Here is the latest on relocating your help files to a server.  
The WinHelp() function, as I am told by MS, does search your path so 
relocating MS windows helpfiles won't be a problem as long as you include
the path to where you move them to, however, if an application has 
hardcoded the path into their code so that when WinHelp is invoked it
searches the given path (i.e. WinHelp(hwnd, c:\amipro) for example) then
WinHelp does not search your path and instead looks only to that directory
where you have installed your software.

I tested this out on a variety of software packages.  I moved all my 
helpfiles to the drive z:\ and included this in the path statement.
Here is the results for different software packages:


Norton Desktop			Found Helpfiles
Windows V3.1 for WorkGroups	Found Helpfiles
Windows V3.1			Found Helpfiles
MS Powerpoint V3.0		Found Helpfiles
MS Word				Found Helpfiles
MS Excel V4.0a			Did Not Find Helpfiles (strange)
MS Foxpro V2.5 for Windows	Found Helpfiles
Lotus Amipro V3.0		Did Not Find Helpfiles
Procomm Plus for Windows	Did Not Find Helpfiles


I guess this is better than nothing but it would make sense to be able to 
specify a global path for helpfiles.  

If anyone has any comments or If I can help anyone or if I left something
out please let me know.

		lhighley@gozer.idbsu.edu

thanks for the help from everyone especially jagrant@emr1.emr.ca