Help file for application

[gordon]

Hi

Could someone please tell me the best way to provide help in an application?
I have an 'about' item , but what is the best way of providng instructions
and help in the app?

Doug

 

[Dave Sexton]

Hi Doug,

Although it's incomplete, Microsoft's HTML Help Workshop can help you to
create some documentation and it's free:

HTML Help 1.4 SDK
Microsoft HTML Help Downloads
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-US/library/ms669985.aspx

You should edit the contents and index files without the workshop's help.
They're just html files (where xml should have been used), although you'll
have to try to preserve their incorrect markup otherwise you'll get
workshop-compiler errors :|

Including context-sensitive help or a TOC link from a menu item, for
example, is easy in a WinForms app using the HelpProvider component:

Windows Forms Programming
HelpProvider Component Overview (Windows Forms)
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/s3ztx0at.aspx

 

[Dave Sexton]

Hi Doug,

(It appears that my original response was somehow deleted so I'm reposting
it just in case)

Although it's incomplete, Microsoft's HTML Help Workshop can help you to
create some documentation and it's free:

HTML Help 1.4 SDK
Microsoft HTML Help Downloads
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-US/library/ms669985.aspx

You should edit the contents and index files without the workshop's help.
They're just html files (where xml should have been used), although you'll
have to try to preserve their incorrect markup otherwise you'll get
workshop-compiler errors :|

Including context-sensitive help or a TOC link from a menu item, for
example, is easy in a WinForms app using the HelpProvider component:

Windows Forms Programming
HelpProvider Component Overview (Windows Forms)
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/s3ztx0at.aspx

 

[salman]

Hi gordon,
NDoc would be useful to you for documentation
Salman

 

[Dave Sexton]

Hi,

Isn't NDoc for documenting source code only? I've never tried authoring
help files with it and I don't remember there being any way to do that
either.

 

[salman]

yes, NDoc is Documentation Generator for .NET
http://ndoc.sourceforge.net/

Salman

 

[Dave Sexton]

Hi Salman,

"Documentation" for "source code", not help files such as context-sensitive
help, instructions and tutorials for end users.