scohelp(X1)


scohelp -- display documents and context sensitive help

Command syntax

scohelp [Xt_options] [-version] [-visual id-or-number] [-install] [-no-install] [-ncols n] [-mono] [-remote remote-command] [-id window-id] [-raise] [-noraise] [-iconic] [URL | file]

Desktop access

Start SCOhelp in one of these ways:


NOTE: If Netscape(TM) Navigator(TM) is already running, you see a warning. It is safe to continue; however, you will be unable to use the disk cache and global history.

To exit from SCOhelp, select:

File RIGHT ARROW Exit


WARNING: This might exit other Netscape Navigator windows you have open.

To close a SCOhelp window, select:

File RIGHT ARROW Close

You can view the SCO online documentation with Netscape Navigator or another HTML browser by opening the following URL:

http://document-server:457

where document-server is either localhost (if the documentation is on the local system) or the fully qualified domain name of the document server.

Description

SCOhelp is a general purpose document browser based on Netscape Navigator Version 3. SCOhelp uses ``frames'' to display the hyperlinked system documentation and context-sensitive help.

SCOhelp functions in one of two modes -- stand-alone and help-server. In stand-alone mode, SCOhelp displays the help topics and functions as a stand-alone document browser. In this mode, SCOhelp does not function as a help-server for other clients. To start scohelp in stand-alone mode, enter scohelp at the command line in an xterm window.

In help-server mode, scohelp functions as a help server for another X application. When called by a graphical application, scohelp starts a help window and displays the help topic linked to the application requesting help. Any further requests for help from the same application change the contents of the help window rather than open a new window.

Do not confuse scohelp in help-server mode with the document server, scohelphttp(X1M), which is the name of the document server responsible for finding and giving documents to scohelp.

Command options

scohelp supports all the Xt_options(X1). The following options are also available when starting scohelp from the command line:

-version
shows the version number and build date

-visual id-or-number
uses a specific server visual

-install
installs a private colormap

-no-install
uses the default colormap

-ncols n
sets the maximum number of colors to allocate for images when not using -install

-mono
forces 1-bit-deep image display

-remote remote-command
executes a command in an already-running scohelp process (for more information, see http://home.netscape.com/newsref/std/x-remote.html)

-id window-id
specifies the ID of an X window to send -remote commands; if unspecified, uses the first window found

-raise
specifies whether following -remote commands cause the window to raise itself to the top (default behavior)

-noraise
specifies that the following -remote commands do not auto-raise the window

-iconic
directs scohelp to start with the help window iconified

URL | file
opens the specified URL or file instead of the default home document, at startup

Frames

The content area of the scohelp browser is divided into four subpages, or ``frames'' when viewing the documentation:

top left frame
displays a hierarchy of topic lists

top right frame
displays either an introduction to the topic list on the left or the content

bottom left frame
displays buttons which affect the content of the top left frame

bottom right frame
displays buttons which affect the content of the top right frame
To navigate the top frames, use the buttons in the bottom frames.

The top-level page, or ``frameset'', that defines these four frames is located in /usr/lib/scohelp/LANG/CONTENTS.html.

Some actions, such as saving and mailing documents, affect only the currently selected frame. To select a frame, click on it.

To resize a frame, place the cursor in the border between frames (the cursor changes to a cross-hair) and drag the frame border to a new location.


NOTE: If you resize the browser window, SCOhelp reloads the top-level frameset page (CONTENTS.html); you might lose your context.

Online documentation

The scohelp documentation is located in the scohelphttpd server's DocumentRoot, which is set by default to /usr/lib/scohelp/LANG. Each ``topic'' is a subdirectory of the DocumentRoot. For example, the topic Installing and removing software (under Installation) is located at /usr/lib/scohelp/LANG/INST_install.

scohelp uses URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) to access information. URLs take the general form:

http://danton.sco.com:457/INST_install/_Network_Installation.html

In this example, ``http'' refers to the type of URL (hyper-text transfer protocol), danton.sco.com:457 refers to the system name and port number of the scohelphttpd server, INST_install refers to the topic, and _Network_Installation.html refers to the topic file in INST_install.

When a help request is made, scohelp creates the URL from the topic and filename and passes it to the help server (scohelphttpd). By default, the help server is located on the local system, but it can be located on any system accessible on the network. scohelphttpd prepends DocumentRoot to the help request and delivers the document (if found). Thus, for example, if you start scohelp from the command line, it requests the base SCO online documentation page (home document) using the URL:

http://localhost:457

If the documentation is installed on the server system, scohelphttpd finds the document and delivers it to scohelp. That document contains hypertext links (more URLs) to the other topics contained in the online documentation.

You can change the default home document or add documents to the help system. See ``Changing the default homepage'' and ``Adding documents to the help system'' for more information.

Internationalization and localization

scohelp supports internationalization and localization. This means that scohelp can be adapted to present information in different languages.

To deliver help in different languages, scohelp passes an extended HTTP request header called Accept-Language to the help server, scohelphttp(X1M). The server uses Accept-Language to determine which language to use when serving help information. If LANG is not set, scohelp sets Accept-Language by reading the *httpAcceptLanguage resource in /usr/X/lib/app-defaults/Netscape.

If LANG is set, the locale(1) environment variable LC_MESSAGES ensures that a locale-specific resource file (/usr/X/lib/LANG/app-defaults/Netscape) with *httpAcceptLanguage correctly set is loaded. If Accept-Language is not set or if the locale requested does not exist, then no Accept-Language will be sent and the documentation defaults to English.

On the server side, you can provide multiple ways to refer to the same locale. scohelphttpd compares the value of Accept-Language to a list specified by LanguageAlias and remaps the value if necessary. For example, to map an Accept-Language of french_france.8859 to fr, the lang.conf configuration file contains the following line:

LanguageAlias french_france.8859 fr 
If Accept-Language is not set by the browser, scohelphttpd attempts to locate the file specified by DocumentRoot in /usr/ns-home/httpd-scohelphttp/config/lang.conf.

For more information on localizing scohelp, see scohelphttp(X1M), /usr/ns-home/httpd-scohelphttp/config/lang.conf, and ``Specifying the locale''.

Files

/usr/lib/scohelp/LANG/CONTENTS.html
default home document (base SCO online documentation page)

/usr/X/lib/app-defaults/ScoHelpD
default file for SCOhelp

/usr/X/lib/app-defaults/msg/ScoHelp
default message file for SCOhelp

$HOME/.netscape/preferences
Netscape preferences file

Resources

scohelp is configured from its resource database. This database is built from the following sources, listed in order of precedence, with each succeeding resource definition file capable of overriding the ones preceding it.

/usr/X/lib/app-defaults/ScoHelpD
$HOME/.Xdefaults
$HOME/.Xdefaults-host_name
scohelp command-line options

The filenames /usr/X/lib/app-defaults/ScoHelpD and $HOME/.Xdefaults represent customary locations for these files. The actual location of the system-wide class resource file depends on the XFILESEARCHPATH environment variable and the current language environment. The actual location of the user-specific class resource file depends on the XUSERFILESEARCHPATH and XAPPLRESDIR environment variables and the current language environment.

To customize the system's scohelp resources, edit the following files:

/usr/X/lib/app-defaults/ScoHelpD
/usr/X/lib/app-defaults/font/ScoHelp
/usr/X/lib/app-defaults/msg/ScoHelp
/usr/X/lib/app-defaults/color/ScoHelp

To customize a user's scohelp resources, edit that user's personal X resource files.

Note that if scohelp is running in help-server mode, changes made to resources might not take effect until your next login or until you start a new X session.

To implement scohelp resource changes from the Desktop, log out and log in again, then restart scohelp.

To implement changes if you are not running the Desktop, close your current X session, restart X, and then restart scohelp.

The most common scohelp resources are listed here.

Functional resources

docServer: string
Sets the HTTP address of the SCOhelp document server. Default is http://localhost:457. scohelp can be set to use any server accessible to it on the network.


NOTE: If you set docServer to use a different server, you must also set the port number. For example, to set scohelp to use the scohelphttpd server on the system named danton.sco.com, use this syntax:
docServer:	http://danton.sco.com:457 
457 is the default port number used by the scohelphttpd server.

Visual resources

Default configurations for the following Netscape resources are found in /usr/X/lib/app-defaults/Netscape. Specify them in your $HOME /.Xdefaults file as follows:
*linkForeground:	#0000EE 


NOTE: Changing these resources changes both Netscape and SCOhelp configuration.

*linkForeground: color
Specifies foreground text color of unfollowed links (links which have not yet been visited). Default is #0000EE.

*vlinkForeground: color
Specifies foreground text color of followed links (links which have been visited). Default is #551A8B.

*alinkForeground: color
Specifies foreground color of activated links (links which are being clicked on). Default is FF0000.

*selectForeground: color
Specifies foreground color of text selected with the mouse. Default is #000000.

*selectBackground:
Specifies background color of text selected with the mouse. Default is #FFFFCC.

*defaultBackgroundImage: filename or URL
Specifies default background image (filename or URL for a GIF, JPEG, or XBM image). If blank, uses the default background color.

*documentColorsHavePriority: boolean
If set to False, specifies that user-specified colors and backgrounds override any colors and backgrounds in documents viewed. Default is True.

Fonts

To customize the fonts in your scohelp window, select Options RIGHT ARROW General Preferences RIGHT ARROW Fonts. The font configuration is stored in the ~/.netscape/preferences file.


NOTE: Do not edit this file directly. Instead, use the options in the Preferences dialogs.

References

scohelphttp(X1M)

``Getting help''


30 January 1998
© 1998 The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. All rights reserved.