set options so that it wasn't always on top, you
could alt-tab between your program and the Help program (although,
annoyingly, even though there was a "default" for whether Help was on top,
there appeared to be no way to set that default). In later versions of
Office (or maybe it is an XP issue), Help blocks at least part of the
program. So far as I can see, you can't just alt-tab back and forth between
the program and Help. You have to minimize Help to see the program and then,
each time you go back to Help, you have to do that again. (I realize there's
a button to control how much of Help you see, but that doesn't affect the
issue I'm talking about.) Since I often want to see the program, try out
what I think I've learned from Help, go back to Help for more help, etc., is
there any way to make it behave the way it used to? >>
--
Let us know if this helped you,

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

Office 2003 Editions explained
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/office/editions.mspx

 

[Michael Tretyakov]

In older programs, when you opened Help for a program, Help worked as a
separate program. If you set options so that it wasn't always on top, you
could alt-tab between your program and the Help program (although,
annoyingly, even though there was a "default" for whether Help was on top,
there appeared to be no way to set that default). In later versions of
Office (or maybe it is an XP issue), Help blocks at least part of the
program. So far as I can see, you can't just alt-tab back and forth between
the program and Help. You have to minimize Help to see the program and then,
each time you go back to Help, you have to do that again. (I realize there's
a button to control how much of Help you see, but that doesn't affect the
issue I'm talking about.) Since I often want to see the program, try out
what I think I've learned from Help, go back to Help for more help, etc., is
there any way to make it behave the way it used to?

Hi Alan,

You may try to use Actual Window Manager from
http://www.ActualTools.com/windowmanager/

This program has many features to manage windows such as Minimize to
Tray, Stay on Top, Make Transparent, Window Rollup and others. The new
controls can be triggered via Windows-style buttons placed next to the
standard Minimize/Restore/Close or by means of keystroke combinations
that results in greater speed of work and its accuracy.

In you case you may use Stay on Top and Window Rollup for help:
1. Place the window of Help on top of the application's window by
clicking the button Stay on Top (sitting on the title bar next to
standard Microsoft buttons)
2. Read the instruction.
3. Roll Up the Help.
4. Make the necessary action in the desired application.
5. Unroll Help and continue reading.

You'll be able to carry out all instructional steps easily and
quickly, not opening Help every time you need it.

You can also use the tool Make Transparent. While reading the Help
file make the window of Help semitransparent. It means that you will
be able to see both windows (of Help and of the program)
simultaneously.

Good Luck!
Michael Tretyakov