topic Re: Problem adding notes to the VMS help in Operating System - OpenVMS

Problem adding notes to the VMS help

nipun_2 — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 10:37:30 GMT

Hi,
I am using OpenVMS 7.3-2 and have added a bunch of scripts for users. I need to add their usage information to the help manual. So that when the user type $Help "XXXX" they get the documentation

In order to do so I did the following:

I made a text file with the extension .hlp

XXXX.hlp in folder disk2:[acct1]

Then I logged in as system and went to
disk2;[acct1] directory and did the following

$library /replace /help sys$help:helplib.hlb XXX.hlp

After this command I did not get any error message. Theoretically this should have now added the
XXXX as a help option so that when I did

$help XXXX I would get the documentation I had created.

However I got a message saying "no documentation found"

I don't even see the "XXXX" in the VMS help

Can anyone guide me here...

Re: Problem adding notes to the VMS help

Ian Miller. — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 10:51:21 GMT

The layout of .hlp files is very specific.

you should have. The spaces matter.

1 XXXXX
some helpful words
2 subtopic
some helpful words

Extract a existing file to have a look

$ lib/ext=UIL/OUT=UIL.HLP sys$help:helplib.hlb

See the docs
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/82final/6100/6100pro_005.html#help_library_lbr

Re: Problem adding notes to the VMS help

Volker Halle — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 11:08:54 GMT

Nipun,

you should NOT modify the existing OpenVMS HELP library file (SYS$HELP:HELPLIB.HLB). This is completely unsupported and may cause problems in future OpenVMS upgrades.

There are mechanisms to add user-defined HELP libraries pointed to by the logical names HLP$LIBRARY, HLP$LIBRARY_1 etc. as pointed out in the documentation.

Volker

Re: Problem adding notes to the VMS help

Steven Schweda — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 13:22:44 GMT

If you're desperate for an example of how
this may be done, you might fetch the latest
(unreleased BETA) kit for Zip 3.0. The
instructions are in [.VMS]INSTALL_VMS.TXT,
and the kit includes (or creates) properly
formatted HELP text files.

ftp://ftp.info-zip.org/pub/infozip/OLD/beta/zip30e.zip

Re: Problem adding notes to the VMS help

John Donovan_4 — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 06:46:47 GMT

Man you pharaohs & wizards need to give us no hats a fighting chance at points. You guys are too quick! (jk)

have 2 on me! Cheers!
Oh yeah Nipun, what the big hats said. :))