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Function HELPMOD()
Action Interactively build and modify help screens
Returns
Category Development
Syntax SET KEY xxx TO HELPMOD
Description HELPMOD() creates and modifies help screens for
HELP() which are stored in HELP.DBF.
HELPMOD() allows online creation and
modification of the size, location and contents
of the help screen for the current PROC,VARIABLE
combination, and stores the results in HELP.DBF.
HELPMOD() is intended to be used online, during
program execution, by the developer/programmer.
It can be removed after development.
By setting a key xxx to this function, the
current PROC and VARIABLE are passed to it
when the key is pressed during the program.
By comparing the PROC and VARIABLE parameters
against entries in the HELP.DBF, HELPMOD() can
then provide the appropriate help screen for
modification, or, if no matching record is found,
allow creation of a new help screen record.
It is important to issue the following statement
in your code: EXTERNAL HELPMOD
This is due to Clipper not recognizing and linking
in procs that are only referenced as SET KEY's.
HELP.DBF is created if not present.
Examples EXTERNAL HELPMOD
SET KEY -30 TO HELPMOD && alt-F1
Notes This approach has two major limitations. When a SET
KEY function is called while the program is in
ACHOICE(), only the ACHOICE is passed as a PROC, and
no variable is passed. Thus, only one help screen
for the proc ACHOICE is definable for an entire
system.
The 2nd is a difficulty with MENU TO. The PROC and
VARIABLE allow 1 help screen per MENU TO, as the
PROC,VARIABLE stays the same no matter which option
is hilited.
Both FUNCKY and GET-IT (libraries) have functions
which would help get around these limitations.
For READS, however, this HELP works pretty well.
Warnings HELP.DBF is a common enough name. If problems
arise, make sure there is not an old HELP.DBF
with a different file sctructure in the directory.
Warnings Key -9 is unset on exit (F10),Cursor is left ON
Found in (prg)......S_HELPM.PRG
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