TabMaker Help Project Doc


Main Window


TOPIC: Overview


Overview
SimDoc TabMaker

Overview

TabMaker is a utility for creating tabbed topic selectors in WinHelp. (For an example, see above.) The tabs are standard WinHelp segmented hypergrahic (".SHG") files, and are inserted into topics using standard bitmap references.

Getting Help with Features

To get help with TabMaker's features, turn on the Show Hints Option. When you place the cursor over a control, TabMaker will display pop-up help for the feature.

Hotspot Editor

TabMaker requires version 3.50.784 or 3.50.820 of the Microsoft Hotspot Editor. To determine the version number of your Hotspot Editor, select "About" from its Help Menu. You can download version 3.50.784 from the WinHelp library in CompuServe's Windows SDK forum (GO WINSDK).

TabMaker will not work with the modified Hotspot Editor that ships with RoboHELP®. RoboHELP also installs a valid un-modified copy, which it places in the ORIGINAL subdirectory below your main RoboHELP directory.

Technical Support / Contacting SimDoc

You can contact SimDoc via CompuServe at 74551,3060. To reach SimDoc via the Internet, send email to 74551.3060@COMPUSERVE.COM. We welcome feedback, ideas, and bug reports.

TabMaker Functions

The Word Macros that come with TabMaker use a WLL to access functions in TabMaker's main DLL. If you are interested in accessing these functions from another platform (such as C++ or Visual Basic), contact SimDoc for more information.


Help with Features
SEARCH: Getting Help with Features


Hotspot Editor
SEARCH: Hotspot Editor


Contacting SimDoc
SEARCH: Contacting SimDoc


Functions
SEARCH: TabMaker Functions


TOPIC: Using TabMaker


Using TabMaker
SimDoc TabMaker

Using TabMaker

To use TabMaker to create tabs for an existing help project, follow these general steps:

	Open a WinHelp Project
Use the Open Project Dialog Box to select a WinHelp project file (".HPJ"). To access the dialog box, click on the Open Button.

	Add the First Tab Set
Use the Add Tab Set Dialog Box to add the first tab set. To access the dialog box, click on the New Button.

	Edit the Tabs
Use the Edit Tab Controls and the Edit Tab Set Controls to edit the tabs. To get pop-up help with these features (and all the other features), turn on the Show Hints Option.

If you're using a Microsoft Word-based authoring package, you can use the Word Macros to add tabs and manage your tab references.

Think long and hard about the background color.

	Export the Tab Set
To send the current tab set to the Hotspot Editor, click on the Export Button, then select "Tab Set" from the Export Menu.

The first time you do this, TabMaker will prompt you to select a copy of the Hotspot Editor. Click on the OK Button, then use the Select Hotspot Editor Dialog Box to locate SHED.EXE.

When you export the first tab set for a help project, TabMaker will create a TABS subdirectory below the project directory, and will add it to the BMROOT option in the project's HPJ file.

	Add More Tab Sets
Use the Edit Project Controls to add, delete, and rename tab sets.

	Save Your Work
Click on the Save Button to save your work to a settings file for the current project. The next time you open the project, TabMaker will automatically open this settings file.


TOPIC: Background Color


Background Color and Color Depth
SimDoc TabMaker

Background Color and Color Depth

Before you create a big bunch of tab sets, decide what background color (or colors) you want to use. TabMaker does not have any features for mass-modifying background color, so if you change your mind, you'll have to grind through each and every set. A little time spent now can save you much headache later.

Selecting a Background Color
Click on the Color Button to select a background color. TabMaker will open Windows' default color dialog box.

You can use TabMaker to write the color values for a help window's non-scrolling region. TabMaker saves an RGB value (in the "R, G, B" format) for each tab set. You can copy the RGB parameters from the project's TabMaker settings file into the window's definition in the HPJ file.

Color incompatibilities can make your work look terrible. If you don't know what your end user's video setup will be, use one of the sixteen basic Windows colors. If you're developing for a specific audience, test your help file on the end user's system.

Video Resolution

The bitmaps that TabMaker exports to the Hotspot Editor are the same color depth as your current video driver. In other words, if you're running your monitor at 16 million colors, you will create oversized SHG files that may not be displayable at lower resolutions.

Go ahead and work at whatever color depth you prefer. When the project is completed, just before you do your final compile, reduce your video resolution to 16 colors and re-export the entire project (click on the Export Button, then select "Project"). This will (a) minimize the help file's size, and (b) insure that the tabs will display on all systems.


Video Resolution
SEARCH: Video Resolution


TOPIC: Microsoft Word Macros


Microsoft Word Macros
SimDoc TabMaker

Microsoft Word Macros

TabMaker comes with macros for creating tabs from Microsoft Word.

To add the macros to selected templates, open TMSETUP.DOC.

To remove the macros from all templates, open TMUNINST.DOC.

The Word macros are explained below. You can access them from the TabMaker Toolbar or the TabMaker Menu.

TabMakerActivate
If TabMaker is running, makes it the active application. If not, launches it.

TabMakerClearTabRefs
If there is a selection, clears all tab references in the selection. If not, clears all tab references in the current document.

TabMakerHelp
Opens the current help topic.

TabMakerLib
Contains subroutines used by the other macros.

TabMakerMenu
Adds or removes the TabMaker Menu from the active template.

TabMakerRefPara
Inserts an empty paragraph as the topic's second paragraph (which should be just below the page's title), applies a default style, then runs TabMakerSendTab. The first time you run TabMakerRefPara, it prompts you to enter or select a paragraph style for your tab references. The style you choose becomes the default style for this macro. If this macro does not work with your topic file formatting, you can:

Place the cursor where you want the reference to go, then run TabMakerSendTab directly.

Write a macro that positions the cursor for you, then calls TabMakerSendTab.

TabMakerSendCtxString
Sends the context string for the current topic to the active tab in TabMaker. Useful for quickly fixing a tab set if a context string has been changed.

TabMakerSendTab
Called by TabMakerRefPara. Opens the Add New Tab Dialog Box, which you use to send the current topic's context string and tab text to TabMaker.

Changing the Project or Tab Set

Check the project and tab set listed in the dialog box. If you want to add the tab to a different project or set:

1	Click on the TabMaker Button, which activates TabMaker.

2	Open the right project and/or select or create the tab set (see Using TabMaker).

3	Return to Word. The Add Button will have changed to the Update Button. Click on the Update Button to retrieve the new project and/or tab set from TabMaker.

Adding the Topic's Tab

To add the topic's tab to the selected project and tab set, click on the Add Button. TabMaker will:

Insert a tab reference, with the new tab active, at the current selection.

If the current tab set contains blank tabs, TabMaker will write the new data into the first blank tab. If not, it will append a new tab to the end of the set.

TabMakerSyncRefs
TabMakerSyncRefs rewrites a specified number of tab references to (a) refer to the same tab set as the selected reference, and (b) sequentially number the active tabs. It is useful when:

You have rearranged the order of your topics and tabs and need to re-synchronize your tab references with the tab set.

You have changed the name of the tab set and need to revise its tab references.

To use the macro:

1	Place the cursor in the first tab reference that you want to change. If you want to change the tab set name, make sure that this reference uses the correct name. For example, if you want to use a tab set named "MAIN1", select a MAIN1.T## reference (or edit the appropriate reference so that it matches this format).

2	Run the macro. TabMaker will open the Sequence Tab References Dialog Box.

3	If you want to change the active tab in the selected reference, enter the number of the new active tab in the first text box. To use the keypad, click in the text box, click the Clear Button, then click on the numbers.

4	In the second text box, enter the total number of tab set references that you want to change, including the selected reference.

5	Click on the OK Button. The macro will rename and renumber the selected number of references.

TabMakerWLL
Contains subroutines that call TabMaker's main DLL (dynamic link library).


TOPIC: Buying TabMaker


Buying TabMaker
SimDoc TabMaker

Buying TabMaker

TabMaker is available for purchase via CompuServe's shareware registration service. The cost is US$49.

If you're using WinCim (CompuServe's Information Manager for Windows), press <Ctrl>+<G>, enter "SWREG", and follow the on-screen prompts.

If not, enter "GO SWREG" at any ! prompt, and follow the on-screen prompts.

TabMaker's registration ID is 8049. CompuServe will add the registration fee for TabMaker to your CompuServe bill.

Why You Should Register

It's the right thing to do. (Please don't laugh.)

We'll be nice to you when you need technical support.

You'll never have to look at the "TabMaker Shareware Notice" again.

If you don't, SimDoc will exit the software business and that'll be the end of TabMaker.

We really need the money. We mean really.

If You Don't Have CompuServe

First suggestion: find a friend who does and bug them into registering it for you. If that doesn't work, send us an email and we'll figure something out.


Miscellaneous


	TabMaker Help Copyright © 1995 SimDoc
	Authored by: Windows® Documentation Specialists Want your help file to look this good?  Contact us via CompuServe at 74551,3060


Checkbox Options

A checkbox option is on when its checkbox is filled. You turn the option on and off by clicking on its label or the checkbox.


TOPICS.DOC


Tab Set Bitmap References

Tab set bitmap references use this format:

For example, a tab set reference for the third topic in a set of tabs called "Long Hair Composers" would be:


Tab Set

A tab set is a set of tabs that group related topics. For example, the tabs that appear above are a tab set.

Tab Set Bitmap References


Microsoft Hotspot Editor

The Microsoft Hotspot Editor is a utility for creating "segmented hypergraphics" in WinHelp. Segmented hypergraphics are pictures with hotspots: click on part of the picture, and you execute a jump, pop, or help macro.

Hotspot Editor Versions


TabMaker Settings File

TabMaker generates a settings file for each project that you work on. The settings file appears in the project path, and has the same file name as the HPJ file, but with a ".TMS" file extension.

For example, an HPJ file named "C:\TEST\TEST.HPJ" would have a settings file named "C:\TEST\TEST.TMS"


Open Project Dialog Box


Add Tab Set Dialog Box


Edit Tab Controls


Edit Tab Set Controls


Edit Project Controls


TabMaker Toolbar


Tab Text

The macro looks for a search title ($ footnote) for the current topic. If it doesn't find one, it copies the text from the first paragraph that contains text.


Not On Toolbar

	This symbol indicates macros that are not on the TabMaker Toolbar.


Select Hotspot Editor Dialog Box


Export Menu		Button:
You access the Export Menu by clicking on the Export Button. The menu has two selections: "Project" and "Tab Set". The Project Button exports all of the tab sets for the current project. The Tab Set Button exports the current tab set only.		Menu:


Select Tab Style Dialog Box


Sequence Tab References Dialog Box


Active Tab

In a help file, the active tab refers to the currently- selected topic. In TabMaker, it is the tab that you're currently editing. The active tab is colored white.


Add New Tab Dialog Box