Help2 version 0.14, 10 Aug 1999

Contents:

  0: Introduction
  1: Installation
  2: Using Help2
  3: Why Help2 is better than the !Help supplied with RISC OS
  4: Contacting the author
  5: Legal stuff


0: Introduction

     Help2 is an interactive help display program, similar to the !Help
     supplied with RISC OS. It is very similar to the version of !Help
     in RISC OS 4, but (in my opinion) better.


1: Installation

     Just drag the !Help application from the archive to the directory of
     your choice. Help2 can run from a read only filing system, and stores
     its configuration in Choices$Write if it's set.

     Note that even though this application is called "Help2", the
     application directory is called "!Help". This is so you can use the
     AddApp command to place Help2 in the Resources:$.Apps directory, and
     replace the resident !Help.


     Replacing the standard Help under RISC OS 3.7 or earlier
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     To make Help2 appear in your Apps directory, simply put the command

       AddApp <Help2$Dir>

     somewhere in your Boot sequence. You'll have to ensure that by this
     time, the Help2 application has been 'booted' by the filer.


     Replacing the standard Help under RISC OS 4
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     Help2 is fully RISC OS 4 compatible. To replace the standard RISC OS 4
     Help application, follow these steps:

     1: Add Help2 to the Apps folder using the RISC OS 4 Configure program.
        Double click !Boot, then click on "Boot" then "Add to Apps".
        Either drag Help2 into this window, or the directory containing
        Help2. Then click "Set", and "Set" in the previous window.
     2: Open Help2's directory by shift-double clicking.
     2: Open the directory !Boot.RO400Hook.Res.Configure
     3: Move (by shift-dragging) the "!Help2Setu" application from inside
        Help2 into !Boot.RO400Hook.Res.Configure
     4: Rename !Boot.RO400Hook.Res.Configure.!HelpSetup to
        !Boot.RO400Hook.Res.Configure.HelpSetup
     5: Reboot your computer.

     Help2 itself doesn't need the Toolbox modules, but the configuration
     program does.


2: Using Help2

     To run Help2, double click the !Help icon. The application will load to
     the right hand side of the iconbar. Whenever the pointer is over an
     object that provides interactive help, the help text will be displayed
     in a pop up window near the pointer. Clicking Select or Adjust on the
     iconbar icon will toggle Help2 on and off.

     Click Menu over the iconbar icon for the application menu. The only item
     that should need any explanation is "Configure". This opens the
     configuration window. Note that the configuration window is actually a
     separate application, which needs the Toolbox modules to run. If you
     haven't got the Toolbox, you can edit the file "Help2$Choices" by hand.

     To see what the various configuration options do, run Help2 and point at
     them!

     That's all there is to it.


3: Why Help2 is better than the !Help supplied with RISC OS:

     It's more configurable.
     It formats the help text in a more attractive manner (IMHO).
     It uses less memory.


4: Contacting the author

     Help2 was written by Rik Griffin. You can email me at:

       mouse@cheesey.demon.co.uk

     Bug reports, constructive criticism and offers of cash are always
     welcome :)


5: Legal stuff

     Licence
     ~~~~~~~
     Help2 is Copyright  Rik Griffin of Squeaky Software 1999.

     This application may be distributed freely, as long as no charge is
     made, except for reasonable media costs. No modifications may be
     made to versions being distributed.

     BBSs, FTP sites and web pages wishing to distribute Help2 should
     instead, if possible, carry a link to my web page at

     http://www.cheesey.demon.co.uk/help2.html

     so that the latest version is always available to your users. If such
     linking is not possible, feel free to put the _unaltered_ Help2
     distribution archive on your site.

     Bundling
     ~~~~~~~~
     Help2 may be freely 'bundled' with non commercial software (software
     that costs nothing beyond reasonable media costs). The only condition is
     that you inform me by email or otherwise of your intentions.

     If you wish to bundle Help2 with commercial software, please contact me
     to discuss terms. At most I'll require a token payment or a copy of the
     software in question.

