Microsoft KB Archive/40781

Creating Your Own QuickC Help Databases PSS ID Number: Q40781 Article last modified on 02-19-1992 PSS database name: S_QuickC

2.00

MS-DOS

Question:

I would like to create my own help database in Microsoft QuickC version 2.00. The information on page 184 of the “Microsoft QuickC Toolkit” manual seems to imply that you can create a help database only by either modifying or adding to an existing help database. How do I create a stand-alone help database?

Response:

You can create a stand-alone help database by following these four basic steps:


 * 1) Edit a file to create a help text file according to the rules stated in chapter 8 of the “Microsoft QuickC Toolkit” manual.
 * 2) Compress the help text-file to a help database file with the HELPMAKE utility.
 * 3) Set the HELPFILES environment variable to point to the help database file, as documented starting on line 764 of the README.DOC file on the Microsoft QuickC Setup disk.
 * 4) Enter the QuickC environment and bring up your new help database file.

There are three help file formats that are available: QuickHelp, Rich Text Format (RTF), and Minimally Formatted ASCII. The example below shows how to create and use a help database file in the QuickHelp format.

  Create a text file called TEST.SRC with the following contents: .context nepo :l3 =Can you read this? Note the following:  .context associates the following string, nepo, with the help text. :l3 indicates that the help window will have three lines.  on boldface text. turns off all attributes, for example, boldface text.   Compress the file with the following command: HELPMAKE /E15 /A: /Otest.hlp test.src /V > test.log Note the following:  /E15 indicates maximum compression.</li> /A: indicates that the colon will be used by the help database to mark a line as containing internal information.</li> /OTEST.HLP indicates the name of the output file TEST.SRC is the source file.</li> /V indicates that the diagnostic output is to be maximized.</li> "TEST.LOG sends the diagnostic output to the file TEST.LOG."</li></ul> </li>  Make sure that the file TEST.HLP is in a directory specified by the PATH environment variable and set the HELPFILES environment variable to TEST.HLP, as follows: set helpfiles=test.hlp </li>  Invoke QuickC 2.00, type in the word nepo, and either click the word with the right mouse button or press the F1 function key. You will see the help window appear with the information in the TEST.HLP file. </li></ol>

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1992.