#43 Unable to find the HTML Help Compiler on x64

[Piotr Fusik]

I get the "Unable to find the HTML Help Compiler" exception on 64-bit Windows 7 with Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate.
A workaround is to copy the "HTML Help Workshop" directory from "C:\Program Files (x86)" to "C:\Program Files".

[Marcel Gosselin]

One way to fix the problem would be to use the accepted answer in:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/194157/c-how-to-get-program-files-x86-on-vista-x64
to fetch the program files folder instead of using Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles.

Remember that the following files need to be changed:
- src\Documenter\Msdn\HtmlHelp.cs
- src\Documenter\Msdn\HtmlHelp.cs
and maybe the following
- src\Documenter\NativeHtmlHelp2\Compiler\HxObject.cs

[Marcel Gosselin]

Here is a patch that fixes this issue on Windows 7 64 bits. I did *not* test on a 32 bits OS. Id did not find a way to attach a file so here it is in the comment.
Index: src/Core/Core/PathUtilities.cs
===================================================================
--- src/Core/Core/PathUtilities.cs (revision 369)
+++ src/Core/Core/PathUtilities.cs (working copy)
@@ -260,5 +260,35 @@
}
return path;
}
+
+ /// <summary>Returns the folder containing 32-bit programs:
+ /// <list type="table">
+ /// <listheader>
+ /// <term>Platform</term>
+ /// <description>Returned Value</description>
+ /// </listheader>
+ /// <item>
+ /// <term>32 bit Windows</term>
+ /// <description>C:\Program Files</description>
+ /// </item>
+ /// <item>
+ /// <term>32 bit program running on 64 bit Windows</term>
+ /// <description>C:\Program Files (x86)</description>
+ /// </item>
+ /// <item>
+ /// <term>64 bit program running on 64 bit Windows</term>
+ /// <description>C:\Program Files (x86)</description>
+ /// </item>
+ ///</list>
+ ///</summary>
+ public static string GetProgramFilesx86Folder()
+ {
+ if (8 == IntPtr.Size
+ || (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432"))))
+ {
+ return Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles(x86)");
+ }
+ return Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles");
+ }
}
}
Index: src/Documenter/Msdn2/HtmlHelp.cs
===================================================================
--- src/Documenter/Msdn2/HtmlHelp.cs (revision 369)
+++ src/Documenter/Msdn2/HtmlHelp.cs (working copy)
@@ -124,10 +124,8 @@
}

//try the default Html Help Workshop installation directory
- _htmlHelpCompiler = Path.Combine(
- Environment.GetFolderPath(
- Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles),
- @"HTML Help Workshop\hhc.exe");
+ _htmlHelpCompiler = Path.Combine(PathUtilities.GetProgramFilesx86Folder(),
+ @"HTML Help Workshop\hhc.exe");
if (File.Exists(_htmlHelpCompiler)) {
return _htmlHelpCompiler;
}
Index: src/Documenter/Msdn/HtmlHelp.cs
===================================================================
--- src/Documenter/Msdn/HtmlHelp.cs (revision 369)
+++ src/Documenter/Msdn/HtmlHelp.cs (working copy)
@@ -145,10 +145,8 @@
}

//try the default Html Help Workshop installation directory
- _htmlHelpCompiler = Path.Combine(
- Environment.GetFolderPath(
- Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles),
- @"HTML Help Workshop\hhc.exe");
+ _htmlHelpCompiler = Path.Combine(PathUtilities.GetProgramFilesx86Folder(),
+ @"HTML Help Workshop\hhc.exe");
if (File.Exists(_htmlHelpCompiler)) {
return _htmlHelpCompiler;
}

[Marcel Gosselin]

I was able to upload the patch for this issue at:
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=3152750&group_id=212352&atid=1021405

[foens]

Still getting this bug after nearly a year now.