Jump to content

creating a program helpfile

Dana

By Dana,
in AutoIt General Help and Support

 Share

Recommended Posts

Dana Universalist

Dana

Posted
Posted

I'm looking for ideas on creating a program help screen.

What I want to do is have a help screen pop up when the user clicks the "help" button. In the past, I've done this with a message box, or with a html file and FileInstall. The first is cumbersome to create, with lots of @CRLF's , and the latter depends on the browser on the user's computer. Microsoft no longer supports the old WinHelp format, and html help also requires external components.

A search of the forum just finds loads of messages asking for "help".

So, what do other programmers do?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Moderators
Melba23 Universalist

Melba23

Posted
  • Moderators
Posted

Dana,

I use a freeware app called HelpMaker to create my help files. It is pretty good, although not entirely without bugs - but then what is! :P

The main site is not currently being updated as the company has had several problems, but you can get a copy of the penultimate release v7.4 from here - the most recent release 7.5 did not make significant changes. :x

M23

Public_Domain.png.2d871819fcb9957cf44f4514551a2935.png Any of my own code posted anywhere on the forum is available for use by others without any restriction of any kind

Open spoiler to see my UDFs:

Spoiler

ArrayMultiColSort ---- Sort arrays on multiple columns
ChooseFileFolder ---- Single and multiple selections from specified path treeview listing
Date_Time_Convert -- Easily convert date/time formats, including the language used
ExtMsgBox --------- A highly customisable replacement for MsgBox
GUIExtender -------- Extend and retract multiple sections within a GUI
GUIFrame ---------- Subdivide GUIs into many adjustable frames
GUIListViewEx ------- Insert, delete, move, drag, sort, edit and colour ListView items
GUITreeViewEx ------ Check/clear parent and child checkboxes in a TreeView
Marquee ----------- Scrolling tickertape GUIs
NoFocusLines ------- Remove the dotted focus lines from buttons, sliders, radios and checkboxes
Notify ------------- Small notifications on the edge of the display
Scrollbars ----------Automatically sized scrollbars with a single command
StringSize ---------- Automatically size controls to fit text
Toast -------------- Small GUIs which pop out of the notification area

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dana Universalist

Dana

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks... can't see paying $89 for WinCHM for what at this point is a one time use... HelpMaker seems OK for my use, and a lot easier than MS Hypertext Help Workshop which I used before. I thought the chm format was being phased out as well but I guess I was mistaken.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
guinness Universalist

guinness

Posted
Posted (edited)

I use Precision Helper, which is Free and Portable (if you like that sort of thing.) Also it was last updated in July 2010 :x

Edited by guinness

UDF List:

 
_AdapterConnections() • _AlwaysRun() • _AppMon() • _AppMonEx() • _ArrayFilter/_ArrayReduce • _BinaryBin() • _CheckMsgBox() • _CmdLineRaw() • _ContextMenu() • _ConvertLHWebColor()/_ConvertSHWebColor() • _DesktopDimensions() • _DisplayPassword() • _DotNet_Load()/_DotNet_Unload() • _Fibonacci() • _FileCompare() • _FileCompareContents() • _FileNameByHandle() • _FilePrefix/SRE() • _FindInFile() • _GetBackgroundColor()/_SetBackgroundColor() • _GetConrolID() • _GetCtrlClass() • _GetDirectoryFormat() • _GetDriveMediaType() • _GetFilename()/_GetFilenameExt() • _GetHardwareID() • _GetIP() • _GetIP_Country() • _GetOSLanguage() • _GetSavedSource() • _GetStringSize() • _GetSystemPaths() • _GetURLImage() • _GIFImage() • _GoogleWeather() • _GUICtrlCreateGroup() • _GUICtrlListBox_CreateArray() • _GUICtrlListView_CreateArray() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveCSV() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveHTML() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveTxt() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveXML() • _GUICtrlMenu_Recent() • _GUICtrlMenu_SetItemImage() • _GUICtrlTreeView_CreateArray() • _GUIDisable() • _GUIImageList_SetIconFromHandle() • _GUIRegisterMsg() • _GUISetIcon() • _Icon_Clear()/_Icon_Set() • _IdleTime() • _InetGet() • _InetGetGUI() • _InetGetProgress() • _IPDetails() • _IsFileOlder() • _IsGUID() • _IsHex() • _IsPalindrome() • _IsRegKey() • _IsStringRegExp() • _IsSystemDrive() • _IsUPX() • _IsValidType() • _IsWebColor() • _Language() • _Log() • _MicrosoftInternetConnectivity() • _MSDNDataType() • _PathFull/GetRelative/Split() • _PathSplitEx() • _PrintFromArray() • _ProgressSetMarquee() • _ReDim() • _RockPaperScissors()/_RockPaperScissorsLizardSpock() • _ScrollingCredits • _SelfDelete() • _SelfRename() • _SelfUpdate() • _SendTo() • _ShellAll() • _ShellFile() • _ShellFolder() • _SingletonHWID() • _SingletonPID() • _Startup() • _StringCompact() • _StringIsValid() • _StringRegExpMetaCharacters() • _StringReplaceWholeWord() • _StringStripChars() • _Temperature() • _TrialPeriod() • _UKToUSDate()/_USToUKDate() • _WinAPI_Create_CTL_CODE() • _WinAPI_CreateGUID() • _WMIDateStringToDate()/_DateToWMIDateString() • Au3 script parsing • AutoIt Search • AutoIt3 Portable • AutoIt3WrapperToPragma • AutoItWinGetTitle()/AutoItWinSetTitle() • Coding • DirToHTML5 • FileInstallr • FileReadLastChars() • GeoIP database • GUI - Only Close Button • GUI Examples • GUICtrlDeleteImage() • GUICtrlGetBkColor() • GUICtrlGetStyle() • GUIEvents • GUIGetBkColor() • Int_Parse() & Int_TryParse() • IsISBN() • LockFile() • Mapping CtrlIDs • OOP in AutoIt • ParseHeadersToSciTE() • PasswordValid • PasteBin • Posts Per Day • PreExpand • Protect Globals • Queue() • Resource Update • ResourcesEx • SciTE Jump • Settings INI • SHELLHOOK • Shunting-Yard • Signature Creator • Stack() • Stopwatch() • StringAddLF()/StringStripLF() • StringEOLToCRLF() • VSCROLL • WM_COPYDATA • More Examples...

Updated: 22/04/2018

Link to comment
Share on other sites
guinness Universalist

guinness

Posted
Posted (edited)

Any idea how that compares to WinCHM?

Not first hand I'm afraid. Edited by guinness

UDF List:

 
_AdapterConnections() • _AlwaysRun() • _AppMon() • _AppMonEx() • _ArrayFilter/_ArrayReduce • _BinaryBin() • _CheckMsgBox() • _CmdLineRaw() • _ContextMenu() • _ConvertLHWebColor()/_ConvertSHWebColor() • _DesktopDimensions() • _DisplayPassword() • _DotNet_Load()/_DotNet_Unload() • _Fibonacci() • _FileCompare() • _FileCompareContents() • _FileNameByHandle() • _FilePrefix/SRE() • _FindInFile() • _GetBackgroundColor()/_SetBackgroundColor() • _GetConrolID() • _GetCtrlClass() • _GetDirectoryFormat() • _GetDriveMediaType() • _GetFilename()/_GetFilenameExt() • _GetHardwareID() • _GetIP() • _GetIP_Country() • _GetOSLanguage() • _GetSavedSource() • _GetStringSize() • _GetSystemPaths() • _GetURLImage() • _GIFImage() • _GoogleWeather() • _GUICtrlCreateGroup() • _GUICtrlListBox_CreateArray() • _GUICtrlListView_CreateArray() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveCSV() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveHTML() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveTxt() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveXML() • _GUICtrlMenu_Recent() • _GUICtrlMenu_SetItemImage() • _GUICtrlTreeView_CreateArray() • _GUIDisable() • _GUIImageList_SetIconFromHandle() • _GUIRegisterMsg() • _GUISetIcon() • _Icon_Clear()/_Icon_Set() • _IdleTime() • _InetGet() • _InetGetGUI() • _InetGetProgress() • _IPDetails() • _IsFileOlder() • _IsGUID() • _IsHex() • _IsPalindrome() • _IsRegKey() • _IsStringRegExp() • _IsSystemDrive() • _IsUPX() • _IsValidType() • _IsWebColor() • _Language() • _Log() • _MicrosoftInternetConnectivity() • _MSDNDataType() • _PathFull/GetRelative/Split() • _PathSplitEx() • _PrintFromArray() • _ProgressSetMarquee() • _ReDim() • _RockPaperScissors()/_RockPaperScissorsLizardSpock() • _ScrollingCredits • _SelfDelete() • _SelfRename() • _SelfUpdate() • _SendTo() • _ShellAll() • _ShellFile() • _ShellFolder() • _SingletonHWID() • _SingletonPID() • _Startup() • _StringCompact() • _StringIsValid() • _StringRegExpMetaCharacters() • _StringReplaceWholeWord() • _StringStripChars() • _Temperature() • _TrialPeriod() • _UKToUSDate()/_USToUKDate() • _WinAPI_Create_CTL_CODE() • _WinAPI_CreateGUID() • _WMIDateStringToDate()/_DateToWMIDateString() • Au3 script parsing • AutoIt Search • AutoIt3 Portable • AutoIt3WrapperToPragma • AutoItWinGetTitle()/AutoItWinSetTitle() • Coding • DirToHTML5 • FileInstallr • FileReadLastChars() • GeoIP database • GUI - Only Close Button • GUI Examples • GUICtrlDeleteImage() • GUICtrlGetBkColor() • GUICtrlGetStyle() • GUIEvents • GUIGetBkColor() • Int_Parse() & Int_TryParse() • IsISBN() • LockFile() • Mapping CtrlIDs • OOP in AutoIt • ParseHeadersToSciTE() • PasswordValid • PasteBin • Posts Per Day • PreExpand • Protect Globals • Queue() • Resource Update • ResourcesEx • SciTE Jump • Settings INI • SHELLHOOK • Shunting-Yard • Signature Creator • Stack() • Stopwatch() • StringAddLF()/StringStripLF() • StringEOLToCRLF() • VSCROLL • WM_COPYDATA • More Examples...

Updated: 22/04/2018

Link to comment
Share on other sites
guinness Universalist

guinness

Posted
Posted

At least you can't go wrong with trying the Portable Version. Plus, the UI has a MS Office 2007 feel compared to the screenshots I have seen for WinCHM.

UDF List:

 
_AdapterConnections() • _AlwaysRun() • _AppMon() • _AppMonEx() • _ArrayFilter/_ArrayReduce • _BinaryBin() • _CheckMsgBox() • _CmdLineRaw() • _ContextMenu() • _ConvertLHWebColor()/_ConvertSHWebColor() • _DesktopDimensions() • _DisplayPassword() • _DotNet_Load()/_DotNet_Unload() • _Fibonacci() • _FileCompare() • _FileCompareContents() • _FileNameByHandle() • _FilePrefix/SRE() • _FindInFile() • _GetBackgroundColor()/_SetBackgroundColor() • _GetConrolID() • _GetCtrlClass() • _GetDirectoryFormat() • _GetDriveMediaType() • _GetFilename()/_GetFilenameExt() • _GetHardwareID() • _GetIP() • _GetIP_Country() • _GetOSLanguage() • _GetSavedSource() • _GetStringSize() • _GetSystemPaths() • _GetURLImage() • _GIFImage() • _GoogleWeather() • _GUICtrlCreateGroup() • _GUICtrlListBox_CreateArray() • _GUICtrlListView_CreateArray() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveCSV() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveHTML() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveTxt() • _GUICtrlListView_SaveXML() • _GUICtrlMenu_Recent() • _GUICtrlMenu_SetItemImage() • _GUICtrlTreeView_CreateArray() • _GUIDisable() • _GUIImageList_SetIconFromHandle() • _GUIRegisterMsg() • _GUISetIcon() • _Icon_Clear()/_Icon_Set() • _IdleTime() • _InetGet() • _InetGetGUI() • _InetGetProgress() • _IPDetails() • _IsFileOlder() • _IsGUID() • _IsHex() • _IsPalindrome() • _IsRegKey() • _IsStringRegExp() • _IsSystemDrive() • _IsUPX() • _IsValidType() • _IsWebColor() • _Language() • _Log() • _MicrosoftInternetConnectivity() • _MSDNDataType() • _PathFull/GetRelative/Split() • _PathSplitEx() • _PrintFromArray() • _ProgressSetMarquee() • _ReDim() • _RockPaperScissors()/_RockPaperScissorsLizardSpock() • _ScrollingCredits • _SelfDelete() • _SelfRename() • _SelfUpdate() • _SendTo() • _ShellAll() • _ShellFile() • _ShellFolder() • _SingletonHWID() • _SingletonPID() • _Startup() • _StringCompact() • _StringIsValid() • _StringRegExpMetaCharacters() • _StringReplaceWholeWord() • _StringStripChars() • _Temperature() • _TrialPeriod() • _UKToUSDate()/_USToUKDate() • _WinAPI_Create_CTL_CODE() • _WinAPI_CreateGUID() • _WMIDateStringToDate()/_DateToWMIDateString() • Au3 script parsing • AutoIt Search • AutoIt3 Portable • AutoIt3WrapperToPragma • AutoItWinGetTitle()/AutoItWinSetTitle() • Coding • DirToHTML5 • FileInstallr • FileReadLastChars() • GeoIP database • GUI - Only Close Button • GUI Examples • GUICtrlDeleteImage() • GUICtrlGetBkColor() • GUICtrlGetStyle() • GUIEvents • GUIGetBkColor() • Int_Parse() & Int_TryParse() • IsISBN() • LockFile() • Mapping CtrlIDs • OOP in AutoIt • ParseHeadersToSciTE() • PasswordValid • PasteBin • Posts Per Day • PreExpand • Protect Globals • Queue() • Resource Update • ResourcesEx • SciTE Jump • Settings INI • SHELLHOOK • Shunting-Yard • Signature Creator • Stack() • Stopwatch() • StringAddLF()/StringStripLF() • StringEOLToCRLF() • VSCROLL • WM_COPYDATA • More Examples...

Updated: 22/04/2018

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...