I've noticed that (unlike 7) for anything Microsoft - even charmap or
notepad, FGS! - selecting Help (including F1) goes online. Can this
default be changed? (Is the offline help even still _there_ in 10?)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

The average age at which a woman has her first child has passed 30.
Jason Cowley, RT 2016/6/11-17

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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Hello.

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

I've noticed that (unlike 7) for anything Microsoft - even charmap or >notepad, FGS! - selecting Help (including F1) goes online.

Pull the LAN connection/ disconnect WLAN/ disable WWAN

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Fri, 7/4/2025 9:59 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

I've noticed that (unlike 7) for anything Microsoft - even charmap or notepad, FGS! -

selecting Help (including F1) goes online.

Can this default be changed? (Is the offline help even still _there_ in 10?)

The W11 Notepad has the help in the Settings wheel.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help-in-notepad-4d68c388-2ff2-0e7f-b706-35fb2ab88a8c

The W10 Notepad tried to do this.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=get+help+with+notepad+in+windows&
filters=guid:%224466414-en-dia%22%20lang:%22en%22&form=T00032&ocid=HelpPane-BingIA

which would bring a tear to a glass eye.

Paul

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2025/7/4 15:20:0, Shinji Ikari wrote:

Hello.

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

I've noticed that (unlike 7) for anything Microsoft - even charmap or
notepad, FGS! - selecting Help (including F1) goes online.

Pull the LAN connection/ disconnect WLAN/ disable WWAN

You didn't read what I asked. but just in case you might be right, I
tried disconnecting from the wifi, then calling up help in Notepad - and
got (a tab in my browser saying)

Looks like you're not connected to the internet
Let's get you back online!

as I more or less expected.

So, to repeat my questions:
1. Is the offline help even _there_ in Windows 10?
2. If it is, can it be made the default?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

One of my tricks as an armchair futurist is to "predict" things that
are already happening and watch people tell me it will never happen.
Scott Adams, 2015-3-9

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Hello

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

On 2025/7/4 15:20:0, Shinji Ikari wrote:

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

I've noticed that (unlike 7) for anything Microsoft - even charmap or
notepad, FGS! - selecting Help (including F1) goes online.

Pull the LAN connection/ disconnect WLAN/ disable WWAN

You didn't read what I asked.

You want to know if you can make/use the help offline: Pull every
online connection and what you get are the offline features.

but just in case you might be right, I
tried disconnecting from the wifi, then calling up help in Notepad - and
got (a tab in my browser saying)
Looks like you're not connected to the internet
Let's get you back online!

And that ist what you get.

By the way. When I call c:\windows\notepad.exe in normal win10 (and
11) pro there is no Help menue.
So there is no help build in.
What you get, when you push F1 is a search for links about the editor.
And when this search is disconnected, then it cant show you and tells
you that you are offline.

So, to repeat my questions:
1. Is the offline help even _there_ in Windows 10?

For some functions there are help pages available
open cmd windows and type
help dir
and it shows you some helpful info.
But not every programm in windows 10 oder 11 does have a build in
local help.

2. If it is, can it be made the default?

since it does not exist for every programm/function: no, it can't.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2025/7/5 3:3:50, Shinji Ikari wrote:

Hello

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

On 2025/7/4 15:20:0, Shinji Ikari wrote:

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

I've noticed that (unlike 7) for anything Microsoft - even charmap or
notepad, FGS! - selecting Help (including F1) goes online.

Pull the LAN connection/ disconnect WLAN/ disable WWAN

You didn't read what I asked.

You want to know if you can make/use the help offline: Pull every
online connection and what you get are the offline features.

In (certainly some earlier versions of - don't know about modern ones)
Office (Word etc.), help _defaulted_ to online, but there _was_ some
in-built. I _think_ there was some setting that presented the in-built
even if you remained connected. (As you are suggesting, I _think_ it
presented the in-built if you went for help when not connected.)>

but just in case you might be right, I
tried disconnecting from the wifi, then calling up help in Notepad - and
got (a tab in my browser saying)
Looks like you're not connected to the internet
Let's get you back online!

And that ist what you get.

Ja, wirklich ... (-:>

By the way. When I call c:\windows\notepad.exe in normal win10 (and
11) pro there is no Help menue.
So there is no help build in.
What you get, when you push F1 is a search for links about the editor.
And when this search is disconnected, then it cant show you and tells
you that you are offline.

I suspect you have menu bars turned off, which is the default (from
Windows 7 on, I think). I have them on, which means across the top of my Notepad window, it says "File Edit Format View Help" (with the first
letter of each - except Format, where it's the o, because F was taken
for File - underlined). So you're not restricted to using F1. Alt-H
brings up a three-entry list: View Help, Send Feedback, and About
Notepad. The last one - this is a common feature under Help - gives you
the version number (in this case, of Windows itself, as Notepad is intrinsically part of it). I've never until now tried the feedback one:
judging by the swirling dots wait, it goes online. The first one gives
the online help or an error message if you're offline, so obviously
there's no in-built help. (I don't have my 7 machine to hand, so I can't
say whether Notepad had any help under 7.)>

So, to repeat my questions:
1. Is the offline help even _there_ in Windows 10?

For some functions there are help pages available
open cmd windows and type
help dir
and it shows you some helpful info.

Yes; some of them also will give you the same if you type (e. g.)
dir /?

But not every programm in windows 10 oder 11 does have a build in
local help.

I wasn't thinking of command window commands, only GUI ones.

(Do you speak German too?)>

2. If it is, can it be made the default?

since it does not exist for every programm/function: no, it can't.

Clearly it can't for the ones that don't have any!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"Eastenders" is like being punched repeatedly in the face for half an
hour. - Stephen Mangan, in Radio Times 5-11 May 2012

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Hello

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

On 2025/7/5 3:3:50, Shinji Ikari wrote:

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

On 2025/7/4 15:20:0, Shinji Ikari wrote:

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

I've noticed that (unlike 7) for anything Microsoft - even charmap or >>>>> notepad, FGS! - selecting Help (including F1) goes online.

Pull the LAN connection/ disconnect WLAN/ disable WWAN

You didn't read what I asked.

You want to know if you can make/use the help offline: Pull every
online connection and what you get are the offline features.

In (certainly some earlier versions of - don't know about modern ones)
Office (Word etc.), help _defaulted_ to online,

I thought you asked aboput windows 10 (maybe 11).
There ist no office included. There may be a link to get a office
version, but ist you ask about additional programms you can possibly
instann in a windows system, it depends on the programm if it has an
offline help or not.

(As you are suggesting, I _think_ it
presented the in-built if you went for help when not connected.)

Wehn you disconnect you it shows, what it can display offline. If you
do not get any helpfull help that way, then there is not offline help
build in.

And that ist what you get.

Ja, wirklich ... (-:>

yes really. Then there is no offline help installed.

So, to repeat my questions:
1. Is the offline help even _there_ in Windows 10?

For some functions there are help pages available
open cmd windows and type
help dir
and it shows you some helpful info.

Yes; some of them also will give you the same if you type (e. g.)
dir /?

I know, but you asked for "help" so wrote help, because that is the
same phrase you asked for.

But not every programm in windows 10 oder 11 does have a build in
local help.

I wasn't thinking of command window commands, only GUI ones.

Well it is includes in win 10/11 (but your mentioned office is not).

(Do you speak German too?)>

I am german.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

J. P. Gilliver wrote:

I've noticed that (unlike 7) for anything Microsoft - even charmap or notepad, FGS! - selecting Help (including F1) goes online. Can this
default be changed? (Is the offline help even still _there_ in 10?)

Don't know how much help this will be, but I just asked Copilot (https://copilot.microsoft.com/) and this is the conversation:

You said
Is offline help even available for Windows 10 anymore?

Copilot said
Not in the way it used to be. Windows 10 no longer includes a
comprehensive offline help system like older versions (think Windows
XP’s classic Help and Support Center). Instead, most help content is now delivered online through Microsoft’s support site or via Cortana and the built-in search bar—which, of course, require an internet connection.

That said, some basic help is still available offline, especially for
core system functions. For example:

Typing a question into the Start menu search may return local help
topics.

Built-in apps like Notepad or Paint sometimes include minimal
offline help.

You can also download offline maps and use tools like Windows Media
Player or Microsoft Office (if installed) without internet access.

If you're looking for something more robust, there are workarounds:

You can manually save web-based help articles as PDFs for offline reference.

For developers or IT pros, Microsoft’s Help Viewer (used with Visual Studio) allows downloading documentation for offline use—but that’s more niche.

Need help setting up a mini offline help library for your system? I can
walk you through it.
1answers.microsoft.comanswers.microsoft.com
2umatechnology.orgumatechnology.org
3learn.microsoft.comlearn.microsoft.com

You said
No thanks. Somebody else asked the question. I'll relay what you said to
them. Thanks!

Copilot said
You're very welcome! Glad I could help you help someone else—that’s teamwork in action. If they have more Windows mysteries (or just really
niche questions), send them my way anytime.

You said
Oh, one more thing. Isn't Cortana gone?

Copilot said
Yep, you're absolutely right—Cortana has officially been retired from
Windows 10 and 11 as of late 2023. Microsoft phased it out as a
standalone app and removed its integration from various services like
Teams and Outlook mobile throughout 2023 and 2024.

In its place, Microsoft has been rolling out Copilot, a more advanced AI assistant that’s integrated into Windows and Microsoft 365. It’s
designed to handle more complex tasks and queries, and it taps into the
latest AI tech to do so.

So while Cortana may have bowed out, her spiritual successor is already
on the scene—just with a new name and a lot more brainpower. Want to
know what Copilot can do that Cortana couldn’t? 1support.microsoft.comsupport.microsoft.com

You said
Heh. YOU are Copilot!

Copilot said
Guilty as charged 😄 I’m Copilot—your ever-curious, ever-helpful AI sidekick. I may not sing lullabies like Cortana once tried to, but I’ve
got a few more tricks up my digital sleeve.

Whether it’s troubleshooting your device, unraveling obscure trivia, or
just offering a clever turn of phrase when you need it, I’m here for it.
If you ever want a peek under the hood of what makes me tick—or just
want to throw some curveball questions my way—I’m game. Let's see where
the conversation takes us.

HTH.

--
John C. I filter crossposts, various trolls & dizem.com. Doing this
makes this newsgroup easier to read & more on-topic. Take back the tech companies from India & industry from China.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2025/7/5 11:46:0, Shinji Ikari wrote:
[]

In (certainly some earlier versions of - don't know about modern ones)
Office (Word etc.), help _defaulted_ to online,

I thought you asked aboput windows 10 (maybe 11).
There ist no office included. There may be a link to get a office
version, but ist you ask about additional programms you can possibly
instann in a windows system, it depends on the programm if it has an
offline help or not.

Yes, I know that; I was just giving that as an _example_ of software
that has both built-in and online help (it _defaults_ to online, at
least it does if it detects you are online, not sure otherwise).

yes really. Then there is no offline help installed.

I suppose I should have asked: does _any_ of the software that comes
with Windows 10 (and maybe later) - such as Notepad and charmap -
actually _have_ any inbuilt help? IF none of it does, then my other
question is moot: it can't be changed to default to inbuilt help if
there isn't any. I just thought fewer people might know the answer to
that, for all of the inbuilt software - notepad, charmap, calculator,
etc., not to mention all the settings options.[]

(Do you speak German too?)>

I am german.

Ah, I thought so! Gruesse: ich wohnte im Ruhrgebiet, etwa 1966-197x
(Dortmund dann Muelheim/Ruhr).
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

When I'm good, I'm very good. But when I'm bad - I'm better! (Mae West)

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Hello.

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

I suppose I should have asked: does _any_ of the software that comes
with Windows 10 (and maybe later) - such as Notepad and charmap -
actually _have_ any inbuilt help?

Several (most?) software does not have a offline help (at least not
anything helpfull) any more in Win10/11.
Some does have (smaller) help functions, but since MS makes more money
with online features than their OS, they press further on to make as
much as possible online.
So I guess even further on there will be less offline stuff (including
help).

IF none of it does, then my other
question is moot: it can't be changed to default to inbuilt help if
there isn't any.

you got it.
If you pull the LAN/WLAN/WWAN Connection you get everything windows
can pull up offline.
That is what you have (and get).

(Do you speak German too?)>

I am german.

Ah, I thought so! Gruesse: ich wohnte im Ruhrgebiet, etwa 1966-197x
(Dortmund dann Muelheim/Ruhr).

Just a question: why not ask in the german group?
de.comp.os.ms-windows.misc

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

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--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2025/7/5 16:36:17, ...winston wrote:
[]

*.chm and *.hlp(the extensions for local help files) was mostly
deprecated starting with Win8.1 for Windows and Windows Server.

Yes, and one (not sure which) more so, to the extent that in 7 (I think
- might have been XP?) they weren't natively supported - you had to
download a parser for them (though available from Microsoft [probably
not for later Windows]).>

While chm files are(were) normally stored in the same folder as the
program installation, they can also be found elsewhere(user profile,
other Windows folders)

One can search for *.chm files in the C:\Windows\ folder or the
subfolders \Program Files, \Program Files (x86)

I don't know if inbuilt help _always_ used such files = I think _some_ - probably simpler - things might have had the help "baked in", as it were.>

A search on Win10/11 should yield some results
 e.g. chm for Visual Basic, Management Console(MMC), .NET including 3rd party included chm files and also chm files for other Windows apps/
programs.
 The chm can be opened(if the extension is not blocked)
 The chm when opened may also indicate help has been moved online

Interesting thought - I'll have a quick look (using everything): I have
139 .chm files, all but three on C:, all but five in folders I don't
recognise as being related to software _I_ installed (though some more
may be). 32 .hlp, all but one on C:, all but four in folders I don't
recognise as being related to my installs (and two of those four related
to OFFICE11).

So at least some parts of this W10 will have local help, assuming those
files are what their extension implies. (Plus any where the local help
is in other forms.)>

*.hlp files, iirc needed conversion to chm to be opened on Windows
10(and later)
 - a variety of online tutorials(ironic, yes) can be found for
converting hlp to chm or opening hlp files(e.g. WinHlp32)

Ah yes, I think that was the name of the reader you could get.>

Finally, Office(in the past) used a variety of  local help(chm, hxs,
hxn) - mostly much earlier versions. In some cases, online access was

I have none of the last two types.

included but only if the Office program was configured to use local
help(i.e. at that time, necessary to open the local which redirected to
the online.
 Note: Offline Help was present in Office up until Office 2013. Office
2016 and later - no longer present.

Ah, right. (I use 2003 - last before ribbons - with the converters to
let it open [and maybe save, but I never do] the *x formats.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Q. Why did the chicken cross the Mobius strip?
A. To get to the same side.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2025/7/5 17:10:59, Shinji Ikari wrote:

Hello.

"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

[]

IF none of it does, then my other
question is moot: it can't be changed to default to inbuilt help if
there isn't any.

you got it.
If you pull the LAN/WLAN/WWAN Connection you get everything windows
can pull up offline.
That is what you have (and get).

Ah, I wasn't sure if it was intelligent enough to switch to offline
(when that was available, obviously), or whether it would just sit there whining, when you pulled the plug.>

(Do you speak German too?)>

I am german.

Ah, I thought so! Gruesse: ich wohnte im Ruhrgebiet, etwa 1966-197x
(Dortmund dann Muelheim/Ruhr).

Just a question: why not ask in the german group?
de.comp.os.ms-windows.misc

Because my German isn't that good! I am British (we were there because
my father had a - civilian - job with the British Army there (teaching languages, mostly German I think). [In a pleasing symmetry, my mother
got jobs with local German schools (Gymnasien), teaching English to
Germans (if you ever used the textbook "English for Today", you'd find
her name in later editions!).] [If you'd like to chat, my email address
is real.]

Plus, I fear, there's probably more knowledge in this 'group; English
(American English, that is) dominates, especially in computing. But
mainly my poor German.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Q. Why did the chicken cross the Mobius strip?
A. To get to the same side.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sat, 7/5/2025 11:36 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

Unfortunately, Copilot chose a bad example there - as we've established,
W10 Notepad is one of those things that has no offline help at all!

Well, you know the CoPilot.

I hope you have taken the time to test the CoPilot.

Oh, oh yeah, it doesn't come with a Help menu item either :-)

*******

My very first question for the machine was:

"What are your capabilities?" # I had expected a terse, canned answer! Silly me.

The machine went nuts.

It's a very educational example of questions you must not ask :-)

It has no introspection, or a self-image.

Paul

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 6/07/2025 2:25 am, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

On 2025/7/5 17:10:59, Shinji Ikari wrote:

Hello.
"J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> schrieb

<Snip>

Ah, I thought so! Gruesse: ich wohnte im Ruhrgebiet, etwa 1966-197x
(Dortmund dann Muelheim/Ruhr).

Just a question: why not ask in the german group?
de.comp.os.ms-windows.misc

Thank you for asking .... I thought I was going crazy what, with a guy
with the Family Name of Gulliver responding in German .... something's
going wrong!!!!

Because my German isn't that good! I am British (we were there because
my father had a - civilian - job with the British Army there (teaching languages, mostly German I think). [In a pleasing symmetry, my mother
got jobs with local German schools (Gymnasien), teaching English to
Germans (if you ever used the textbook "English for Today", you'd find
her name in later editions!).] [If you'd like to chat, my email address
is real.]

Plus, I fear, there's probably more knowledge in this 'group; English (American English, that is) dominates, especially in computing. But
mainly my poor German.

--
Daniel70

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)