Command-Line Arguments for the Help Content Manager
You can specify how to deploy and manage local Help content by using command-line arguments for Help Content Manager (HlpCtntmgr.exe). You must run scripts for this command-line tool with administrator permissions, and you can’t run these scripts as a service. You can perform the following tasks by using this tool:
Add or update local Help content from a disk or the cloud.
Remove local Help content.
Move the local Help content store.
Add, update, remove, or move local Help content silently.
Syntax:
HlpCtntmgr.exe /operation Value /catalogname CatalogName /locale Locale /sourceuri InstallationPoint
For example:
hlpctntmgr.exe /operation install /catalogname VisualStudio11 /locale en-us /sourceuri d:\productDocumentation\HelpContentSetup.msha
Switches and Arguments
The following table defines the switches and arguments that you can use for the command-line tool for Help Content Manager:
Switch |
Required? |
Arguments |
---|---|---|
/operation |
Yes |
|
/catalogName |
Yes |
Specifies the name of the content catalog. |
/locale |
No |
Specifies the product locale that’s used to view and manage content for the current instance of the Help viewer. For example, you specify EN-US for English-United States. If you don’t specify a locale, the locale of the operating system is used. If that locale can’t be determined, EN-US is used. If you specify a locale that isn’t valid, an error message is logged in the event log. |
/e |
No |
Elevates the Help Content Manager to Administrative priviledges if the current user has administrative credentials. |
/sourceURI |
No |
Specifies the URL from which content is installed (Service API) or the path to the content installation file (.msha). The URL can point to the Product Group (top-level node) or to the Product Books (leaf-level node) in a Visual Studio 2010 style endpoint. You don’t need to include a slash (/) at the end of the URL. If you do include a trailing slash, it will be handled appropriately. An error message is logged in the event log if you specify a file that isn’t found, isn't valid, or isn't accessible or if a connection to the Internet isn’t available or is interrupted while content is being managed. |
/vendor |
No |
Specifies the vendor for the product content that will be removed (for example, Microsoft). The default argument for this switch is Microsoft. |
/productName |
No |
Specifies the product name for the books that will be removed. The product name is identified in the helpcontentsetup.msha or books.html files that shipped with the content. You can remove books from only one product at a time. To remove books from multiple products, you must perform multiple installations. |
/booklist |
No |
Specifies the names of the books to be managed, separated by spaces. Values must match the book names as listed on the installation media. If you don’t specify this argument, all recommended books for the specified product in the /sourceURI are installed if the installation source is in Visual Studio 2012 format. If the name of a book contains one or more spaces, surround it with double quotes (“) so that the list is delimited appropriately. Error messages will be logged if you specify a /sourceURI that isn’t valid or isn't reachable. |
/skuId |
No |
Specifies the stock keeping unit (SKU) of the product from the installation source, and filters books that the /SourceURI switch identifies. |
/membership |
No |
|
/locationpath |
No |
Specifies the default folder for local Help content. You must use this switch only to install or move content. If you specify this switch, you must also specify the /silent switch. |
/silent |
No |
Installs or removes Help content without prompting the user or displaying any UI, including the icon in the status notification area. Output is logged to a file in the %Temp% directory. Important To install content silently, you must use digitally signed .cab files, not .mshc files. |
/launchingApp |
No |
Defines the application and catalog context when the Help viewer is launched without the parent application. The arguments for this switch are CompanyName, ProductName, and VersionNumber (for example, /launchingApp Microsoft,VisualStudio,11.0). This is required for installing content with the /silent parameter.” |
/wait Seconds |
No |
Pauses install, uninstall, and refresh operations. If an operation is already in progress for the catalog, the process will wait up to the given number of seconds to continue. Use 0 to wait indefinitely. |
/? |
No |
Lists the switches and their descriptions for the command-line tool for Help Content Manager. |
Exit Codes
When you run the command-line tool for the Help Content Manager in silent mode, it returns the following exit codes:
Success = 0,
FailureToElevate = 100
InvalidCmdArgs = 101,
FailOnFetchingOnlineContent = 110,
FailOnFetchingContentFromDisk = 120,
FailOnFetchingInstalledBooks = 130,
NoBooksToUninstall = 200,
NoBooksToInstall = 300,
FailOnUninstall = 400,
FailOnInstall = 500,
FailOnMove = 600,
FailOnUpdate = 700,
FailOnRefresh = 800,
Cancelled = 900,
Others = 999,
ContentManagementDisabled = 1200,
OnlineHelpPreferenceDisabled = 1201
UpdateAlreadyRunning = 1300 – (Signals that the update didn't run because another was in progress.)