XMetaL: hook self-created online help

[Nora]

Hi there!

We have created a dtd. Now, when creating xml files based on this dtd we
want to provide an own online help.
(This online help explains:
which tag can be used where,
writing schemas,
structure (parents, children), ...)
We might change to XMeltaL. But therefore I have a few questions:

Does anyone know if its possible to hook a self-created online help to
XMetal? And if yes, how can I do this?
(You should be able to place your mouse on the xml-element and press F1 e.g.
and get help for this special element. )

Help topics exist as single SGML/HTML-files for each element and as chm.

Thanks a lot for your help
Nora






* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nora Homburg
Am Hasenbiel 13-15
76297 Stutensee
fon: 07244/73969-35
mobil: 0160/4887090
mailto: (e-mail address removed)
url: www.myhope.de
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[Simon North]

Nora,

An application passes an HHTopicID to the help engine. The topic id,
identifies an HML page inside the chm. The topic
IDs are essentially hardwired into the application. In theory, you could
decompile the existing chm file (using Keytools,
or similar) and then extend it with your own pages. You could have the
existing Help API calls point to your content.
However (IANAL), hacking the help application in this way would probably be
a breach of copyright.

Further, you would not be able to generate any new calls, such as the
specific calls I imagine you might want so that you can go
directly to your DTDs help topics, without recompiling the application (and
the only guaranteed way to do this would be to have
access to the source code).

My advice is to create your help as a standalone application. You could
always create a separate icon on the desktop ...

Simon North






Quintiq Application Software BV
's Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands

 

[Feargal Hogan]

In the Xmetal API there are 3 help methods attached to the Application interface
Help
HelpContext
HelpFinder

The latter 2 allow you to open a named Help file and so would be applicable to
your implementation.

So it is theoretically possible. You would need to trap for F1 though and I cannot
see how to do that within the Xmetal event model.

But it would be possible to add a menu item to the context menu (popup menu) so
that the user could pop it up and select help at that point.

That would be a fairly trivial task.