Re: 4GL Help files

Great! There's nothing like looking at a problem from a different angle to see a simple solution! -- --------------------------------------- Tony Flaherty aef@mfs.misys.co.uk Analyst Programmer Misys Financial Systems All statements and opinions are my own, Misys don't pay me enough to have opinions on their behalf . PC User wrote in message <38ECC591.F1277ADD@bloomberg.net>... >My solution has always been to ignore the Informix help file mechanism and use >my own HELP functions which draw their text from a set of database tables >instead. >The basic table structure is as follows and allows for different levels of help >and for >different help in different modules and applications. I have two basic levels >of help >screen/app. level and field level though there is no reason these could not >have been >combined into one pair of tables I use separate tables: > > >Screen/Application Level help tables: > >screenhelp_hdr >---------------- >screenhelp_id serial(0) >app_id char 12 >screen_id char 12 >help_title char 60 > >screenhelp_dtl >--------------- >screenhelp_id integer >line_no smallint >line char 70 > >Field Level help tables: > >fieldhelp_hdr >--------------- >fieldhelp_id serial(0) >app_id char 12 >screen_id char 12 >field_id char 12 >help_title char 60 > >fieldhelp_dtl >--------------- >fieldhelp_id integer >line_no smallint >line char 70 > >Then the screen-level help function takes an app_id and screen_id as arguments >and >the field level function adds a third parameter of field_id. Very neat, very >portable, >and all you need is to write a generic help screen pop-up function to support >the >scrolling help text that will be returned from the tables. > >Art S. Kagel > >Tony Flaherty wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> I4GL 7.20.UD8 >> >> Is it possible to define "local" help files? >> >> I have a module containing a function for which I want to create a help >> file, easy enough. However, this module can be compiled into several >> different programs each of which has its own help file. Now once my new >> function is called, the help file changes globally and the calling programs >> help commands now read the wrong file. >> >> I can issue a new OPTIONS HELP FILE after calling the function, but this is >> a poor solution. Any suggestions? Is there something blindingly obvious >> I'm missing here! >> >> -- >> --------------------------------------- >> Tony Flaherty aef@mfs.misys.co.uk >> Analyst Programmer >> Misys Financial Systems >> All statements and opinions are my own, >> Misys don't pay me enough to have opinions >> on their behalf >> >> . >