Help Object Library: 4 Creating Help Files

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Perhaps the most involved step of adding help to your application is actually creating the help files. Help files are special, compressed versions of GeoWrite files that reside in the \USERDATA\HELP directory. There are several steps to creating help files:

  1. Enable the Help Editor
    The Help Editor is simply a special version of GeoWrite.
  2. Organize and write the text
    Depending on your application, your help text, and how you wish to present it, this can be simple or complex. You must keep several things in mind when organizing your help.
  3. Define files and contexts
    Each help file must have its contexts named, and each context must be defined. If you are using multiple help files, you must define the help contexts for each file in use, and you must "define" each file being used.
  4. Set contexts
    Each page of help must have its own context name.
  5. Set hyperlinks
    After all contexts are named and set, you may set hyperlinks to them.
  6. Generate the help files
    When the help text is ready, you must generate the help file(s). They will then be available for your application to open and view.

Enabling the Help Editor

Organizing and Writing the Text

Defining Files and Contexts

Using Hyperlinks

Generating the Help Files

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