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Help Files for custom block libraries

Created by: Dorftrottel? at: 6/20/2007 3:44 PM (1 Replies)

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6/20/2007 3:44 PM	Rate (0)
Dorftrottel? Silver Member Joined: 8/10/2006 Last visit: 8/13/2024 Posts: 298 Rating: (29)	Greetings, I'm creating online help ("F1") for a set of custom blocks using the procedures outlined in the Siemens manual: Process Control System PCS 7 V7.0 - Programming Instructions for Blocks A5E00807905-01 I generated the HELP files for old Windows help system (WinHelp.exe, needs a .hlp/.cnt/.gid files). NONE* of my RTF source pages converted to display properly. I am particular about that. So I converted them over to HTML to use in the new Windows HTML Help (hh.exe, using .CHM help files). The problem is linking them to the library in PCS7. The example in the manual cited above is only for HLP type files. I am not aware of a way to directly link PCS7 to CHM help files since there is no TOPIC:ID structure, instead only reference to html pages within the CHM. I have tried creating a intermediate HLP file where each topic has the following macro embedded in the source: !execfile(hh.exe, ms-its:MyHelpFile.chm::/HTMLtopic.htm) but so far I have been unable to make this work. Has anyone else done this, or is there any document on using CHM files directly with PCS7 instead of HLP type? Thanks to all, Jim Note, HTML help files are so much easier* to generate and build than HLP type files!
	Last edited by: UnimogMan at: 20.06.2007 15:47
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6/26/2007 9:23 AM	Rate (2)
Dorftrottel? Silver Member Joined: 8/10/2006 Last visit: 8/13/2024 Posts: 298 Rating: (29)	I'm glad to say it can be done. Here's a quick rundown on how you do it: Create your html help project. There's lots of free software out there to help you with that. I used Microsoft WebMatrix and compiled into CHM files with HTML HelpWorkshop. WebMatrix is a limited visual HTML editor, so where I needed to do it better, I reverted to direct HTML coding. I now have exactly what I want. Create a rudimentary windows help file (hlp) with all your topics. Be sure to create a table of contents and a welcome page with the welcome page as your default. On each of your topic pages, embed the following macro code into your page, after the page declaration but before the page body: !{\footnote !execfile(hh.exe, ms-its:html_help_file_name.chm::/directory_heirarchy_if_any/html_help_topic_source_file_name.htm)} (note, the directory heirarchy is embedded into the CHM file structure) Compile the winhelp file. Put both compiled help files (CHM and HLP) into the same directory. You declare the location of the help files in the registry, but I recommend you place them in: \Progra~1\SIEMENS\STEP7\S7LIBS\Your_Lib_Name Edit the registry for PCS7 to recognize them - the following FAQ page is very helpful: How do you link a self-made online help to a programmed block? -- Topic Entry ID: 23174950 The final trick (not documented in the FAQ above) is to register both files with the windows help and windows HTML help systems. An example set of registry entries would look like this: (note different authors who worked on the project library) Also note, the library doesn't need to be an actually installed one - i.e. if you wanted to write a help screen for the block CH_DO, you could, as long as you properly listed all the proper info. [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\STEP7\2.0\Applications\s7libs\Some_Lib] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\STEP7\2.0\Applications\s7libs\Some_Lib\Author_X] "HelpFileGerman"="S7libs\\Some_Lib\\S7Some_LibA.hlp" "HelpFileEnglish"="S7libs\\Some_Lib\\S7Some_LibA.hlp" "Version"="0.1" "VersionDate"="24.05.2010" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\STEP7\2.0\Applications\s7libs\Some_Lib\Author_X\Some_Lib] "Block_Title1"=dword:0000042e [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\STEP7\2.0\Applications\s7libs\Some_Lib\Author_Y] "HelpFileGerman"="S7libs\\Some_Lib\\S7Some_LibA.hlp" "HelpFileEnglish"="S7libs\\Some_Lib\\S7Some_LibA.hlp" "Version"="0.1" "VersionDate"="24.05.2010" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\STEP7\2.0\Applications\s7libs\Some_Lib\Author_Y\Some_Lib] "Block_Title2"=dword:00000410 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\STEP7\2.0\Applications\s7libs\Some_Lib\Author_Z] "HelpFileGerman"="S7libs\\Some_Lib\\S7Some_LibA.hlp" "HelpFileEnglish"="S7libs\\Some_Lib\\S7Some_LibA.hlp" "Version"="0.1" "VersionDate"="24.05.2010" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\STEP7\2.0\Applications\s7libs\Some_Lib\Author_Z\Some_Lib] "Block_Title3"=dword:000003e8 "Block_Title4"=dword:000003f2 "Block_Title5"=dword:000003fc "Block_Title6"=dword:00000406 "Block_Title7"=dword:0000041a //Comment: Registering the Help file with HTML Help [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\HTML Help] "S7Some_LibA.CHM"="C:\\Program Files\\SIEMENS\\STEP7\\S7LIBS\\Some_Lib" //Comment: Registering the Help file with WinHelp [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Help] "S7Some_LibA.HLP"="C:\\Program Files\\SIEMENS\\STEP7\\S7LIBS\\Some_Lib" Things I don't like about it: It double calls HTML Help and opens the same CHM page twice (two windows); I haven't figured out how to have the HTML Help page close the calling HLP window; Closing any help window should close them all. Not yet.... Things I like: Do a help project in WinHelp (HPJ), then do one in HTMLHelp (CHM). You'll never want to go back to WinHelp !! Glad to share. Have Fun ! Jim

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