src/util/help.hlp

        $Id$

This help file is for the gethelp.tcl utility itself, and explains
the various buttons and windows it uses.

All help files have the same general format.  Each help section is
named by its category and topic, and its position in the file is
indicated with a line beginning with ".Category.Topic", where
"Category" and "Topic" are replaced by the appropriate names.
Each category must have a topic called "Intro", which is the first
topic called up whenever this category is selected from the menu.
Both category and topic  names must begin with letters and may contain
letters and/or numbers, but no special characters.  They will appear on
the menus of the help utility when that file is open.

The help file is unformatted, and will be filled by the help utility
dynamically based on the current window size.  The formatting code
is very simple, placing a single space between adjacent lines,
except when a line ends a sentence, when two spaces are used.
Regular expression searches will not cross newline boundaries in the
original file, so some care should be used not to break lines at
likely search strings.  (This is a pain, I know.)

The first section of the file, which you are now reading, is
generally reserved for comments such as this, and is not accessed
directly by the user.

.Help.Intro

While holding down the control key,
press and release the left mouse button on any object of curiosity,
and if there is something to say about it, that
something will appear in this window.

Typically, a program will access multiple help files
through this help interface.
The particular file being viewed is indicated by the text at the
top right of this window.
It is not possible through this interface to switch from one help
file to another, as the particular file being viewed is controlled by
the calling program.

The help window itself offers the ability to search through the
available topics in the selected file via the "Category" and "Topic" menus.
Each general category consists of an introduction (such as this
one), followed by zero or more topics.
Selecting a new topic starts automatically at the introduction page.
From there, various topics within that category may be selected
using the "Topic" menu.

.Help.Category

Help information is divided logically into categories, then
into topics within each category.
Changing categories via the "Category" menu immediately selects the
default topic for the new category, which is always called "intro."

Other topics for the new category will be listed by the (new) topic
menu for that category.
Some categories may have only an intro topic.

The current category and topic are given as the title in the
displayed help window.

.Help.Topic

The topic menu allows you to select which subtopic in this category
you wish to display.

The next logical topic is available via the "Next" button,
unless the end of the help file has been reached.

The current category and topic are given as the title in the
displayed help window.

.Navigate.Intro

Besides accessing the category and topic menus, you can navigate
forward and backward in the history list for the current help file,
go directly to the next help topic, and search for regular
expressions.

The history list is filled in one of two ways.
The first way is by running a search which results in multiple topic
matches, in which case the additional matches are put in the future
history of this file.

The second way is by selecting additional topics, either explicitly
via the "Category" and "Topic" menus, or implicitly by getting more
help from the calling application without quitting the help window
in between.

.Navigate.Search

To search for a particular pattern, type a regular expression
in the text entry field.
Hitting <return> causes all matches in the current topic to be
highlighted.
Hitting the "Grep" button causes all categories and topics to be
searched.
The first matching topic is displayed, and other matching topics (if
any) may be accessed with the "Forward" button.

Each time a new topic is selected, matching words will be highlighted
in bold, whether or not <return> or the "Grep" button has been pressed.
To prevent new matches from being highlighted, clear the search entry.

Matches are insensitive to case and word boundaries.

.Navigate.Forward

The "Forward" button moves from the current topic to the next one in
the history list, if any.
In most cases, the "Forward" button will not be activated unless
a search has been conducted with the "Grep" button or
the "Back" button has been pressed one or more times.

.Navigate.Back

Use the "Back" button to go to previously accessed topics in the
history list.

If this button is disabled, it simply means that you are already at
the beginning of the help file history.

.Navigate.Next

The "Next" button moves to the next sequential topic in the help file,
which is named at the bottom of the current text.

If this button is disabled, it means that the end of the help file
has been reached.

.Helpwin.Intro

The help window displays the contents of the current help category and
topic.
The category and topic are given in bold at the top of the text in
the window.
The next category and topic are given at the end of the text in the
window.

Scrolling is accomplished with the scrollbar on the right.

.Helpwin.Scroll

Grab the bar with the mouse and drag it up and down to scroll
the text in the help window.
Click below or above the bar to jump a page forward or backward,
respectively.
Click on the little triangle at the bottom or top to move down or up
a line at a time.

.Help.Done

The "Done" button simply dismisses the help window.
(It is sometimes better to iconify the window, if frequent help is
needed.)
Revision:	2.3
Committed:	Mon Mar 18 09:48:23 1996 UTC (29 years, 7 months ago) by greg
Branch:	MAIN
Changes since 2.2:	+1 -2 lines
Log Message:	deleted mention of <ctl-U>
#	User	Rev	Content
1	greg	2.1	$Id$
2
3			This help file is for the gethelp.tcl utility itself, and explains
4			the various buttons and windows it uses.
5
6			All help files have the same general format. Each help section is
7			named by its category and topic, and its position in the file is
8			indicated with a line beginning with ".Category.Topic", where
9			"Category" and "Topic" are replaced by the appropriate names.
10	greg	2.2	Each category must have a topic called "Intro", which is the first
11			topic called up whenever this category is selected from the menu.
12			Both category and topic names must begin with letters and may contain
13			letters and/or numbers, but no special characters. They will appear on
14			the menus of the help utility when that file is open.
15	greg	2.1
16	greg	2.2	The help file is unformatted, and will be filled by the help utility
17	greg	2.1	dynamically based on the current window size. The formatting code
18			is very simple, placing a single space between adjacent lines,
19			except when a line ends a sentence, when two spaces are used.
20			Regular expression searches will not cross newline boundaries in the
21			original file, so some care should be used not to break lines at
22			likely search strings. (This is a pain, I know.)
23
24			The first section of the file, which you are now reading, is
25			generally reserved for comments such as this, and is not accessed
26			directly by the user.
27
28			.Help.Intro
29
30			While holding down the control key,
31			press and release the left mouse button on any object of curiosity,
32			and if there is something to say about it, that
33			something will appear in this window.
34
35			Typically, a program will access multiple help files
36			through this help interface.
37			The particular file being viewed is indicated by the text at the
38			top right of this window.
39			It is not possible through this interface to switch from one help
40			file to another, as the particular file being viewed is controlled by
41			the calling program.
42
43			The help window itself offers the ability to search through the
44			available topics in the selected file via the "Category" and "Topic" menus.
45			Each general category consists of an introduction (such as this
46			one), followed by zero or more topics.
47			Selecting a new topic starts automatically at the introduction page.
48			From there, various topics within that category may be selected
49			using the "Topic" menu.
50
51			.Help.Category
52
53			Help information is divided logically into categories, then
54			into topics within each category.
55			Changing categories via the "Category" menu immediately selects the
56			default topic for the new category, which is always called "intro."
57
58			Other topics for the new category will be listed by the (new) topic
59			menu for that category.
60			Some categories may have only an intro topic.
61
62			The current category and topic are given as the title in the
63			displayed help window.
64
65			.Help.Topic
66
67			The topic menu allows you to select which subtopic in this category
68			you wish to display.
69
70			The next logical topic is available via the "Next" button,
71			unless the end of the help file has been reached.
72
73			The current category and topic are given as the title in the
74			displayed help window.
75
76			.Navigate.Intro
77
78			Besides accessing the category and topic menus, you can navigate
79			forward and backward in the history list for the current help file,
80			go directly to the next help topic, and search for regular
81			expressions.
82
83			The history list is filled in one of two ways.
84			The first way is by running a search which results in multiple topic
85			matches, in which case the additional matches are put in the future
86			history of this file.
87
88			The second way is by selecting additional topics, either explicitly
89			via the "Category" and "Topic" menus, or implicitly by getting more
90			help from the calling application without quitting the help window
91			in between.
92
93			.Navigate.Search
94
95			To search for a particular pattern, type a regular expression
96			in the text entry field.
97			Hitting <return> causes all matches in the current topic to be
98			highlighted.
99			Hitting the "Grep" button causes all categories and topics to be
100			searched.
101			The first matching topic is displayed, and other matching topics (if
102			any) may be accessed with the "Forward" button.
103
104			Each time a new topic is selected, matching words will be highlighted
105			in bold, whether or not <return> or the "Grep" button has been pressed.
106	greg	2.3	To prevent new matches from being highlighted, clear the search entry.
107	greg	2.1
108			Matches are insensitive to case and word boundaries.
109
110			.Navigate.Forward
111
112			The "Forward" button moves from the current topic to the next one in
113			the history list, if any.
114			In most cases, the "Forward" button will not be activated unless
115			a search has been conducted with the "Grep" button or
116			the "Back" button has been pressed one or more times.
117
118			.Navigate.Back
119
120			Use the "Back" button to go to previously accessed topics in the
121			history list.
122
123			If this button is disabled, it simply means that you are already at
124			the beginning of the help file history.
125
126			.Navigate.Next
127
128			The "Next" button moves to the next sequential topic in the help file,
129			which is named at the bottom of the current text.
130
131			If this button is disabled, it means that the end of the help file
132			has been reached.
133
134			.Helpwin.Intro
135
136			The help window displays the contents of the current help category and
137			topic.
138			The category and topic are given in bold at the top of the text in
139			the window.
140			The next category and topic are given at the end of the text in the
141			window.
142
143			Scrolling is accomplished with the scrollbar on the right.
144
145			.Helpwin.Scroll
146
147			Grab the bar with the mouse and drag it up and down to scroll
148			the text in the help window.
149			Click below or above the bar to jump a page forward or backward,
150			respectively.
151			Click on the little triangle at the bottom or top to move down or up
152			a line at a time.
153
154			.Help.Done
155
156			The "Done" button simply dismisses the help window.
157			(It is sometimes better to iconify the window, if frequent help is
158			needed.)