Help Properties

The Help tab contains properties that define the Windows Help windows. You can define up to 255 secondary help windows in WinHelp 4.0, and use these to display your Topics in. These properties define things like, the window name, title, size, position, colors, and what macros to execute when the window is displayed.

Window Name

Defines the name of the help window. This name can be used when building a Macro Procedure object, to specify a help window. This name is mandatory and must be unique.

Window Title

Defines the text that will appear in the title bar of this Help window. If you do not specify the window title, the Help Title from the Book object will be used.

Window Macro

Sets a relationship to a Macro Procedure object that defines the Windows Help Macros that will be executed when the window opens for the first time.

Auto-size Height

Determines if the height of the help window changes automatically to accommodate the amount of text in it. The Help window with a Window Name of "main" cannot be automatically sized.

Keep Window On Top

Determines if the help window remains in the foreground, even when users switch to a different window or program. This feature is especially useful for procedures because the Help topic remains visible while the user carries out a task.

Maximize Window

Determines if the help window covers a user's entire screen. This property and the Auto-Size Height property cannot be set to on at the same time.

Window Position

Defines the position of the top left hand corner of the help window, as the number of pixels from the top left hand corner of the screen. A value of -1 means that the Windows Help default position will be used.

Window Size

Defines the size of the help window in pixels, as the height and width from the top left hand corner of the window. A value of -1 means that the Windows Help default position will be used.

Auto Sizer Button

Choose this to display a sample window that you can position and size by dragging the window's borders. When you are finished, the Left, Top, Width, and Height properties are automatically filled in, based on the size and position of the sample window.

Default Positions Button

Cancels customized size and position settings and allows WinHelp to determine the size and position of the window.

Contents Button

Determines if a Contents button appears on the button bar in the help window. If a contents (.cnt) file is present, the Contents button displays the Contents tab in the Help Topics dialog box. Otherwise, the Contents button displays either the default topic or the first topic in your help file.

Index Button

Determines if an Index button appears on the button bar in the help window. The Index button displays the Index tab in the Help Topics dialog box.

Find Button

Determines if a Find button appears on the button bar in the help window. The Find button displays the Find tab in the Help Topics dialog box.

Options Button

Determines if an Options button appears on the button bar in the help window. The Options button displays a menu containing the following commands:

• Annotate
• Copy
• Print Topic
• Font
• Keep Help On Top
• Use System Colors

This menu also appears when users click a topic using the right mouse button.

Help Topics Button

Determines if a Help Topics button appears on the button bar in the help window. If a contents (.cnt) file is present, clicking the Help Topics button for the first time displays the Contents tab in the Help Topics dialog box. Thereafter, clicking the Help Topics button displays the tab that a user most recently worked with.

If there is no contents file, the Help Topics button displays either the default topic or the first topic in your help file.

Print Button

Determines if a Print button appears on the button bar in the help window. The Print button prints the current topic.

Back Button

Determines if a Back button appears on the button bar in the help window. The Back button displays the previously viewed topic in the current window.

Browse Buttons

Determines if a pair of browse buttons, << and >> appear on the button bar in the help window. The browse buttons enable users to move from one topic to another, as specified by Include in Browse Sequence, and Start a New Browse Sequence properties of the Topic object.

Window Non-Scrolling color

Defines the color of the non-scrolling area of the help window. The Help Heading will be displayed in this area if the Non-Scrolling property is set on.

Choose the Change button to change the color.

Window Scrolling color

Defines the color of the scrolling area of the help window. The Topic Text will be displayed in this area of the help window.

Choose the Change button to change the color.