Help Processing

There are two input fields that control context-sensitive Help processing: INPUT.HELPFILE$ and INPUT.HELPITEM$

INPUT.HELPFILE$ maintains the overall control for Help processing. It has several formats, depending on the Help subsystem that is used. There are three distinct Help methods, all of which are available for use within the Input Subsystem.

Searchable Help Files

The older Help system (_help.pub) utilizes a searchable ASCII text file that is maintained in a formatted meta language. This file performs a linear search for the key item.

To utilize this system, the INPUT.HELPFILE$ field must contain a reference string in the following format:

help_file_name;help_item

For example, if the ASCII help file is named PROJECT.HLP and the item to be displayed is ORDER_ENTRY, the reference string would be:

LET INPUT.HELPFILE$="PROJECT.HLP;ORDER_ENTRY"

The INPUT.HELPITEM$ field must be null.

Indexed Help Files

The newer help format uses an ASCII help file and an MKEYED file that indexes the help text file.

To use this format, the INPUT.HELPFILE$ field must contain a reference string in the following format:

help_file_name@key

For example, if the ASCII help file is named MYHELP and the item to be searched on is ORDER_ENTRY, the reference string would be:

LET INPUT.HELPFILE$="MYHELP@ORDER_ENTRY"

The INPUT.HELPITEM$ field must be null.

The help file name may be referenced within INPUT.HELPFILE$, but there must be an entry in the INPUT.HELPITEM$ field. Therefore, using the example above:

LET INPUT.HELPFILE$="MYHELP"
LET INPUT.HELPITEM$="ORDER_ENTRY"

The INPUT.HELPITEM$ field must contain the key item to be searched.

TAOS Form Object

To use a TAOS form object, put the name of the form object into INPUT.HELPFILE$.

The INPUT.HELPITEM$ field must be null.

For additional information, see Online Help.

Default Help File

To avoid specifying the same help file over and over, set a global item with a key name of (HELPFILE). This would have to be set in the EUS Toolkit configuration file, the config.bbx file, or within a PRO/5 program.

config.EUS	# Set Help file location HELPFILE=(PROJECT)MYHELP
config.bbx	SET HELPFILE=MYHELP
STBL()	LET TRASH$=STBL("HELPFILE","(PROJECT)MYHELP")

Using this method INPUT.HELPFILE$ would be null, and INPUT.HELPITEM$ would contain the help screen key.