How to display help file

Infact I have few hour to display my project and I have made just one page .RTF file and then complied it in VB Help Workshop so ther is HELPID. So I just want to display the help file which has just one page. If Help Id is must then tell me how to write that in .RTF File.

When you are creating the topics in the .RTF file, just before the topic you would have given something like #$+.
The '#' represents the ID. This would be mapped in the Help Compiler to the respective topics.

I tried but failed, can u send me just one page .RTF file having a topic and 2-3 lines, so that I'll be able to know how to write the topic ID at my email address fmufti@softhome.net if ur reply come in time then I'll raise the points. Because I am running short of time.

Here's a .RTF file from one of my projects.

{\rtf1\ansi\deff0

{\fonttbl
 {\f0\froman Times New Roman;}
 {\f1\froman Symbol;}
 {\f2\fswiss Arial;}
 {\f3\froman MS Serif;}
 {\f4\fswiss MS Sans Serif;}
 {\f5\fmodern Courier New}
}

{\colortbl;
\red0\green0\blue0;
\red0\green0\blue255;
\red0\green255\blue255;
\red0\green255\blue0;
\red255\green0\blue255;
\red255\green0\blue0;
\red255\green255\blue0;
\red255\green255\blue255;
\red0\green0\blue127;
\red0\green127\blue127;
\red0\green127\blue0;
\red127\green0\blue127;
\red127\green0\blue0;
\red127\green127\blue0;
\red127\green127\blue127;
\red192\green192\blue192;
}

@{\footnote
This is the online help for EXTRACT.EXE.
By: Mark M. Lambert/McRae & Lambert, Inc.

Copyright 1998 - Mark M. Lambert - All Rights Reserved

V1.0.0 - 07 Dec 98 - MML - Initial code

Use the following as a template for each topic. In the program
code the .HelpContextID property has a numeric value. Use the
help Authoring tool MAP command to create an association between
the term in the # line and the control in the program.

All of the graphics referenced in this are currently located in:

C:\S&K

and are captured using Paint and saved as 256 color .BMP files

$(/footnote Review Inventory Results Button)
#(/footnote Review)
K(/footnote Review;Button, Review)
(/f2 /qr /b Introduction /pard /par)
You use this button to enter the review section of the program.
/par
/brdrb
/par
/pard
/page

When using the above template, be sure to strip out the excess
slashes - these are required in the example so as not to confuse
the help compiler

This is the codes necessary to find the high order characters

|f2 |i |b
-8O-|par
 |'80 |'81 |'82 |'83 |'84 |'85 |'86 |'87|par
 |'88 |'89 |'8a |'8b |'8c |'8d |'8e |'8f|par
-9O-|par
 |'90 |'91 |'92 |'93 |'94 |'95 |'96 |'97|par
 |'98 |'99 |'9a |'9b |'9c |'9d |'9e |'9f|par
-AO-|par
 |'A0 |'A1 |'A2 |'A3 |'A4 |'A5 |'A6 |'A7|par
 |'A8 |'A9 |'Aa |'Ab |'Ac |'Ad |'Ae |'Af|par
-BO-|par
 |'B0 |'B1 |'B2 |'B3 |'B4 |'B5 |'B6 |'B7|par
 |'B8 |'B9 |'Ba |'Bb |'Bc |'Bd |'Be |'Bf|par
-CO-|par
 |'C0 |'C1 |'C2 |'C3 |'C4 |'C5 |'C6 |'C7|par
 |'C8 |'C9 |'Ca |'Cb |'Cc |'Cd |'Ce |'Cf|par
-DO-|par
 |'D0 |'D1 |'D2 |'D3 |'D4 |'D5 |'D6 |'D7|par
 |'D8 |'D9 |'Da |'Db |'Dc |'Dd |'De |'Df|par
-EO-|par
 |'E0 |'E1 |'E2 |'E3 |'E4 |'E5 |'E6 |'E7|par
 |'E8 |'E9 |'Ea |'Eb |'Ec |'Ed |'Ee |'Ef|par
-FO-|par
 |'F0 |'F1 |'F2 |'F3 |'F4 |'F5 |'F6 |'F7|par
 |'F8 |'F9 |'Fa |'Fb |'Fc |'Fd |'Fe |'Ff|par

}

@{\footnote
===========================================================
= Top Level Help
===========================================================
}

${\footnote Introduction}
#{\footnote Intro}
K{\footnote Introduction}
{\f2 \qr \b Introduction\plain \par}
\{bml icon.bmp\}\par\par

This is the help file for the {\f5 EXTRACT.EXE} program for Windows 95 and NT.\par\par

This program was written as a 'work for hire' for Sterling & King. It is used as part of
 their document scanning process. The workflow for this process involves scanning documents,
 adding notations, concatenating/copying the files, extracting the notations to a data
 file, and finally, posting the master data index to the server so that the collectors can
 access the data.
\par\par
The scanning and annotation process is manual, but all of the rest of the processing is
 performed by this program. This program is designed to be launched in the startup group
 of the primary image scanning system and run endlessly. The program is designed to run
 and self activate at a specific time. In this way the bulk of the processing can occur
 at a time when the LAN is otherwise idle and updates to the master file can occur with
 no risk of collission with other users.
\par\par
Operation of the program is intentionally simple. One configured, the program should run
 endlessly without operator intervention. The program retains it's settings from session
 to session automatically and will automatically resume when restarted.
\par\par
When the program is initially launched it will appear as:
\par\par
\{bml main.bmp\}
\par\par
There are three tabs on the main screen:\par\par
{\f2 \i \b
\tab \'95 \tab Files to be processed\tab Only valid after run\par
\tab \'95 \tab Settings\tab \tab \tab Default screen on startup\par
\tab \'95 \tab Run Log\tab \tab \tab Program history\par
}
\par\par
The {\i Settings} tab is the default tab when the program starts. This tab allows you
 to set the configuration of the program as to run time and the directories used by the
 program. When the program is run for the very first time on a machine the directories
 will default to those specified in the SCANFLOW document (see the system master
 documentation file for more details...)
\par\par
The default directory values are:
{\f2 \i \b
\tab \'95 \tab Files to be processed\tab Only valid after run\par
\tab \'95 \tab Settings\tab \tab \tab Default screen on startup\par
\tab \'95 \tab Run Log\tab \tab \tab Program history\par
}
 

\brdrb
\par
\pard
\par

\par
\brdrb
\par
\par
\pard
\page

@{\footnote
===========================================================
= Help for buttons
===========================================================
}

@{\footnote
---------------------------------------
File Button
---------------------------------------
}

${\footnote Find File Button}
#{\footnote File}
K{\footnote File;Button, File;Button, Find;Find}
{\f2 \qr \b Find File Button\plain\par}
\{bml pbtnfile.bmp\}
When you select this function, a dialog will appear similar to
 that shown below:\par\par

\{bmc popen.bmp\}\par\par

Change to the appropriate directory and select any of the sound files. Double clicking
 on any of the files listed will return you to the main screen with all of the available
 {\f5 .WAV} files selected for play. You have
 to select any listed file to make the {\b [Open]} button active.\par

\par
\brdrb
\par
\pard
\page

${\footnote All Button}
#{\footnote All}
K{\footnote All;Button, All}
{\f2 \qr \b All Button\plain\par}
\{bml pbtnall.bmp\}
This button selects all of the sound files listed. The program will default to all
 sounds selected after using the {\ul Find File}{\v file} icon.\par

\par
\brdrb
\par
\pard
\page


${\footnote None Button}
#{\footnote None}
K{\footnote None;Button, None}
{\f2 \qr \b None Button\plain\par}
\{bml pbtnnone.bmp\}
This button deselects all of the sound files listed and stops playback if active. It
 also disables the {\ul Play}{\v play} icon.\par

\par
\brdrb
\par
\pard
\page


${\footnote Play Button}
#{\footnote Play}
K{\footnote Play;Button, Play}
{\f2 \qr \b Play Button\plain\par}
\{bml pbtnplay.bmp\}
This button begins playback of the list of sounds selected. Each sound will be repeated
 by the {\ul Repeat Count}{\v repeat} slider control. Once one sound has completed the
 appropriate number of repetions another sound is randomly selected and played.\par

\par
\brdrb
\par
\pard
\page


${\footnote Quit Button}
#{\footnote Quit}
K{\footnote Quit;Button, Quit}
{\f2 \qr \b QuitButton\plain\par}
\{bml pbtnquit.bmp\}
This button replaces the {\ul Play}{\v play} icon when it is selected. You can
 click on this icon to stop playback without changing the list of selected sounds.
 \par

\par
\brdrb
\par
\pard
\page


${\footnote Repeat Count Control}
#{\footnote Repeat}
K{\footnote Repeat;Control, Repeat Count;Count}
{\f2 \qr \b Repeat Count Control\plain\par}
\{bml pslider.bmp\}
This control is used to adjust how many times each sound is repeated prior to
 advancing to the next sound. The range on this control is from one to twenty
 repetions with ten being the default.\par\par

You can use the mouse to 'drag' the slider to a new value or you can use the
 cursor keys. The number to the right of the center of the slider indicates the
 current setting of the slider and will change as the slider is adjusted.\par

\par
\brdrb
\par
\pard
\page


${\footnote Exit Button}
#{\footnote Exit}
K{\footnote Exit;Button, Exit}
{\f2 \qr \b Exit Button\plain\par}
\{bml pbtnexit.bmp\}
This button is used to stop playback and exit the program.

\par
\brdrb
\par
\pard
\page


}

Oh Mark !!!!!!!have some pity on me, I have already mentioned that I am short of time and a novice in deleloping help. Had I understand .RTF of ur, I may not have even asked the question. I just want a simple one topic a and 2-3 line .RTF file. Once I had time I explore the complexites of help!!!!!!!

There are just eight topics in the file. There's no such thing as a "2-3 line .RTF file" unless you want to just take out all the line breaks! What you have there is about the minimum you need to stand up a help file.

The font tables and color tables are pretty much requried if you're going to change fonts or colors! The main topic links to the subsidiary topics to show you how to do links. This *IS* a "simple" help file. Blame M$ if it's too complex! They're the ones that defined how a .RTF has to look.

M

I dont think this .RTF is generated manually, u must have used some Help workshop????????

No, this .RTF was created by reading the discussion on RTF in the HCW's online help and created with NOTEPAD. I keep a copy of it saved as a reference so I don't have to start from scratch every time I create a new help project.

..RTF wants a color and font table. The topic sections are about as simple as they get. WORD or WORDPAD will put all of this and then some into the .RTF and may give you a .RTF that the HCW can't understand. Thus I just use NOTEPAD for editing and save as straight text file. WORDPAD won't do this even if you change the file extension from .RTF to .TXT. When it sees the RTF codes it automatically switches to RTF mode and will make entering the topics and references very difficult. Since they're footnoots in the RTF syntax, they tend to drop on the editor page to *BELOW* the narrative text of the topic which *follows* the topic ID in the actual file. This makes editing a real chore because the position on the screen and the position in the file don't match up! With Notepad or other ASCII editor at least the code stays with the same relationship to the text.

M

I have a very simple sample project. This was created by just following the guidelines in 'Help Workshop' which comes along with 'Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0'. I just created one topic of help with the above and it worked. I'll send the sample project to you. Hope that would be helpful.

Thanx tirupur_selva , but unfortunately the deadline has passed:-((( Still thanx for ur help. I'll look into the project in future.