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1993-08-01
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╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ║
║ ISoft D&M ║
║ POB. 5517 ║
║ Coralville IA 52241 ║
║ U.S.A ║
║ ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
*******************************************************************************
* HELPC Help Engine Technical specification and compiler user guide *
* LAST UPDATE - Aug. 01, 1993. (c) 1992,93 - Loewy Ron. *
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
* General Overview *
*******************************************************************************
The Help Engine database is a combination of text that is read by the user,
and a Topic and Links database that allows the user to view the topics
he is interested in, using hyper-text methods.
Each help database is built of 5 components :
1. Help Data File - this file contains the raw text data.
2. Topic Index - a database table that contains the topic names, and
the references to the topics in the Data File.
3. Links Index - a database table that contains the list of links
defined for each topic, and positional data.
4. Keywords Index - a database table that contains the list of keywords,
and the topics that have these keywords.
5. Set Data File - a database configuration file that contains the
names of the 3 components defined above, and some
additional information.
Version 1.x is the bare-bones version that includes only the basic
operations needed from a hyper-text database, this version is implemented
using the Paradox Engine V3.0 to manage the Topic and Link index tables.
Version 2.x has a new field in the topic table - the title field, help
databases that were compiled with V1.x will not be executed by version
2.x, they will have to be re-compiled!.
Version 3.x fields have different length - the databases have to be
re-compiled.
Version 5.0+ has a new entry in the help set file, database have to be
re-compiled, ot the value 128 should be added in the last line of the help
set file, and the version number should be changed to 5.0.
Version 6.0+ has added the keyword support - a new database table is added,
and a new set format is defined. Help databases will have to be re-compiled
for Natice targets.
In Version 7.0 the title field has been expanded once more - to 70
characters. Help databases will have to be re-compiled.
In Version 8.0 the tType field was added to the Topics database. Old databases
will have to be re-compiled.
The format of the help database is released to the public domain, if
you implement a database viewer on this database structure, I would be
happy to receive a copy ..
*******************************************************************************
* Compiler Usage *
*******************************************************************************
The HELPC help compiler is a dos command line program that receives a
help definition file (.HDF) and produce a help database.
The helpC command line is :
HELPC source.fil [/Htopic-table-name] [/Llink-table-name] [/Ddata-file-name]
[/Kkeywords-table-name] [/R-] [/ST-] [/CS+] [/EP+] [/WD-]
[/RM-]
[/W+] [/W30] [/W31] [TH+] [/QH+] [/TV+] [/PH+] [/XD+]
[/PX+] [/MT+] [/OS2] [/TXT] [/RTF]
The output of the compiler is a set data file called source.SET, that
includes the names of the other help database components.
Please Notice - if the /W+ /W30 or /W31 switch is defined, the compiler
will generate a .HPJ and .RTF files that can be used with the Microsoft
HC (v3.00b) or HC31 help compiler, and output a .HLP windows help file!.
By default the help compiler produces a help cross reference report on the
topics/links used in the database, if the /R- switch is set, no cross-ref
report will be generated, and no database integrity indicators will be
given.
IMPORTANT - Scan the output cross reference report for links defined, that
are not defined as topics!
Notice - An additional switch is available that instructs the help compiler
to indicate it's parse and code generation progress. Use the /EP+ switch to
see that the helpC compiler is active. Please understand that the compile
process can take a long time, on complex help databases. This switch does
nothing more that ensure to you that the help compiler is alive.
The /ST switch defines if the topic name defined in the .TOPIC command
can include embeded spaces. By default this switch is set to /ST- (No
embedded spaces).
The /CS switch turns Topics and Links case sensativity to ON. Use this
switch with care - Only if you must have a lower/mixed case index in THELP
or POPHELP use this switch. Notice that help databases that compile fine
with case sensativity set to off, might fail to do so in case sensativity
on. By deafult this switch is set to off (-).
The /XD switch generates code to the MDVXHELP help compiler, available
free in the file DVXHLP10.ZIP on the internet. When this switch is given,
a set of cover and section files is generated, as well as a response
file that should be used to compile the help database.
The /OS2 switch generates IPF source code. You must compile the generated code
with IPFC, from within an OS/2 session (window or full screen).
The /WD switch controls Warning Display. By default Warning Display is On, if
you do not want to see the Warnings issued by the compiler when a topic name
or link are found to be incomatible with the target source, and helpC
translate them to be syntax compatible with the target.
Use the /TXT switch to create a text file document from your .HDF source.
With this feature you can create on-line help and printed documentation
from the same source!.
Use the /RTF switch to create a word-processor ready RTF file, import this
file (and update the fields e.g.- F9 in WinWord) to create a professional
formatted documentation from the same source code!.
The /RM- switch uses disk cross-reference report tables. Usage of this
option will allow the creation of cross-reference report for huge databases.
This options will slow the creation of reports, use it only for databases
so big that the report can not be generated using memory tables.
*******************************************************************************
* Command Line *
*******************************************************************************
The compiler switches are defined on the command line. These switches can
be placed before and after the source file name. The compiler will look for
a file named HELPC.CFG in the current directory, and process it before any
command line switches are processed.
Switches on the command line will over-ride switches set before them, on the
command line or in one of the response options file.
Response option files can be specified by prefixing their name with a @ sign.
Examples :
If our HELPC.CFG file, in the current directory is :
/W31
/R-
And we compile using HELPC HELPDEMO
The helpdemo.hdf file will be compiled, with the target set to winhelp 3.1
and no cr