The Help file creating

As it’s already said, the source text of help file is created in RTF-format. That means, that the source text creation is non-trivia. The help file can be created by three ways. At first, the help file can be provided by automatized package, included to Visual C++. At second, there can be used the text editor for RTF-files. At least, you can make help file with the usual text editor, using need RTF-commands.

Let’s consider the third variant, because it’s accessible for any user and don’t require any additional programs.

In the source variant, all the files of help have some common components. At first, whole text have to begin from the “{” symbol and end with “}” symbol. Afetr the opening “{” there would be command \rtf. It points, that the considered file is created in RTF-format, and defines the ANSI standard. Also, it’s need to define the used fonts. To make that, there is used \fonttbl. Therefore, the general view of RTF-file will be nearly the next:

{\rtf4\ansi\fonttbl

…The contents of help file

}

RTF-command	Comment
\ansi	Defines the char set for ANSI standard
\b	Switch on the bold chars mode
\b0	Switch off the bold chars mode
\fn	Sets the symbol mode, defined by n-parameter
\fsn	Sets the font size, defined by n-parameter
\fonttbl	Sets the char set
\footnote	Sets the keywords and headers, contained to index
\i	Switch on the inclined chars mode
\i0	Switch off the inclined chars mode
\page	Defines the end of section
\par	Defines the end pf paragraph
\rtfn	Defines the version of RTF-format. For Windows’95 the n parameter has to be equal to 4. For old Windows versions 1.
\tab	Moves the cursor on one position ahead
\uldb	Select by color the hypertext link (“Hot word”) to the other section
\v	Make the hypertext link (used along with \uldb command)

The detail description of some commands

\ansi - Thus command defines the char set, corresponding to ANSI standard.

\fonttable – Before font using, it would be included to expression \fonttbl

The format:

{\fonttbl

{\f1\Font_ family Font_Name;}

{\f2\Font_ family Font_Name;}

{\f3\Font_ family Font_Name;}

………………………………

{\fn\Font_ family Font_Name;}

}

Here Font_ family sets the family of font (for instance froman or fswiss), parameter Font_Name defines the name of specific font (for unstance Times New Roman, Arial, or Old English). The number of font, set with the command \fn, will be lately used on that font selection.

\froman Times New Roman

\fswiss Arial

\fmodern Courier New

\fscript Cursive

\fdecor Old English

For example, in the following block, for font \fswiss Arial there is assigned 0 number:

{\fonttbl {\f0\fswiss Arial}}

\footnote – One of most important RTF-commands, because it’s used to define the names of sections, identities and sequences if help file view. There are the following forms:

${\footnote string} – defines the title of section in help window

K{\footnote string} – points that string is keyword or phrase

#{\footnote string} – context identity, used to make hypertext links and crossing links between the sections.

+{\footnote Sequence_Name : Sequence_Order} – sets the order of transfers between the sections on view buttons pressing (Buttons << and >> in the toolbar of help window).

@{\footnote string}

\v – makes the hyperlink to other sections. It’s format:

\v context-ID - here context-ID corresponds to one of values, defined by #\footnote command.