fdv: IE engine doubts

[januh]

Can anybody answer me, if implementing of mshtml engine from IE6 is possible, when using fdv's files? Of course I'm talking 'bout installation with winhtml.inf. Would it have some bad effect on system performance, compared to windows with IE5 engine?

And next question, is it normal, that after installing winhtml.inf, .chm help files still aren't supported by os?

"And now something (not so) completely diffrent"... I don't want to start another topic, so I'm asking here. Where has WMI gone from services.msc? :>

[Oleg_II]

januh

I can help you with CHM files with a standalone package (it also solved my problem with one application that needed HTML rendering).

You will need 4 files from the original source:

[Version]
Signature=$CHICAGO$

[DefaultInstall]
CopyFiles = HelpFiles
AddReg = Ext.Reg

[DestinationDirs]
HelpFiles = 16422,"help"

[HelpFiles]
hh.exe
hhctrl.ocx
itss.dll
mshtml.dll

[Ext.Reg]
HKLM,"Software\Classes\PROTOCOLS\Name-Space Handler\mk\*",CLSID,0x00000,{9D148291-B9C8-11D0-A4CC-0000F80149F6}"
HKLM,"Software\Classes\CLSID\{5D02926A-212E-11D0-9DF9-00A0C922E6EC}\InprocServer32",,0x00000,"%16422%\help\itss.dll"
HKLM,"Software\Classes\CLSID\{9D148291-B9C8-11D0-A4CC-0000F80149F6}\InprocServer32",,0x00000,"%16422%\help\itss.dll"
HKLM,"Software\Classes\CLSID\{25336920-03F9-11CF-8FD0-00AA00686F13}\InProcServer32",,0x20000,"%16422%\help\mshtml.dll"

HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Classes\.chm",,,"Help file"
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Classes\.chm\DefaultIcon",,,"%16422%\help\hh.exe,0"
HKLM,"SOFTWARE\Classes\.chm\shell\Open\command",,,"%16422%\help\hh.exe ""%1"""

Place all 5 files in one directory and run INF (I usually make an SFX archive with IEXPRESS and run this package during Unatteded installation).

Edited January 13, 2006 by Oleg_II

[januh]

Oleg, thanks for a quick reply! I installed your help.inf few secs ago. Chm files are now well assosiated and open directly from explorer and from programs. But... Suprisingly, I cannot read anything but list of contents. Main part which used to by displayed on right side of help window is blank. And other programs have no problems with mshtml rendering (despite the one which needs ie6 libs...).

I'll try to compare your inf with winhtml.inf form fdv's fileset. It should do what yours by default...

Edited January 13, 2006 by januh

[Oleg_II]

Hm... Everything's fine here. Try adding one more file (don't remember it's name, something with the ending like '...ui.dll - find it in WINHTML.INF).

One more possibility: you've already had MSHTML.DLL installed before. It adds a lot of regestry entries so running INF maybe helpless on this computer. Try it on "clean" installation without MSHTML.DLL from the beginning.

Or delete all entries with MSHTML.DLL in regestry and try running INF again

Edited January 13, 2006 by Oleg_II

[os2fan2]

browseui.dll ?

W

browseui.dll ?

W

[Oleg_II]

os2fan2

No, it could be one from WINHTML.INF (I don't have it near so can't have a look).

But frankly speaking I think it's because of MSHTML.DLL was already on the system and made a LOT of regestry entries. The INF I suggest changes the placement of MSHTML.DLL and it possibly mess with other entries.

It took me a lot of time to find out these few settings to be enough for my program and CHM files work

Anyway what I can suggest to try it with Virtual PC first on a 'clean' installation without this DLL at the begining.

PS I also found that even with MSHTML.DLL commented in FDV's TXTSETUP.SIF, if you install a program that somehow checks HTML association (maybe just coordinates its own settings with IE or something like this) it will also install MSHTML.DLL if it is on your installation disk (so I remove it for good

[fdv]

@Oleg_II - thanks for the INF. I will change mine.

In your INF, you have:

[HelpFiles]

hh.exe

hhctrl.ocx

itss.dll

lib.dll

Two questions: what about these files below? I put them in directory 11 (winnt/system32). Is that workable or should they be added to 16422,"help" ?

hhctrlui.dll

hhsetup.dll

itircl.dll

also, what is "LIB.DLL" ? I don't have it on my system...

Anyway, I'll update my fileset with this info soon.. thanks for the edits and especially the registry entries. Note that I don't use the Help system. Which does, I admit, prevent me from using certain software sometimes. On a related note, I think I've said this before, I substituted the MSHTML.DLL from the WINE project. It didn't work at all, unfortunately. I looked at the ReactOS and there was no direct equivalent to this DLL at all. I hate being stuck without HTML help and not having a good substitute. There are some substitutes here and there but none work seamlessly. Anyway...

Windows 2003 seems to make extensive use of it, and right now Oleg_II, TommyP and I are working on removing the crap from 2003. One of the things I am doing first, like I did for 2000, is gutting the registry. I guess I'm really going to have to talk to any big 2003 users to figure out if ripping mshtml stuff out of the registry is really a good idea...

[tommyp]

Windows 2003 seems to make extensive use of it, and right now Oleg_II, TommyP and I are working on removing the crap from 2003. One of the things I am doing first, like I did for 2000, is gutting the registry. I guess I'm really going to have to talk to any big 2003 users to figure out if ripping mshtml stuff out of the registry is really a good idea...

I like how people make devoted webpages for how to convert 2003 server to a 2003 workstation. Using HFCLEANUP it is easily done. More details as I complete my testing.....

[Oleg_II]

Oh, yes! FDV probably found where is the problem

There is no LIB.DLL on the system. Never mind. It's MSHTML.DLL. I've just renamed it and forgot to change in CopyFiles section

januh try changing LIB.DLL to MSHTML.DLL in help.inf

About these files:

hhctrlui.dll

hhsetup.dll

itircl.dll

I don't have these files on my system at all. In fact I don't have these files on my installation disk. And opening CHM works for me

Two notes for FDV:

1. I don't put the files in SYSTEM32 just in case. As I said MSHTML.DLL (and ITSS.DLL is also) makes a LOT of regestry entries if registered. And it can be registered without you knowing about it - by a call from some software.

2. I renamed MSHTML.DLL into LIB.DLL just in case but frankly speaking I don't think it is necessery.

PS If somebody could test it to confirm if it works not only for me

Edited January 13, 2006 by Oleg_II

[januh]

Hi again!

Oleg, your solution resolved my problem. It was the matter of bad filename. Everything is now rendered without any problems. I have also added your [Ext.Reg] section w/modified paths to winhtml.inf and it seems to install well. Thanks a lot!

And mayby you can tell me something about putting IE6 html engine in system? Would that files slow down my old machine as fdv wrote on his site?

[Oleg_II]

januh

Sorry, I don't quite get you: what do you want to do with IE6 HTML engine? Tell me your purpose.

[fdv]

A full IE6 would slow your system down.

The IE6 of MSHTML.DLL alone would not, however. It's just one DLL. Shouldn't be a huge problem.

I can't really see the purpose of doing this, however, if you're only using it for HTML Help.

Edited January 14, 2006 by fdv

[januh]

No, it's not about help system I wanna make some plugin for my IM working. I know it needs ie6, so I overwrote mshtml files with ie6' ones. No effect. Dunno what more files I need so I have posted a question on that im's cummunity forum. Waiting for answer now. Maybe you can tell me, which file is older than it should be, if I get such an error messege?

Edited January 16, 2006 by januh

[pcalvert]

Can anybody answer me, if implementing of mshtml engine from IE6 is possible, when using fdv's files? Of course I'm talking 'bout installation with winhtml.inf. Would it have some bad effect on system performance, compared to windows with IE5 engine?

For what you want to do, I would not use fdv's files. Instead, slipstream in IE6 with HFSLIP. Then use nLite to remove what you want removed. If you remove IE, but leave "IE core," I believe that will give you want you want. I haven't tested that, though, so I am not certain. I will probably be trying it very soon, though.

Phil

[Aluminum]

I fixed this once before and it worked perfectly, but now I forgot what exactly I did and this is confusing me

FDV, your readme says "MSHTML.INF has been rewritten to install MS HTML and Help system" but in your fileset there is no MSHTML.INF, nor can I find one in my SOURCE or SOURCESS folder.

Where can I get this?

You mention it again on the next line "AU.INF has been rewritten to install auto update, but you have to install MSHTML.INF" so unless theres two typos in a row, I think it exists...also I'm betting it will get rid of the goddamn extra dialog box at shutdown that started appearing after some update. (MS: "we add bloat even when you don't need it!")

There is a WINHTML.INF you include but when my newbie eyes look inside it I'm worried thats adding a lot more IE stuff than is needed for just *.chm, like you I don't want a single byte more IE crap than absolutely required.

Edited July 28, 2006 by Aluminum