{\b Copyright ⌐ 1993 by Aciran Software Systems, All Rights Reserved}
{\f0 \fs28 \cf6 \B This Help file was produced entirely using the Help Editor system and the Microsoft Help compiler.}
{\b Commands}
\li600
ñThe Tool Bar½Topic0078╗
ñThe Status Bar½Topic0079╗
ñFile Menu½Topic0003╗
ñEdit Menu½Topic0004╗
ñSearch Menu½Topic0005╗
ñProject Menu½Topic0006╗
ñMake Menu½Topic0007╗
ñInsert Menu½Topic0008╗
ñOptions Menu½Topic0071╗
ñHelp Menu½Topic0009╗
\pard
{\b Glossary}
ñDefined Terms½Topic0055╗
ºTopic0002
{\b Help Edit Help} ñIndex 2 of 2½Topic0001╗
{\b Procedures}
\li600
ñHow to prepare your Help File½Topic0043╗
ñHow to create a Help Edit Project File½Topic0044╗
ñHow to create Help Topics½Topic0045╗
ñHow to create Help Definitions½Topic0046╗
ñHow to create Jump Links½Topic0047╗
ñHow to create Definition Links½Topic0048╗
ñHow to create a Browse Sequence½Topic0049╗
ñHow to create an Alias List½Topic0080╗
ñHow to Edit a Topic½Topic0062╗
ñHow to Edit a Definition½Topic0063╗
ñHow to Indent a Paragraph½Topic0081╗
ñHow to Remove a Topic½Topic0064╗
ñHow to Remove a Definition½Topic0065╗
ñHow to include Fonts and Colours½Topic0070╗
ñHow to include Graphic BitMap images½Topic0050╗
ñHow to Make a Help File½Topic0051╗
ñHow to Change the default Editor to view Errors½Topic0072╗
ñHow to Launch a program½Topic0076╗
\pard
{\b The SDK Windows Help Compiler}
\li600
ñHow to set-up HC.BAT½Topic0052╗
ñHow to Create an HPJ Project File for HC.½Topic0056╗
ñHow to Make Context Sensitive Help calls½Topic0053╗
ñHow to Test you Help File½Topic0054╗
\pard
ºTopic0078
{\b The Tool Bar}
The Tool bar has the following control buttons.
\{bml toolbar.shg\}
Click on each button for more information on what each one does.
ºTopic0079
{\b The Status Bar}
The Status bar gives the following information.
In the first section is the Line number and Column position.
In the second section the word 'Modified' appears when the user has changes the text in the editor.
In the third section, a description of each menu item is given when that menu item is highlighted.
The last three sections indicate the status of the CAPS lock, NUM lock and SCROLL lock keys respectively.
ºTopic0003
{\b The File Menu}
The File Menu allows you to create new Help files and has the following options
ñOpen½Topic0011╗
ñSave½Topic0012╗
ñSave As½Topic0013╗
ñPrinter Set-up½Topic0067╗
ñPrint½Topic0068╗
ñExit½Topic0014╗
Select each Name for further information.
ºTopic0004
{\b Edit Menu}
The Edit menu allows you to edit the text file and has the following options
ñUndo½Topic0015╗
ñCut½Topic0016╗
ñCopy½Topic0017╗
ñPaste½Topic0018╗
ñDelete½Topic0019╗
ñClear All½Topic0020╗
ñTopic½Topic0058╗
ñDefinition½Topic0059╗
ñWord Wrap½Topic0077╗
Select each Name for further information
ºTopic0077
{\b Word Wrap}
Use this menu selection to toggle Word Wrap On/Off.
When word wrap is on, text will wrap to the next line when it reaches the edge of the Window. If word wrap is off, text will scroll to the left. When On there will be a check mark next to the menu item, and no horizontal scroll bar. During Save, Help Edit temporarily turns word wrap off, so that there are no false line breaks in your help file.
ºTopic0005
{\b Search Menu}
The Search menu offers the following choices
\li600
ñFind½Topic0021╗
ñReplace½Topic0022╗
ñNext½Topic0023╗
\pard
Select each Name for further information
ºTopic0006
{\b Project Menu}
The Project menu offers the following menu items
\li600
ñOpen½Topic0024╗
ñClose½Topic0025╗
ñAdd File½Topic0026╗
ñDelete File½Topic0027╗
ñRemove Topic½Topic0060╗
ñRemove Definition½Topic0061╗
ñCurrent :- [None]½Topic0028╗
\pard
Select each Name for further information
ºTopic0007
{\b Make Menu}
The Make menu contains the following options
\li600
ñTopic½Topic0029╗
ñTitle½Topic0030╗
ñDefinition½Topic0057╗
ñHELP File½Topic0033╗
\pard
Select each Name for further information
ºTopic0008
{\b Insert Menu}
The insert menu has the following selections
\li600
ñJump Link½Topic0034╗
ñDefinition Link½Topic0035╗
ñBitMap Image½Topic0036╗
ñParagraph Indent½Topic0081╗
\pard
Select each Name for further information
ºTopic0069
{\b Choose Font}
You must have selected text before you can activate this menu.
You will be presented with a dialog box offering a choice of Fonts, character sizes, colours, and attributes such as Bold, Underline, strikeout, and Italic. After you have made your choice select OK to insert the RTF codes, or Cancel to quit. You should use Fonts and Colours sparingly.
An example of what is available is shown below.
{\f2 \fs48 \cf6 Arial},red,24 point
{\f4 \fs30 \cf2 \ul Courier}, blue,underline,15 point
{\f5 \fs44 \cf5 \B \strike Courier New}, fuschia,bold,strikeout,22 point
{\f1 \fs18 \cf1 Fixed Sys}, normal, 9 point
{\f7 \fs48 \cf9 \B \ul MS Sans Serif}, navy,underline,bold,24 point
{\fs48 \cf11 \B \i \ul MS Serif}, green, bold, italic, 24 point
{\f9 \fs14 \cf1 \B Small Fonts}, black, bold, 7 point
{\f6 \fs20 \cf4 \B \ul System}, Lime green,underline,bold,10 point
{\fs72 \cf15 \i Times New Roman}, Gray,italic,36 point
ºTopic0071
{\b The Options Menu}
This menu has the following selections.
ñChoose Font½Topic0069╗
ñSpell Check.½Topic0074╗
ñSelect Editor.½Topic0073╗
ñWindows 3.1½Topic0075╗
Click on any of the above for more information.
ºTopic0073
{\b Select Editor.}
During compilation of your Help topics into a Help File by the Help compiler, Help Edit routes all Warning and Error messages into a file called Helpedit.err.
If Help Edit detects any errors or warnings it uses the default editor to show these messages. The default editor is Notepad. You can use this option to select another editor, e.g. WinEdit or Write.
Help Edit will remember your changes and use the editor of your choice in future sessions.
Just use the file selection box to tell Help Edit the name and location of your editor.
ºTopic0074
{\b Spell Check}
If you have the professional version of Help Edit, you will also have Spelmate, a spell checking DLL installed. This comes in both American and British versions. It has a 50,000 word plus dictionary, and a private user dictionary that you can add your own definitions to.
To spell check your Help Edit document, place the cursor at the point you wish to begin the spell check, then select the Spell check menu item from the Options menu.
Help Edit will load the spell checker and scan you text. If it encounters an unknown word it will make suggestions as to what it might be, and you can accept a word form the suggestion list, and Help Edit will replace the word for you.
The Spelmate dialog is shown below, it is an example of a .SHG file that Help Edit supports. Click on the various controls for more information.
\{bml spell.shg\}
When you reach the end of the spell check a dialog box will announce that spelling is complete. You can cancel at any time before then by selecting the cancel button.
ºTopic0075
{\b Windows 3.1}
If you are using the Windows 3.1 version of the help compiler you should select this option.
A check mark will be placed next to the menu entry, and when you exit Help Edit the information will be saved, so that you need not re-enter it.
The HPJ file is different for Windows 3.0 and 3.1 help compilers, and so Help Edit needs to know which one you intend to use. You should also refer to the ñHC.BAT½Topic0052╗ file setup to make sure that Help Edit calls the correct compiler for you.
Help Edit also uses this information when allowing certain options to be selected, such as launching a program from within your Help File. As this is a macro command only available in Version 3.1.
ºTopic0009
{\b Help Menu}
The Help Menu has the following items
ñAbout½Topic0037╗
ñHelp Index½Topic0038╗
ñHelp on Help½Topic0039╗
ñOrder½Topic0040╗
ñShareware½Topic0041╗
ñTutorial½Topic0066╗
ñTest Help½Topic0042╗
Select each Name for further information
ºTopic0010
{\b File New}
This option starts a new file. Any previous file contents will be cleared.
If you have a file in memory that has changed, you will be asked if you wish to save the data.
You should Open a« Project½Definition0006╗ first. When Help Edit starts up you can begin entering text immediately, but you will not be able to save it until you supply a Project Name.
ºTopic0011
{\b File Open}
Select Open to load an existing Help Edit file from the Project.
Use this option to Load a file listed in the Project. This option can only be selected if a valid project is open, and it contains at least one file.
A list of Text files will be presented in a list box, and you should select one, or cancel.
ºTopic0012
{\b File Save}
Use this menu option to save the current file being edited.If you do not have a Project open at the time you save the file , you will be asked to open or create a new Project so that the name of the file you have just saved can be added.
If the file was new, you will be prompted for a file name. The Filename will automatically be added to the project list.
ºTopic0013
{\b File Save As}
This menu item allows you to save the current file under a new name.
ºTopic0067
{\b File Printer Set-up}
This option allows you to select a particular printer, and optionally set it up for portrait or landscape mode, depending on the printer options available.
ºTopic0068
{\b File Print}
This option prints the contents of the edit window. If you select a piece of text first, then select the Selected Text option from the print dialog, then only the selected text will be printed.
ºTopic0014
{\b File Exit}
This option will end the Help Edit session. If there is a file in memory that has changed, you will be asked if you wish to save it.
ºTopic0015
{\b Edit Undo}
This option allows you to undo the last edit command, if at all possible.
Some edit commands such as Cut and Copy are saved in a buffer, and it is possible to undo the last command.
ºTopic0016
{\b Edit Cut}
To perform a Cut, you must first select the text to cut. This will then be highlighted.
The text is deleted from the edit file, and copied into the clipboard. From there it can be pasted into a new location.
ºTopic0017
{\b Edit Copy}
To perform a Copy, you must first select the text to copy. This will then be highlighted.
This is similar to Edit Cut in that the selected text is copied into the clipboard. The original text remains unchanged. The copied text can then be pasted from the clipboard into another location.
ºTopic0018
{\b Edit Paste}
The Paste command copies any text in the clipboard into the file at the current caret(text cursor) position.
This option is only available if the clipboard contains valid text data.
ºTopic0019
{\b Edit Delete}
The Delete command deletes the selected text from the edit file. It is not copied to the clipboard.
ºTopic0020
{\b Edit Clear All}
This command clears all the contents of the editor. You will be warned if you have not saved your data.
ºTopic0058
{\b Edit Topic}
This option allows you to change a Topic.
A list box of Topics will be presented and you should select the Topic you wish to Edit.
A dialog box will appear similar to the one used when creating a Topic, only all the fields will be completed with the data of the Topic selected. You can alter the Title, the list of Keywords, or alter the Browse sequence. If you choose OK the edit changes will be implemented, choose Cancel to abort the edit.
ºTopic0059
{\b Edit Definition}
A dialog box will appear similar to the one used when creating a Definition, only the Title field will be completed with the data of the Definition selected. You can alter the Title, and if you choose OK the edit changes will be implemented, choose Cancel to abort the edit.
ºTopic0021
{\b Search Find}
Use search find to locate a word or piece of text in the file. You will be presented with a dialog box requesting the text to find. There is the option to match case.
ºTopic0022
{\b Search Replace}
This option allows you to replace a single or all occurrences of one text string with another string. You will be presented with a dialog box asking for the old and the new text.
Options include matching case, single or all occurrences, and you can choose whether or not you want to confirm each substitution.
ºTopic0023
{\b Search Next}
The search find function will select the first occurrence of the text that matches it's goal. If you want to look for subsequent occurrences, select this menu item.
Use the hot key F3 to save time.
ºTopic0024
{\b Project Open}
Every Help Edit session requires the use of a Project File. This file holds information regarding the files in you Help system, and also the «Topics½Definition0009╗ and «Definitions½Definition0002╗ that you create.
This makes the creation of a «HPJ project file½Definition0003╗ for the Help compiler an almost automated process, and thus makes your job much easier.
This menu option allows you to load a project file, or to create a new one by typing in a new name. The *.prj extension is automatically added. Any current project will be saved and closed first.
ºTopic0025
{\b Project Close}
This option closes theñ current project.½Topic0028╗ Any open files will be saved.
ºTopic0026
{\b Project Add File}
This option allows you to add Text or ñBitmap Files½Topic0050╗ to you project.
Text files are assumed to have the extension *.doc, but this can be overridden.
It is suggested that you create your original text files with the extension *.txt, using Help Edit, Notepad, or any ASCII test editor, then copy the file to *.doc, so that you have an original version as a backup.
ºTopic0027
{\b Project Delete File}
Use this option to remove any Text or Bitmap files from the project. You must remember that if you have created any Topics or Definitions using the file you have deleted, these will still be in the Project, and if you reference them, the help compiler will complain.
ºTopic0060
{\b Project Remove Topic}
A Topic can be removed in one of two ways.
Method One. Select the Project menu and choose remove Topic, next select the Topic to remove from the list.
Help Edit will search the current file and try to locate the topic, if successful it will ask you to confirm that the Topic be deleted. If you agree, the Topic information will be removed from the project, and the Topic marker deleted from your file. If it cannot find the marker, the Topic cannot be deleted until the correct file is loaded.
Method Two. Select the Topic marker you wish to remove from the project. Do not select onto the next line. Choose Remove Topic from the Project menu. Help Edit will read the selected topic marker, find it's title, and ask you to confirm removal. The Topic marker will then be deleted, and the Topic removed from the project.
Help Edit will not delete the text, in case you want to use it, remember that this text is now part of the preceding Topic. Help Edit does not remove any references to the Topic from your file, however the Topic marker is copied to the Search facility, and if you move to the start of the file and choose search, the search text contains the marker, search though the present file, and any others, to locate references to the Topic just removed.
ºTopic0061
{\b Project Remove Definition}
A Definition can be removed in one of two ways.
Method One. Select the Project menu and choose Remove Definition, next select the Definition to remove from the list.
Help Edit will search the current file and try to locate the Definition, if successful it will ask you to confirm that the Definition be deleted. If you agree, the Definition information will be removed from the project, and the Definition marker deleted from your file. If it cannot find the marker, the Definition cannot be deleted until the correct file is loaded.
Method Two. Select the Definition marker you wish to remove from the project. Do not select onto the next line. Choose Remove Definition from the Project menu. Help Edit will read the selected Definition marker, find it's title, and ask you to confirm removal. The Definition marker will then be deleted, and the Definition deleted from the project.
Help Edit will not delete the text, in case you want to use it, remember that this text is now part of the preceding Definition. Help Edit does not remove any references to the Definition from your file, however the Definition marker is copied to the Search facility, and if you move to the start of the file and choose search, the search text contains the marker, you can therefore search though the present file, and any others, to locate references to the Definition just removed.
ºTopic0028
{\b Project Current :-[None]}
This Menu simply identifies the current project, or [None] if no Project is active.
ºTopic0072
{\b How To change the Default Editor.}
From the main menu bar select ñOptions½Topic0071╗, then choose Editor.
Use the file dialog box to select a new editor to be used to view error messages from the Help Compiler. The default is Notepad. Help Edit will remember your selection and use it in future sessions.
ºTopic0076
{\b How to Launch a program}
If you are using the version 3.1 of the Help compiler, you can run programs from within your help file.
A program can be run by creating a hotspot link using a word or phrase, or even a bitmap. To use text, select the text using the left mouse button, then select Program from the Insert Menu. You will be presented with a dialog box requesting the program details. Enter the program name and any optional command line parameters. For example to run Word for Windows and to open the file MyFile.doc you would type Winword Myfile.doc into the edit field.
To run a program from a Bitmap select the Program radio button option when inserting the Bitmap into your document. You enter the program details as before into the edit box provided.
For more information refer to the section on inserting Bitmaps.
ºTopic0080
{\b How To Create An Alias List}
You use the [Alias] list to assign one or more Topic labels to the same Topic alias. Because Topic labels must be unique for each Topic and can't be used for any other Topic in the Help project, the Alias list provides a way to delete or combine Help Topics without re-ordering your files. The Alias List is optional.
For example, if you create a Topic that replaces three other topics, and you delete the three, you will have to search through your files for invalid jumps to deleted Topics. You can avoid this problem by using an Alias list to assign the new Topic to the deleted Topics.
You can also use the Alias List when your application program has multiple context identifiers for which you have only one Topic. This can be the case with context-sensitive Help.
To create an Alias List you should create a simple ASCII text file with the same name as your Project file, but with the extension .ALI. Help Edit looks for such a file when compiling the .HPJ file, and if found, it is included in the .HPJ.
An example is shown below, note that comments can be included if separated from the Alias information by a semi-colon.
{\f0 \fs24 \cf6 sm_key=topic0001
cc_key=topic0001
st_key=topic0001;combined into keyboard shortcuts topic
clskey=topic0002
makey=topic0002;covered in using dialog boxes
chk_key=topic0004}
The Topic label is the same as the Topic code eg {\b topic0010} that is placed above the Topic text by Help Edit, but minus the special marker.
ºTopic0081
{\b Paragraph Indent}
\li600 Use this option to create indented paragraphs that will maintain their alignment even if the Help Window is reduced thus causing word wrap onto the next line. To indent a paragraph first select the text to be indented, then choose Paragraph Indent from the Insert menu.
\pard
The above paragraph is an example of what is available.
