HELPBOOK.TXT To make a help file you need to have two necessary pieces, a *.hpj file that acts like a makefile for the help compiler, and a *.rtf file that includes the text for the help file and its formatting. RTF stands for rich text format file. You may also include bitmaps (*.bmp) and *.shg (segmented hyper graphics) files. The help compiler basically uses help TOPICS which are named by KEYWORDS, and contain CONTEXT STRINGS. All measurements in the RTF file is made in twips 1\1440 of an inch. Genhelp.hpj looks like this... [OPTIONS] // This is the options section CONTENTS=Contents // This sets which topic page is the first page\screen TITLE=TRASH Help // This sets the text for the title bar of the help window COMPRESS=true // This tells the help compiler to make a compressed file WARNING=3 // This sets the warning level for the compiler [FILES] // This section tells the help compiler what RTF files to use downtug.rtf // This help file only uses one RTF file [BITMAPS] // This section tell the help compiler what BMP and SHG to use downtug.shg // The SHG file this help file uses first.bmp // These are the bitmaps that should be included second.bmp // third.bmp // fourth.bmp // fifth.bmp // [WINDOWS] // This section is optional, sets various window parameters, uses help units, not twips Main = "DOWNTUG", (300, 80, 700, 900), 0, (255,255,255), (255,255,255) [MAP] // This section sets context aliases for context strings not used here Other sections that can be added are; [ALIAS] // Allows setting aliases for context strings [BAGGAGE] // Allows listing multimedia files to be included [BUILDTAGS] // Sets which topics to include in the help file [CONFIG] // Allows you to do macros (Create Buttons, Register DLLs, etc.) Other commands that can be added to the [OPTIONS] section are; BMROOT // Sets the root directory for bitmap files BUILD // Sets which topics in the [BUILDTAGS] section are to be used COPYRIGHT // Sets a copyright message for the about box ERRORLOG // Sets the name of the file that build errors are written to FORCEFONT // Forces a font to replace all fonts in the help file ICON // Sets the icon that will be shown when it minimizes LANGUAGE // Sets the sorting order for keywords MAPFONTSIZE // Maps fonts in the help file to a specific size OPTCDROM // Optimizes the mapping for CD-ROM REPORT // Turn verbose compiler output on and off ROOT // Sets the root directory for the compiler to look for files In the Genhelp.rtf the slash (\) preceeds all commands The file looks like this; {\rtf\ansi // { starts the file, \rtf means this is rtf file, \ansi means ansi character set {\fonttbl // { starts a special section, \fonttbls starts the font table \f0\froman Times New Roman; // \f0 means font zero, \froman tells font type, Times New Roman is the font \f1\fswiss MS Sans Serif; // Sets font 1 to swiss font called MS Sans Serif \f2\fswiss Arial;} // Sets font 2 to swiss font called Arial, } ends the font table {\colortbl // { starts a special section, \colortbl starts the color table, unlike fonttbl not numbered \red0\green0\blue0; // Color 0 is \red0 meaning no red, \green0 no green, \blue0 no blue, i.e. BLACK \red255\green0\blue0; // Color 1 is \red255 meaning full red, \green0\blue0, i.e. BRIGHT RED \red0\green28\blue0; // Color 2 is no red, 28 green, no blue, i.e. DARK GREEN \red0\green0\blue128;} // Color 3 is no red, no green, 128 blue, i.e. MEDIUM BLUE, } ends color table #{\footnote Contents} // This starts the TOPICS. The first is the initial screen\page usually called CONTENTS // A } bracket MUST end the file (after the topics) to match the { at the start of the file. All topics must have the following format; #{\footnote downtug} \par \cf1D\cf0elphi \cf1O\cf0nline \cf1W\cf0indows \cf1NT U\cf0sers \cf1G\cf0roup \line \par \page They all start with the TOPIC KEYWORD. In the previous example it was CONTENTS, in this topic it is DOWNTUG. They must all end with the \page command. It includes the CONTEXT STRING, this one is a little complicated, it could be something as simple as this; #{\footnote Topic1} // # sets the TOPIC KEYWORD, here it is Topic1. This is a test. // This is the CONTEXT STRING. Only this will show in the help file. \page // This ends the TOPIC. You can add other capabilities to the topic by adding other commands to the beginning i.e.; #{\footnote Topic1} // Again, this sets the TOPIC KEYWORD to Topic1 (you can make them anything) K{\footnote You are Invited} // This sets the text that will come up at the top of the SEARCH dialog in help for this topic ${\footnote Come Join us} // This sets the text that will come up in the bottom of the SEARCH dialog in help for this topic +{\footnote jointopics} // This adds this topic to a browse list in help of all topics marked jointopics Here are the commands that you use inside the RTF file. They are interlaced with the text and start with { or \ \deff // Sets the default font. \deff1 sets font 1 as defined in the font table as the default. // You can set the default color to 0 by putting a semi-colon at the end of the colortbl statement. \li // Sets the left indent, is used like \li720 which sets the left indent to 720 twips (1/2 inch) \ri // Sets the right indent, works same as left indent \fi // Sets the indent of the first line of a paragraph in relation to the left indent \tx // Sets tab stops, is used like \tx720\tx720\tx720 which sets three 720 twip tabs \sb // Sets the space before a paragraph, is used like \sb720 \sa // Sets the space after a paragraph, is used like \sa720 \tab // Tabs the text over one tab stop \line // Starts a new line \par // Starts a new paragraph \pard // Resets all tabs and indents to their default values \f // Sets the next text to a given font, used like \f2 sets the text to font 2 as listed in the font table \fs // Sets the next text to a given font size, used like \fs24 to set the font to 24 point \c // Sets the next text to a given color, used like \c2 sets the text to color 2 sa defined in the colortbl \{bml // Is used to insert bitmaps into the text. As an example \{bml mybitmap.bmp\} left justified \{bmc // Same but centered \{bmr // Same but right justified \ul // Creates a pop-up from your text. As an example THIS IS A {\ul TEST}{\v TOPIC1} will // make TEST green dotted underlined text that will popup a box with the TOPIC1 text in it // when a user clicks on the jump word TEST \uldb // Does the same, but JUMPS i.e. creates a new window, to display the the TOPIC1 text rather // than displaying the text in a popup box \strike // Is used to make a JUMP from a bitmap rather than from text. As an example // Click on the picture {\strike \{bml mybitmap.bmp\}}{\v TOPIC1} to see a list. // Will make the bitmap active, and allow the user to JUMP to TOPIC1 by clicking on it. // You cannot create a POPUP from a bitmap, it can only be done from SHG files. // You also don'y need strike for SHG files, just use the bitmap statement, links are built in Look at the Genhelp file to familiarize yourself with these commands and their use.