Getting Started #5 - Using the Online Help System

Tutorial Scripts

The Introduction See This Tutorial Segment

The CPS Online Help System is designed for the CPS-programmer with specific goals in mind. One main goal of this Help System’s design is to be an all encompassing “Knowledge Base” containing a wealth of information on each and every possible CPS feature. Through the Help System’s many access points, and through the Help System’s inter-topic linking strategy, flexible learning paths can be constantly discovered by the CPS Learner.

Another main goal of this Help System is to be a “Just-in-Time User-Assistance Tool” for when quickly finding a specific piece of information, in order to complete a very specific CPS task is the number one priority.

Be aware that whenever appropriate, Help System topics provide CPS-User Benefit Tips and Radio-User Benefit notes. Also be aware that the Help System can be accessed from the CPS, with two very unique window methods.

These two window methods have very uniquely-distinct functionality, both of which are designed to maximize your CPS programming productivity. Segment 2 of this lesson details the first help-topic window access method: The CPS’s Embedded Field Information Window. And Segment 3 details the second help-topic window access method: The External Help System Window.

The Embedded Field Information Window See This Tutorial Segment

The Embedded Field Information Help Topic Window is available whenever a codeplug is open. This Help System window is by default embedded, or attached, to the CPS user-interface. This window is typical to the CPS, in that it can be run in a pinned mode, or an unpinned fly-out mode, and even an undocked floating-window mode. Note that this type of flexible Window Pane functionality is covered in complete detail in Segment 2 of the Getting Started Lesson #3, “CPS-User Productivity Preferences" tutorial.

What is most unique to this Embedded Field Information Window is the dynamic connectivity from CPS field to Field Level Help System content. This dynamic connectivity is activated whenever a field’s control is single-clicked, or when a field’s title is double-clicked. Even when a CPS field is in a grayed-out condition, meaning that the field is currently not accessible for programming, double-clicking on the field’s title still updates the Field Information window to that feature’s help information. Note that CPS fields that are grayed-out will have an “Accessed Only” section in their help topic, explaining how to un-gray and therefore allow CPS-user access to the feature.

Also note that, help topics within this Field Information Window have words and phrases that are linked to other help topics. When first hovering over a link, a “quick note” of information appears, and then clicking this link launches an external help window with a more detailed version of the link’s “quick note”. Notice that the Help’s full User Interface is also then available. And do also be aware that clicking on a help topic’s title, again launches the Help’s External Window, but this time to that same help topic as the Embedded help window.

The External Help Window and Home Page See This Tutorial Segment

As you have probably already discovered, clicking the Question Mark icon in the top-right area of the CPS window launches the CPS Online Help System’s External standalone window. From this Help System’s “Home Page”, the Help Window’s user-interface contains a Table of Contents in a typical tree-like view that mirrors the CPS Navigation Pane’s tree-like view. The Help System’s Index Tab contains a detailed index linking you to every possible help topic. From the Help System’s Search Tab, a full text search of the entire help system is also possible.

Clicking the Home Page / Getting Started button, again reveals the many features contained within. For instance, a convenient link is available to the Tutorials Menu, which contains a complete list of all Help System Tutorials, grouped by category. Under the “Getting Started” category, links to this Getting Started lesson, and links to the other Getting Started lessons can be easily found. Notice that when a tutorial is launched, each tutorial has its own Table of Contents that can be accessed by hovering on the fly-out "Table of Contents" pane. Links to the various segments of the lesson can be clicked at anytime from this fly-out pane.

Again going back to the Home Page feature, a convenient link is also available to the What’s New topic, which offers a list of new features for the most recent CPS release. Clicking on this menu button, takes you to the What’s New menu, where you can choose to link to previous What’s New topics on a per release basis.

Back on the Help’s Home page, the Radio Management button links to the Radio Management Feature Level topic, which include many quick-notes and links to all Radio Management user-benefits and feature details.

Returning again back on the Home Page, you will find a convenient link to the CPS Tools Menu. Note that additional details about these “CPS Tools” are covered in Segment 2 of the Getting Started Lesson #1. And additionally from the Home Page, you will find a convenient link to the Radio Features Menu.

From this Menu, and from the CPS Tools Menu, in many cases the menu’s topics will have links to a Keystone Concept Topic. These Keystone Concept Topics contain a Radio-User Benefit description designed to help you better understand the entire high-level view of the tool or feature, as well as a list of links to every element and detail that is to be considered when using the CPS tool, or when programming the Radio Feature. Also be aware that when linking off to one of the related topics, there will be a Keystone button near the top that links you back to the Keystone Concept topic. And also notice this Menu button, that then takes you back to the appropriate menu.

These Keystone topics are very prevalent throughout this help system. A Tutorial icon in these menus, does also indicate when a high-level “Satellite View” Tutorial, or even a more detailed software simulation-type Tutorial is available. Be sure to also review the Help System Conventions topic, easily accessed at anytime from the Help’s Index. Congratulations ! This concludes the 5th and final Getting Started tutorial lesson.