@ME.FORMAT                                                               R                                                 
* INTRO TO ACI HYPERTEXT
Welcome to the ^BAmerican Cybernetics' Hypertext System^b (ACI Hypertext).

	@QUICKREF[!A. Quick reference to ACI Hypertext]
	@SEARCH[!B. Searching for text]
	@FORMAT[!D. ACI Hypertext file format]
	@INDEXGEN[!E. Using the Index Generator for FAST access]
QUICKREF ACI HYPERTEXT QUICK REFERENCE
<ENTER>		Select current link
<BackSpace>	Move to previously selected chapter.
<ESC>		Exit help system

<UP>, <DOWN>
<LEFT>, <RIGHT> Moves the cursor between the highlighted links.

<PgUp>		Move one screen up.		<Gray+>  Scroll up.
<PgDn>		Move one screen down.		<Gray->  Scroll down.

<CtrlUP>, <CtrlDOWN>  	Scroll chapter up and down.
<CtrlLEFT>, <CtrlRIGHT> Scroll chapter left and right.

<F1>		Bring up table of contents for the current hypertext file.
<F5>		Returns to the last-displayed help screen of the previous
		help session.
<F6>		Search current chapter for a string.
<CtrlF6>	Repeat previous search
<AltF6>		Search file.

FORMAT ACI Hypertext File Format

An ACI Hypertext file is basically a straight ASCII text file with some simple
codes imbedded in it to define chapters, links and attributes.

	@CHAPTERS[!A.  Chapter definitions]
	@LINKS[!B.  Link definitions]
	@QUICKKEYS[!C.  Link Quick-Keys]
	@TOFILES[!D.  Linking to other files]
	@TOPROG[!E.  Linking to other programs]
	@ATTRIBS[!F.  Screen Attributes]


NOTE:  The best way to learn the file format is probably to load this file
       (ACI_HYPE.HLP) into a new window and look at it in its `raw' form.
CHAPTERS ACI Hypertext File Format - Chapter Definitions

Chapters are preceded by a chapter header, which consists of a form feed
(ASCII 12) character in column 1, followed immediately (no space) by an
index string which may be up to 20 characters long.  This is the key
that is referenced by @LINKS[links].  Separated from the index string by
a space character is the chapter title.  It may be up to 80 characters
long.

LINKS ACI Hypertext File Format - Link Definitions

A @CHAPTERS[chapter] may be indexed anywhere in the file by defining a "link".  To
define a link you specify the index with an"@@" character and then mark the
text to be highlighted with square brackets: @@index[highlighted text]

	Example:	@@FORMAT[ACI Hypertext Format]

To enter in an "@@" character literally (like we are doing here), you put
it in twice (i.e. "@@@@").

The following characters may NOT be used in the index name of a link:

	    		@@
	    		[
			]
            		!
            		^^
            		%
            		Form Feed (ASCII 12) character

These characters are reserved for other functions.

You may use the "!" character to specify a @QUICKKEYS[quick-key] for the link.

See also @TOFILES[Linking into other files] and @INDXSRCH[Linking with Search]
INDXSRCH ACI Hypertext File Format - Linking with Search

You may specify a search string along with the link.  When this link is selected,
the specified chapter will be brought up and the first occurrence of the search
string will be highlighted: @@index%search_string[highlighted text]

	Example:

		^B@@HYPE.HLP^INDXSRCH%LINK[First Occurrence of LINK]^b

		This example would bring up this chapter and highlight the
		first occurrence of "LINK".

NOTE:	The search is NOT case sensitive, and @SEARCH[Next Search] may be used
	to search for the next occurrence of the search string.

QUICKKEYS ACI Hypertext File Format - Link Quick-Keys

An "!" may be used as the first character of the highlighted text in order
to specify an index letter.  This allows you to set up a menu, where the
first letter of the highlighted text can be used to select that link.

	Example:	@@BASIC_USE[!A. How to use ACI Hypertext]
			@@FORMAT[!B. Hypertext document format]
			@@JOKES[!C. Jokes]
TOFILES ACI Hypertext File Format - Linking into other files

You may optionally specify a file name in the link.  The format is:

        	@@filename^^index[highlighted text]

This will cause ACI Hypertext to bring up the specified file and search for the
index.
TOPROG ACIHELP File Format - Linking to other programs

To run another program (using COMMAND.COM) the format is:

		@@<command_line[highlighted text]

Upon completion of the program, the screen will be restored, and ACI Hypertext
will return to the same position in the hypertext file.
ATTRIBS ACI Hypertext File Format - Screen Attributes

Sections of text other than links may be highlighted, bolded or assigned other
attributes.  This is done by inserting codes that begin with a ^B^^^b.  The
following attributes are available:

	^BBold on^0		^B^^B^b		Bold off	^B^^b^b
	^RReverse on^0	^B^^R^b		(use ^B^^R^b again to turn reverse off).
	^KBlink on^0	^B^^K^b		Blink off	^B^^k^b

	Normal text	^B^^0^b
	^1Text color 1^0	^B^^1^b
	^2Text color 2^0	^B^^2^b
	^3Text color 3^0	^B^^3^b

Examples:
	This is ^^Rreverse video^^R and this isn't.
	This is ^Rreverse video^R and this isn't.

	This is ^^B^^Kbold and blinking^^k and this is just bold^^b.
	This is ^B^Kbold and blinking^k and this is just bold^b.

	This is ^^1color 1^^0 and this isn't.
	This is ^1color 1^0 and this isn't.

	To embed a ^B^^^b in a file, just put it in twice.

See also @FORMAT[ACI Hypertext File Format].
INDEXGEN INDEXGEN The ACI Hypertext Index Generator

ACI Hypertext will work with or without an index file.  For small hypertext
files you probably won't be able to tell the difference between an
indexed and a non-indexed file.  However, for large hypertext files,
where access time is starting to be a problem, an index file becomes
very important.

ACI Hypertext automatically looks for an index file for the hypertext file it
is working with.  It makes the assumption that the index file will have
the same name and be in the same directory as the hypertext file, but
that it will have the extension ".NDX".  If the ".NDX" file is not found
then ACI Hypertext goes on just fine without it.

Generating an index file for an ACI Hypertext file is very easy.
Just type (at the DOS command line) "INDEXGEN filename".  The filename
must include the extension.  For example "INDEXGEN ACI_HYPE.HLP" would
create a file called "ACI_HYPE.NDX".

ACI Hypertext automatically compares the time/date stamp of the index file and
the hypertext file.  If the index file is older than the hypertext file,
then the index file will NOT be used.

SEARCH Searching for Text
You may search for text in the current chapter or file, and you may repeat the
last search operation.

To search for text in the current chapter, hit the key assigned to
Chapter Search (see @QUICKREF%SEARCH[Quick Reference] for key assignments).
Type in the desired search string at the prompt and then hit <ENTER>.  The
first occurrence of the search string will be highlighted.

To search for text in the entire file, hit the key assigned to File Search
(see @QUICKREF%Search file[Quick Reference]), and repeat the steps for Chapter
Search.

To repeat your last search operation, select Next Search