CSH process

[williamgwilliams]

I've read the Flare documentation on CSH, and there are some steps I'm missing.

I see how to create a header file (with a topic ID and a number for each topic I want a CSH button link for).

I see how to create an alias file to populate the header file, via the Alias Editor.

I *think* that, with this header file in place (in the Project Analyzer directory), when you then build the Primary Target, all this header file information gets brought into the .js file in the top output directory.

But then it says to send the header file to the developer, to use when hooking the UI to the help topics. But it doesn't say explicitly how the developer does this. Does the developer actually use the header file itself, putting it into the product build somehow?

Or does the developer simply inspect the header file to get the ID to use in the following commands, which are placed in the code for the UI page/tab/dialog that the Help button is to go in?:

<script type="text/javascript" src="<path>/<Help System Entry Filename>.js"></script>
<input type="button" value="Help" onclick="FMCOpenHelp( <ID>, null, null, null );" />

Where <ID> in that <input> command tells the button to look in the .js file for that ID number and link to the topic associated with it.

Is that basically how it works?

Thanks,

- Willie

[wclass]

Most likely the developer will just use it to get a list of the IDs you have set up so as to make the right call to the help file. The header file, while just a text file, is in a format suitable for C programs, so it depends what language the application is written in.

[williamgwilliams]

Thanks, Margaret.

I created a header file from using the Alias Editor; then I rebuilt the help system and looked at the .js file. I didn't see the IDs from my header file, though I did see code about the Alias file. (I'm a Javascript Luddite, so I don't know what it was doing.) I'd like to have something more coherent to say to the developer when I send her or him the header file than "Here, please hook these topics to help buttons, using the ID/topic file/UI location mapping in the file.

Are those <script> and <input> Javascript commands what the developer would use in the UI HTML files to create the buttons and the links?

P.S. It just occurred to me that maybe there's a build setting you need to set for the header file info to get into the .js file. Is that true? Or does it get there by default?

[SteveS]

My experience with context sensitive help was the developer knew exactly what to do...

I provided the header file but I reckon they just use the identifier and manually added it to the dotnet application we were creating.

I stressed for days, but it ended up being easy as...

Send the header to the developer, if they don't know what to do from there then start working through the process with them...

HTH

[NorthEast]

Thanks, Margaret.

I created a header file from using the Alias Editor; then I rebuilt the help system and looked at the .js file. I didn't see the IDs from my header file, though I did see code about the Alias file. (I'm a Javascript Luddite, so I don't know what it was doing.) I'd like to have something more coherent to say to the developer when I send her or him the header file than "Here, please hook these topics to help buttons, using the ID/topic file/UI location mapping in the file.

Are those <script> and <input> Javascript commands what the developer would use in the UI HTML files to create the buttons and the links?

P.S. It just occurred to me that maybe there's a build setting you need to set for the header file info to get into the .js file. Is that true? Or does it get there by default?

I wouldn't worry too much, you're thinking it's more complicated than it actually is. You've done all the steps you need to by setting up the alias file, now your developer just needs to add the CSH calls.

As you've set up an alias file, I'm presuming you're going to make the calls using the identifier; so your developer just needs to know which identifier to use in each place you need a CSH call.
I've never had to supply a developer with a header file, they'll tell you if they need one.

The developer can make the CSH call using javascript or a URL, which it sounds like you've found in the help already; see:
http://webhelp.madcapsoftware.com/flare ... lopers.htm

Btw, Flare doesn't store the help mappings in the javascript file, they're located in Data\Alias.xml; that isn't required by your developer though.

[williamgwilliams]

Thanks Steve and Dave!