Index of /cica9308/UNZIPPED/UTIL/QDHELP

      Name                    Last modified       Size  Description


[DIR] Parent Directory        06-Dec-2005 04:03      -  
[IMG] BULLET.BMP              24-Jan-1992 06:58     1k  
[IMG] DONE.BMP                24-Jan-1992 06:57     1k  
[   ] QDHELP.EXE              28-Jan-1992 04:37    31k  
[TXT] QDHELP.HLP              28-Jan-1992 04:40    24k  
[TXT] QDHELP.HPJ              28-Oct-1991 17:06     1k  
[TXT] QDHELP.MAK              28-Oct-1991 18:20     1k  
[TXT] QDHELP.QDH              24-Jan-1992 05:42    30k  
[TXT] QDHELP.WRI              18-Jan-1992 06:45    41k  
[TXT] REGISTER.FRM            22-Jan-1992 04:00     2k  
[TXT] TPLATE1.HLP             28-Jan-1992 04:40     8k  
[TXT] TPLATE1.HPJ             04-Oct-1991 22:12     1k  
[TXT] TPLATE1.QDH             04-Oct-1991 22:10     1k  
[TXT] TPLATE2.HLP             28-Jan-1992 04:41     8k  
[TXT] TPLATE2.HPJ             04-Oct-1991 22:19     1k  
[TXT] TPLATE2.QDH             04-Oct-1991 22:18     2k  
[TXT] TPLATE3.HLP             28-Jan-1992 04:41     8k  
[TXT] TPLATE3.HPJ             04-Oct-1991 22:26     1k  
[TXT] TPLATE3.QDH             04-Oct-1991 22:31     2k  
[TXT] TPLATE4.HLP             28-Jan-1992 04:41     8k  
[TXT] TPLATE4.HPJ             04-Oct-1991 22:38     1k  
[TXT] TPLATE4.QDH             06-Oct-1991 21:50     2k  

Welcome to QDHELP v1.0

This program allows you to use a normal text editor to generate Windows
3.0 help files.  You will still need access to a copy of the Microsoft
Help Compiler. 

What you will not need is an editor that outputs RTF (Rich Text Format)
.  QDHELP takes an ascii file that contains commands, a very little bit
like TeX, and outputs the RTF format that the Microsoft Help compiler
needs to churn out Windows 3.0 help file.

QDHELP is shareware.  Check it out. If you use it register it!  To
register just fill out the REGISTER.FRM file using any ascii editor
and send it in.  The cost? A mere $20.00, which is a drop in the 
bucket next to RTF word processors!


Running:

To run qdhelp you type

QDHELP infile [outfile]

The infile is the file which contains the ascii text including commands
for QDHELP.  The outfile (which is optional) contains the output RTF
file.  If no outfile is given the output is written to out.rtf.

The standard file extensions for the input file is .qdh and for the
output file is .rtf.


Packing List

	QDHELP.EXE	 -	The program
	README		 -	This file
	REGISTER.FRM -  The registration form.
	QDHELP.QDH	 -	A Full (in progress) Windows 3.0 help file for QDHELP
					Specification.  This is a input file to QDHELP that
					is used to generate QDHELP.HLP
					This gets a little self referential at times!
	QDHELP.HLP	 -	A actual windows 3.0 help file that describes QDHELP
					syntax and commands.  This file can be viewed in 
					windows by opening the help window from the program
					manager.  Then choose the Open option under the 
					File menu.  From the open file dialog box choose the
					QDHELP.HLP file and you will be rocking and rolling.
					The following template .hlp files can be viewed in the
					same way as this file.

	QDHELP.HPJ	 -	This is the input file used by the Microsoft Help Compiler
					(hc).  The format of this file is documented in your
					help compiler documentation.


	DONE.BMP	 - 	These are bitmap files needed to generate the QDHELP.HLP
	BULLET.BMP	 -	file.

	QDHELP.MAK	 -	A Makefile that will generate all the .hlp files and show
					you how to incorporate qdhelp into your standard make
					cycle.  This was tested using Borlands make utility but
					should be very close for other makes

					To run it type 

					make -fqdhelp.mak 

	QDHELP.WRI	 -	This is the QDHELP document.  It is in Microsoft Write
					format.  Write is the word processor that comes packaged
					with windows.  Just read QDHELP.WRI into Write to view it or
					to print it out.
				
	Template files:
			The following files are placed here as a starting point 
			for development of help files.  They give you an Idea of
			the different things you can do with QDHELP.  When you 
			decided to generate a help file I would suggest playing
			with a template until you get a look and feel that you 
			like.  Use that as a skeleton and fill it in.

	TPLATE1.QDH		QDHELP input file for template 1
	TPLATE1.HLP		Windows 3.0 help file generated by TPLATE1.QDH		

	TPLATE2.QDH		QDHELP input file for template 2
	TPLATE2.HLP		Windows 3.0 help file generated by TPLATE2.QDH		

	TPLATE3.QDH		QDHELP input file for template 3
	TPLATE3.HLP		Windows 3.0 help file generated by TPLATE3.QDH		

	TPLATE4.QDH		QDHELP input file for template 4
	TPLATE4.HLP		Windows 3.0 help file generated by TPLATE4.QDH		


Basic Steps:

	These are the basic steps needed to generate a help file for 
	windows 3.0 using the QDHELP program.

	Write the .qdh file using any standard editor. This should be
	a raw ascii file.

	Run the .qdh file thru the QDHELP program until there are no
	errors.

	Write the .hpj file.  This is the input file for the hc compiler.
	Look into your help compiler documentation if you do not know the
	format of this file.  In the worst case take the .hpj that comes
	with the QDHELP system rename it and change the title line.  That is
	about all that is needed for a basic help file.

	run the hc command on the .hpj file until there are no errors.

	You should now have a .hlp file which you can load into the windows
	3.0 help engine by choosing the open command from the file menu
	of the help window.

	Thats it.


QDHELP file syntax.

	There are three places to learn about the syntax of the qdhelp
	input file.

	1) look at the provided .qdh files

	2) Running Windows 3.0 load the qdhelp.hlp file into the file
		system and browse thru it.  The meaning of all of the
		commands can be found there.  Many of the commands are not
		really qdhelp command but straight RTF commands that are
		passed thru to the help compiler.

	3) Full documentation is in QDHELP.WRI READ IT!


Things you should KNOW:

	At present qdhelp does not like tabs in the text.  I suggest
	detabbing your .qdh file before running qdhelp on it.  If you 
	want to put tabs into you help to align columns etc use the
	literal string \tab this will pass thru as the tab command in
	RTF.

NEWS FLASH:

	The Microsoft help compiler is available on Compuserve.  
	GO MSL
	Download file S12923.ARC (about 140k).  It includes the help compiler
	and a utility for converting Excel help files for windows. There does
	not seem to be an restrictions on it (this surprises me!).  At any rate
	for what its worth! (Thanks to Keith Pleas for letting me know about
	this)


Your Help:

	I would appreciate your help in finding and killing the bugs that
	are lurking in QDHELP.  If you have questions, comments, bug reports
	or anything else on your mind you can reach me at the following
	locations

	Compuserve:	72047,2134
	Genie:		P.ALLEN8
	internet 	allen@mr.med.ge.com

	I use QDHELP to generate help files, I hope you will find it useful
	as well.