PureHELP Maker

PureHELP Maker

Overview

PureHELP Maker is a tool to fast build help files for your libraries.
You can :
    - extract library information (functions, arguments, quick help) ;
    - modify the extracted information ;
    - preview the help files ;
    - build the HTML files (including the index, hhc and hhp files) ;
    - compile the HTML help files to a single CHM help file ;
    - save the project for later use.
The generated HTML files have the purebasic help file look.

How to use it

Step 1 : creating a new project

Click the [New Project] button to create a new project.

Step 2 : select your userlibrary and the help folder

Click the [...] button to select your userlibrary : the informations are automatically extracted.
Click the [\] or [...] button to create or select the help folder (folder where the HTML files will be build).

Step 3 : modify / complete your help files (with preview)

You can modify most of the information in the edit boxes (some are read-only) and preview the result with [F1] or [F2].
You can switch between 'Edit' and 'View' mode using the switch button (upper right dark grey button).

Step 4 : create the HTML help files (and compile them to CHM)

Once you have finished, you can generate the help files with the [Create HTML files] button.
The files are build in the help folder. The INDEX, HHP and HHC files are automatically generated.
If you have chosen so, an external CHM compiler is called to transform the HTML files into a CMH help file (see options tab).

Step 5 : save your project

You can save your work with the [Save Project] button.

Step 6 : update your project

At any time you can load your project and modify it.
Important : if you have modified your library (adding or removing functions), you can use the [Library information extraction]
button to synchronize the library functions ; if you don't want your existing data to be overwritten, check the appropriate box
in the options tab.

Options

To compile your HTML help project to CHM, check the 'Compile Help folder to CHM' box (you have to specify the help compiler's path).
To associate PureHELP Maker to your project files, press the 'Associate .phm files to PureHELP' button.
You can re-extract library information and merge it into an existing project ; if you don't want your existing data to be overwritten, check the appropriate box.
If you want to keep the generated HTML files after CHM compilation, uncheck the 'Erase HTML files' box.

Needed files

The HTML Viewer module needs the ATL Module for Windows (ATL.DLL in the path).

In order to compile your HTML help project, the HTML Builder needs an external HTML2CHM compiler.
I recommend Microsoft's HTML Help Compiler (hhc.exe and hha.dll), part of the HTML Help Workshop.
You can download it from the Microsoft web site (free tool).

Credits

This tool is (c) gnozal http://people.freenet.de/gnozal.
Thanks to El Choni for the purebasic userlibrary structure.