Conference bulova::decw_jan-89_to_nov-90

3530.0. "Announcing HyperHelp V1.0" by PSTWKS::THOMAS (In development...) Thu Oct 25 1990 12:15

 
          The CUP/ITG HyperHelp Project Team has been working during
          the past few months to develop technology to use Bookreader
          as the DECwindows online help display mechanism. Dan Gosselin
          (MIDI::DAN) wrote the HyperHelp routines which allow any DECwin-
          dows V3 application to open a Bookreader file and access a
          specific online help topic, when a help call is made. The inte-
          gration between the application and the Bookreader is made by
          using MEMEX. The application making the call to Bookreader does
          not have to be hyperized itself.

          The rest of this note is the official announcement of the Hyper-
          Help V1.0 kit. Please note that this technology is still under
          consideration by the DECwindows Strategy Group for inclusion
          into DW V3. The release of the HyperHelp V1.0 kit is so that
          application developers will have a chance to start experimenting
          with HyperHelp as a replacement for the current Help widget, and
          be able to provide the HyperHelp project team with bug, error or
          other reports.

          You're welcome to contact me directly with any questions or
          feedback.

	  - Philip 

          **********

          The HyperHelp V1.0 kit provides DECwindows application docu-
          mentation and engineering groups with the tools necessary to
          convert existing Help files to Motif HyperHelp files.

          The integration of Motif HyperHelp into DECwindows V3 is contin-
          gent on decisions made by the DECwindows Strategy Group. These
          decisions require the availability of tools, support and working
          models to prove that a transition can be made from the use of
          the existing Help widget to Motif HyperHelp. The release of the
          HyperHelp V1.0 kit is designed to meet those requirements.

          The HyperHelp V1.0 kit contains:

          -  Help file converter: converts SDML, HLP or Runoff source
             files to SDML (structured for HyperHelp)

          -  Help UIL parser: uses output from Help file converter to
             update UIL file

          -  VAX DOCUMENT Help doctype: creates Online Help output

          -  Object file: to be linked with application code using Hyper-
             Help callbacks

          The HyperHelp V2.0 kit will be made available at a later date.
          The V2.0 kit will provide the tools necessary to create new
          Motif HyperHelp files, and will include a DECwrite style sheet
          and ULTRIX support.

          HyperHelp requires DECwindows V3, which includes Hyperinforma-
          tion Services. When DECwindows V3 becomes available with ULTRIX,
          an ULTRIX kit for HyperHelp will be provided.

          1  Minimum Software Requirements for Application Developers

          o  VMS V5.4

          o  Motif DECwindows V3 pre-IFT

          2  Minimum Software Requirements for Help Authoring

          o  VMS V5.3

          o  VAX DOCUMENT V1.2-B

          3  Location of Kit

          The HyperHelp V1.0 kit is available from the following location:

                CLOSET::KITS_:[HYPERHELP]HYPERHELP010.A


          4  Installing the Kit

          The V1.0 kit, named HYPERHELP010.A, can be installed on any
          VAX/VMS system by using VMSINSTAL. You may either copy over the
          single saveset or install the kit over the network. To install
          the kit, enter the following command:

               $ @SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL HYPERHELP010 [location]

          There are no HyperHelp specific queries/prompts during the
          installation. There is therefore no separate installation guide
          accompanying the kit.

          5  HyperHelp Documentation

          The HyperHelp V1.0 kit is accompanied by Help authoring guide-
          lines, UI guidelines, a comparison of the Help widget and
          HyperHelp, instructions on converting Help source files and
          instructions for UI engineers using HyperHelp. The manual is
          available from:

                CLOSET::KITS_:[HYPERHELP]HYPERHELP_GUIDELINES.PS
                                                             .DECW$BOOK
                                                             .DECW$BOOKSHELF

          Bookreader V3 features described in the manual have not been
          field tested for DECwindows V3 as yet. The information in the
          manual regarding these features is subject to change.

          6  Bug Reports/Feedback/Review

          Please direct bug reports/feedback and discussions of Motif
          HyperHelp to the following notes file:

                MIDI::A$:[WORK.CONFS]ON_HELP.NOTE

	  Hit <KP7> to add this entry to your notebook.


          7  DRIs

          HyperHelp V1.0 has been brought to you by:

          o  CUP/ITG HyperHelp Project Team

          o  DECwindows Help Committee

          In cooperation with:

          o  DECwindows Strategy Group

          o  DECwrite Documentation/Engineering

          o  ULTRIX Documentation/Engineering

          Philip Thomas
          HyperHelp Project Leader