Build A Basic Windows® Help File

Contents Topic

Note: Word processors have many options that make life easier for most tasks. Unfortunately, all WinHelp compilers are a little backwards, and boast limited special character abilities. In the options section of the word processor, be sure to turn "on" viewing all punctuation and hidden text; and turn off things like "smart copy and paste" or replace straight quotation marks with curved quotation marks.

#.$.K. My Help File Contents Page



______page break__________
footnotes:
# Contents
$ My Help File Contents Page
K Contents

In the example above, the Contents topic is shown with one entry, Overview, a page break and footnotes. Here is how it is done:

First, start a new document in your word processor using the "normal" or default template. Next type your heading, "My Help File Contents Page." (We will discuss styles and fonts shortly.) Next place the cursor to the left of the "M," and using whatever commands are appropriate for your word processor, insert a footnote. Use the pound/number special symbol to identify the footnote, then type "Contents."

The initial entry in each *.rtf file topic must be a footnote (#) identifying a unique context string. Context strings are used to identify topics for "jumps" and "popup windows." Topic context strings are also used with context IDs in the [MAP] section of the help project file to link the help topic to the application for context sensitive help. And in this case, the topic's context string is the [OPTION] CONTENTS entry in your help project file. Context strings are not case sensitive, may consist of alphanumeric characters, and may use the period and underscore characters. In complex help files, it may be necessary to devise a formula for assigning context strings, or devised a naming convention. We will keep it simple in our file, and duplicate the text as the context string.

Note: Microsoft Word macros can be useful tools in making the help author's lot easier. Case in point, a macro to retrieve and list context strings from your *.rtf file.

With the cursor at the left edge of the "M," insert another footnote. Use the dollar sign special symbol to identify the footnote, then type "My Help File Contents Page." This footnote is used as a navigational aid by the help file's "History" dialog in tracking which topics the user as viewed. This entry should always be the same as the topic title.

 With the cursor at the left edge of the "M," insert another footnote. Use a capitalize "K"to identify the footnote, then type "Contents." This footnote is used by WinHelp's search engine / index to identify topics by key word. In the case of the Contents topic, one entry would suffice, but for most topics you should make as many entries as a end user might need to find answers. Key words / phrases may contain up to 255 characters, and are separated from one another by a semicolon (;).

Next, type "Overview," as shown above, then highlight the word. Using your word processor's commands double underline "Overview." Now place the cursor to the immediate right of the "w." Again using your word processor's commands, type "Overview" as hidden text. You have now assigned "Overview" as the context string for the "Overview" topic.

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