How to Run VB6 Applications on Windows 10 64-bit - VBA Express
VB6 Help VB6 Help Files Only, Visual Basic 6.0 MSDN 64 bit
Are you a fan of Visual Basic 6.0 (VB6), the classic programming language that was popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s? Do you still use VB6 to create or maintain applications for Windows? If so, you may have encountered some challenges when trying to run VB6 on Windows 10, especially the 64-bit version. One of the most common problems is how to access and use the VB6 help files, which are essential for learning and troubleshooting VB6 code.
VB6 Help Files Only, Visual Basic 6.0 MSDN 64 bit
In this article, I will show you how to install and use the VB6 help files on Windows 10, as well as how to fix some common issues that may prevent them from working properly. I will also show you how to run VB6 applications on Windows 10 64-bit, which requires some additional steps and considerations. By the end of this article, you will be able to enjoy VB6 on Windows 10 without any hassle.
How to install VB6 on Windows 10
Before you can use the VB6 help files, you need to install VB6 itself on your Windows 10 computer. This may seem like a straightforward task, but it is not as simple as running the setup file and following the instructions. In fact, if you try to do that, you may encounter some errors or compatibility issues that will prevent VB6 from installing or working correctly.
To avoid these problems, you need to follow some specific steps and tweaks that will ensure a smooth installation of VB6 on Windows 10. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Download VB6 setup files
The first step is to download the VB6 setup files from a reliable source. You can use the original installation CDs or DVDs that came with your VB6 product, or you can download them from Microsoft's website or other online sources. However, be careful when downloading from third-party websites, as they may contain malware or viruses that can harm your computer.
If you have the original installation media, you can copy the setup files to a local folder on your computer or mount them as a virtual drive using a tool like Daemon Tools or Virtual CloneDrive. If you don't have the original media, you can download the setup files from Microsoft's website using this link: . This link will take you to a page where you can download Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack 6 (SP6), which includes VB6 and other components.
Step 2: Run VB6 setup as administrator
The next step is to run the VB6 setup file as administrator. This will give it the necessary permissions to install VB6 on your Windows 10 computer. To do this, right-click on the setup file (usually called SETUP.EXE) and select "Run as administrator" from the context menu. Alternatively, you can press and hold the Shift key while right-clicking on the setup file and select "Run as different user" from the context menu. Then, enter the credentials of an administrator account on your computer.
Once you run the setup file as administrator, you will see a welcome screen with some options. Choose "Custom" as the installation type and click "Next". On the next screen, select only "Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0" as the component to install and click "Next". On the next screen, choose a destination folder for VB6 and click "Next". On the next screen, enter your name and company name and click "Next". On the next screen, choose "No" for registering your product online and click "Next". On the next screen, click "Continue" to start the installation process.
Step 3: Install Service Pack 6 for VB6
The final step is to install Service Pack 6 (SP6) for VB6, which is a collection of updates and fixes that improve the performance and stability of VB6. You can download SP6 from Microsoft's website using this link: . This link will take you to a page where you can download SP6 for Visual Studio 6.0 Enterprise Edition, which includes SP6 for VB6 and other components.
To install SP6 for VB6, run the downloaded file (usually called VS6SP6B.EXE) as administrator and follow the instructions. You may need to restart your computer after installing SP6 for VB6.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed VB6 on your Windows 10 computer. You can now launch VB6 from the Start menu or by double-clicking on a .VBP file How to install MSDN help files for VB6 on Windows 10
Now that you have installed VB6 on your Windows 10 computer, you may want to install the MSDN help files for VB6 as well. MSDN stands for Microsoft Developer Network, and it is a collection of documentation and resources for developers who use Microsoft products and technologies. The MSDN help files for VB6 contain detailed information and examples on how to use VB6 and its features, as well as reference material on the VB6 language, objects, controls, properties, methods, events, and functions.
The MSDN help files for VB6 are not included in the VB6 setup files or the SP6 update. You need to download them separately from Microsoft's website or other online sources. However, be careful when downloading from third-party websites, as they may contain malware or viruses that can harm your computer.
To install the MSDN help files for VB6 on Windows 10, you need to follow these steps:
Step 1: Download MSDN help files for VB6
The first step is to download the MSDN help files for VB6 from a reliable source. You can use the original installation CDs or DVDs that came with your MSDN product, or you can download them from Microsoft's website or other online sources. However, be careful when downloading from third-party websites, as they may contain malware or viruses that can harm your computer.
If you have the original installation media, you can copy the MSDN help files to a local folder on your computer or mount them as a virtual drive using a tool like Daemon Tools or Virtual CloneDrive. If you don't have the original media, you can download the MSDN help files from Microsoft's website using this link: . This link will take you to a page where you can download Visual Studio 6.0 MSDN Library (CD1 and CD2), which includes the MSDN help files for VB6 and other components.
Step 2: Run MSDN setup as administrator
The next step is to run the MSDN setup file as administrator. This will give it the necessary permissions to install the MSDN help files on your Windows 10 computer. To do this, right-click on the setup file (usually called SETUP.EXE) and select "Run as administrator" from the context menu. Alternatively, you can press and hold the Shift key while right-clicking on the setup file and select "Run as different user" from the context menu. Then, enter the credentials of an administrator account on your computer.
Once you run the setup file as administrator, you will see a welcome screen with some options. Choose "Typical" as the installation type and click "Next". On the next screen, choose a destination folder for the MSDN help files and click "Next". On the next screen, click "Continue" to start the installation process.
Step 3: Configure MSDN help files for VB6
The final step is to configure the MSDN help files for VB6 so that they can be accessed and used from the VB6 IDE or from Windows Explorer. You can do this in two ways:
From the VB6 IDE: Launch VB6 from the Start menu or by double-clicking on a .VBP file. In the VB6 IDE, go to Tools > Options > Environment > Help System. In the Help System dialog box, click on "Add/Remove Help File...". In the Add/Remove Help File dialog box, click on "Browse...". In the Browse dialog box, navigate to the folder where you installed the MSDN help files (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\MSDN98\98VSa\1033) and select "VB98.HLP". Click "Open". In the Add/Remove Help File dialog box, click "OK". In the Help System dialog box, click "OK". You have now added the MSDN help file for VB6 to your VB6 IDE.
From Windows Explorer: Go to the folder where you installed the MSDN help files (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\MSDN98\98VSa\1033) and find "VB98.HLP". Right-click on it and select "Properties" from the context menu. In the Properties dialog box, go to the Compatibility tab. Check the box that says "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and choose "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)" from the drop-down menu. Click "Apply" and then "OK". You have now made the MSDN help file for VB6 compatible with Windows 10.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured the MSDN help files for VB6 on your Windows 10 computer. You can now use them to learn and troubleshoot VB6 code.
How to use VB6 help files on Windows 10
Now that you have installed and configured the VB6 help files on your Windows 10 computer, you may wonder how to use them effectively. The VB6 help files are designed to provide you with information and examples on how to use VB6 and its features, as well as reference material on the VB6 language, objects, controls, properties, methods, events, and functions. You can access and use the VB6 help files in two ways:
From the VB6 IDE: You can access the VB6 help files from the VB6 IDE by pressing the F1 key or by selecting Help > Contents and Index from the menu bar. This will open the VB6 help file in a separate window, where you can browse or search for topics of interest. You can also access context-sensitive help by selecting a word or phrase in your code and pressing F1 or by right-clicking on it and selecting "What's This?" from the context menu. This will open a pop-up window with relevant information and examples.
From Windows Explorer: You can access the VB6 help files from Windows Explorer by double-clicking on the VB98.HLP file in the folder where you installed the MSDN help files (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\MSDN98\98VSa\1033). This will open the VB6 help file in a separate window, where you can browse or search for topics of interest. You can also create a shortcut to the VB98.HLP file on your desktop or taskbar for easy access.
Here are some tips on how to use the VB6 help files effectively:
How to access VB6 help files from the IDE
To access the VB6 help files from the IDE, you can use the following methods:
Press F1: This will open the VB6 help file in a separate window, where you can browse or search for topics of interest. If you press F1 while your cursor is on a word or phrase in your code, it will open a pop-up window with relevant information and examples.
Select Help > Contents and Index: This will open the VB6 help file in a separate window, where you can browse or search for topics of interest. You can use the Contents tab to navigate through the main categories and subcategories of topics, or you can use the Index tab to find topics by keywords or phrases.
Select Help > Search: This will open a dialog box where you can enter a word or phrase to search for in the VB6 help file. You can use quotation marks to search for exact matches, or you can use wildcards (*) to search for partial matches. You can also use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to refine your search. For example, you can enter "array AND sort" to find topics that contain both words, or "array OR sort" to find topics that contain either word.
Select Help > How Do I...: This will open a dialog box where you can select a category of tasks that you want to learn how to do in VB6. For example, you can select "Create an ActiveX Control" or "Use Data Access Objects". This will open a list of topics that provide step-by-step instructions and examples on how to perform those tasks.
Select Help > Tip of the Day: This will open a dialog box that displays a random tip or trick on how to use VB6 more effectively. You can click on "Next Tip" to see another tip, or you can click on "Show Tips at Startup" to enable or disable this feature.
How to access VB6 help files from Windows Explorer
To access the VB6 help files from Windows Explorer, you can use the following methods:
Double-click on VB98.HLP: This will open the VB6 help file in a separate window, where you can browse or search for topics of interest. You can use the same methods as described above for accessing the VB6 help file from the IDE.
Create a shortcut to VB98.HLP: You can create a shortcut to the VB98.HLP file on your desktop or taskbar for easy access. To do this, right-click on the VB98.HLP file and select "Create shortcut" from the context menu. Then, drag and drop the shortcut to your desired location.
How to search for topics in VB6 help files
To search for topics in VB6 help files, you can use the following methods:
Use keywords or phrases: You can enter a word or phrase that describes the topic you are looking for in the search box of the VB6 help file window. For example, you can enter "array" or "sort" to find topics related to arrays or sorting. You can use quotation marks to search for exact matches, or you can use wildcards (*) to search for partial matches. You can also use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to refine your search. For example, you can enter "array AND sort" to find topics that contain both words, or "array OR sort" to find topics that contain either word.
Use the index: You can use the index tab of the VB6 help file window to find topics by keywords or phrases. The index lists all the words and phrases that appear in the VB6 help file, along with the topics that contain them. You can scroll through the index or type a letter to jump to a section of the index. You can also type a word or phrase in the index box to find it in the index. For example, you can type "array" or "sort" to find them in the index. To view a topic from the index, double-click on it or click on "Display".
How to fix common issues with VB6 help files on Windows 10
Although you have installed and configured the VB6 help files on your Windows 10 computer, you may still encounter some issues that prevent them from working properly. These issues may be caused by various factors, such as missing files, incompatible settings, or corrupted registry entries. Here are some of the most common issues with VB6 help files on Windows 10 and how to fix them:
Issue 1: Please insert the CD-ROM disc labeled...
This issue occurs when you try to access the VB6 help file from the IDE or Windows Explorer and you see a message that asks you to insert a CD-ROM disc labeled "Visual Studio 6.0 MSDN Library (CD1)" or "Visual Studio 6.0 MSDN Library (CD2)". This happens because the VB6 help file is trying to access some files that are located on the original installation media of the MSDN help files, which you may not have inserted or mounted on your computer.
To fix this issue, you need to copy the MSDN help files to a local folder on your computer or mount them as a virtual drive using a tool like Daemon Tools or Virtual CloneDrive. Then, you need to edit the registry entries that point to the location of the MSDN help files. Here are the steps:
Copy or mount the MSDN help files: If you have copied the MSDN help files to a local folder on your computer, make sure you know the path of that folder. For example, C:\MSDN. If you have mounted the MSDN help files as a virtual drive, make sure you know the drive letter of that drive. For example, D:\.
Edit the registry entries: To edit the registry entries, you need to open the Registry Editor. To do this, press Windows + R keys on your keyboard and type "regedit" in the Run dialog box. Click "OK" or press Enter. In the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\HTML Help Collections\Developer Collections\MSDN Library - Visual Studio 6.0a\0x0409\. In this key, you will see two values: Default and Location. Double-click on each value and change their data to point to the folder or drive where you copied or mounted the MSDN help files. For example, if you copied them to C:\MSDN, change both values to C:\MSDN\. If you mounted them as D:\, change both values to D:\.
Restart your computer: After editing the registry entries, you need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
After following these steps, you should be able to access the VB6 help file without seeing any message asking you to insert a CD-ROM disc.
Issue 2: Unable to display topic...
This issue occurs when you try to access a topic in the VB6 help file and you see a message that says "Unable to display topic". This happens because the VB6 help file is using an outdated format that is not compatible with Windows 10. The VB6 help file is based on the HTML Help format, which was introduced in Windows 98 and has been deprecated since Windows Vista. The HTML Help format relies on a component called HHCTRL.OCX, which is not registered or installed properly on Windows 10.
To fix this issue, you need to register the HHCTRL.OCX file or install HTML Help Workshop, which is a tool that allows you to create and edit HTML Help files. Here are the steps:
Register the HHCTRL.OCX file: To register the HHCTRL.OCX file, you need to find it on your computer and run a command that will register it in the system. To do this, press Windows + R keys on your keyboard and type "cmd" in the Run dialog box. Click "OK" or press Enter. This will open a command prompt window. In the command prompt window, type "cd C:\Windows\SysWOW64" and press Enter. This will change the directory to the folder where the HHCTRL.OCX file is located. Then, type "regsvr32 hhctrl.ocx" and press Enter. This will register the HHCTRL.OCX file in the system. You should see a message that says "DllRegisterServer in hhctrl.ocx succeeded".
Install HTML Help Workshop: To install HTML Help Workshop, you need to download it from Microsoft's website and run the setup file. To do this, go to this link: . This link will take you to a page where you can download HTML Help Workshop and Documentation, which includes HTML Help Workshop and other components. Click on "Download" and save the file (usually called htmlhelp.exe) to your computer. Then, run the file as administrator and follow the instructions.
Restart your computer: After registering the HHCTRL.OCX file or installing HTML Help Workshop, you need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
After following these steps, you should be able to access any topic in the VB6 help file without seeing any message saying "Unable to display topic".
Issue 3: The requested topic does not exist...
This issue occurs when you try to access a topic in the VB6 help file and you see a message that says "The requested topic does not exist". This happens because the VB6 help file is missing some files or components that are required for displaying certain topics. For example, some topics may require ActiveX controls or DLL files that are not installed or registered on your computer.
To fix this issue, you need to update the VB6 help file or install additional components that are needed for displaying certain topics. Here are the steps:
Update the VB6 help file: To update the VB6 help file, you need to download and install the latest version of the MSDN help files for VB6 from Microsoft's website or other online sources. However, be careful when downloading from third-party websites, as they may contain malware or viruses that can harm your computer.
If you have downloaded the latest version of the MSDN help files for VB6, you need to