Category : Miscellaneous Language Source Code
Archive   : ADDHELP.ZIP
Filename : ADDHELP.TXT

 
Output of file : ADDHELP.TXT contained in archive : ADDHELP.ZIP
ADDHELP - An Application Help Installation Utility - Version 1.01P
Copyright (C) 1991 Richard Sands CIS 70279,103
All rights reserved


OVERVIEW
---------
This utility will install a DOS 5 help entry into the HELP System. It is
intended to be distributed with DOS 5 applications and used from the
application's batch setup file or exec'd from an installation program.
I know it's easy to just edit the helpfile, but this "ensures" that the help
file is not accidentally corrupted. It also gives the developer more,
although not absolute, control over what wording goes into the help file
about their application.

What it does is reads a specified help entry file and automatically inserts
it into the DOSHELP.HLP file in the correct position. It allows 255
characters of description to be inserted, with ADDHELP doing the formatting.

If the description already exists, it displays the existing help item (first
line only) and prompts the user for a Y/N decision to overwrite the existing
description.

ADDHELP creates a DOSHELP.BAK file before overwriting the original.


USAGE
------
ADDHELP newhelp[.hlp] [d:path]
where
newhelp[.hlp] is the new help entry to be inserted into the
existing DOSHELP.HLP file.

[d:path] is an optional path specifying the directory to
find DOSHELP.HLP. However, ADDHELP will search
the path to find the DOSHELP.HLP file if omitted.

Returns
ERRORLEVEL = 3 if user terminated
ERRORLEVEL = 2 could not find DOSHELP.HLP
ERRORLEVEL = 1 invalid params or file not found
ERRORLEVEL = 0 on success

HELP ENTRY FILE FORMAT
-----------------------
New Help File Entries are contained in a ascii file with the extension
.HLP although any extension works. You can create this file with the
EDIT program supplied with DOS.

The first line contains the application's filename (no file extension).

The following lines contain the short description of the application
limited to 255 characters. You do not have to worry about word wrap or
indention.

You may not have blank lines in the file. Remarks may be before the
application name, and must be preceded by an "@" character. Remarks are
not placed into the DOSHELP file.


HELP ENTRY FILE EXAMPLE
-----------------------
@
@ You may delete this file after running SETHELP.BAT
@
AddHelp
Help installation utility for new
DOS 5.0 external commands.


DISTRIBUTING & OTHER THINGS
----------------------------
This software is submitted to the Public Domain "as is". It may be freely
distributed with applications. It is requested that both the ADDHELP.EXE and
ADDHELP.HLP files are included and the user is given an option to install
ADDHELP.HLP on the destination DOSHELP file as part of the installation.

You may also include just your ADDHELP format .HLP file and allow the user
to use either ADDHELP or manually combine the .HLP and the DOSHELP.HLP file.
No distribution of ADDHELP.EXE is required, it is up to the user to get a
copy of ADDHELP.EXE.

If you would like to be emailed whenever there is a new update, or have
greater leverage for suggestions, bug-fixes, etc., send $5.00 to register
your Name and CompuServe ID with us to
Richard Sands
P.O. Box 3917
Portland, Oregon 97208

Please include your Name and CompuServe ID.


  3 Responses to “Category : Miscellaneous Language Source Code
Archive   : ADDHELP.ZIP
Filename : ADDHELP.TXT

  1. Very nice! Thank you for this wonderful archive. I wonder why I found it only now. Long live the BBS file archives!

  2. This is so awesome! 😀 I’d be cool if you could download an entire archive of this at once, though.

  3. But one thing that puzzles me is the “mtswslnkmcjklsdlsbdmMICROSOFT” string. There is an article about it here. It is definitely worth a read: http://www.os2museum.com/wp/mtswslnk/