diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'pkg/system/help/mkhelpdb.hlp')
| -rw-r--r-- | pkg/system/help/mkhelpdb.hlp | 75 |
1 files changed, 75 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/pkg/system/help/mkhelpdb.hlp b/pkg/system/help/mkhelpdb.hlp new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d3534cf6 --- /dev/null +++ b/pkg/system/help/mkhelpdb.hlp @@ -0,0 +1,75 @@ +.help mkhelpdb Feb89 softools +.ih +NAME +mkhelpdb -- update the help database +.ih +USAGE +mkhelpdb helpdir helpdb +.ih +PARAMETERS +.ls helpdir = "lib$root.hd" +The filename of the root help directory file (".hd" file) defining the +help tree to be updated. By convention this is \fIroot.hd\fR in some +directory. +.le +.ls helpdb = "lib$helpdb.mip" +The filename of the help database file to be written. By convention this +is \fIhelpdb.mip\fR in some directory (the ".mip" signifies that the file +format is machine independent). +.le +.ls verbose = no +If this switch is enabled, \fImkhelpdb\fR will print a detailed description +of the help database as it is being compiled. A more concise summary listing +only the packages and the number of help modules in each package is printed +by default. +.le +.ih +DESCRIPTION +The \fImkhelpdb\fR task descends a tree of help directory (".hd") files and +compiles a binary help database from the information therein. The help +database is used to speed global searches when help is requested for a +module, the ".hlp" file for which might be anywhere in the system. +The help database defines the packages and modules in the help database, +and stores the filenames of the associated help files. No actual help text +is stored in the help database, only sufficient index information to find +the help files when the \fIhelp\fR task is run. The help directory files +are text files which define the packages and modules in the help database. +The format of these files is self explanatory hence is documented by example +only. + +By default, \fImkhelpdb\fR recompiles the standard IRAF help database, +although any other similar database may be recompiled by changing the values +of the parameters \fIhelpdir\fR and \fIhelpdb\fR. The standard +IRAF help database is rooted in the file \fBlib$root.hd\fR. + +The help database must be updated whenever a new help module (e.g., manual +page) is added, deleted, or renamed. It is also necessary for sites receiving +a source only version of IRAF to run \fImkhelpdb\fR to rebuild the help +database once the system is up, since the database is a binary file and +is not included in a source only distribution. It is not necessary to rerun +\fImkhelpdb\fR when an existing manual page is edited, since only index +information is stored in the database. + +The \fIhelp\fR utilities make use of the following types of files. Examples +of these files will be found throughout the IRAF directories. + +.nf + .hd help directory file (tree structured) + .hlp manual page + .men package menu (module listing) +.fi +.ih +EXAMPLES +1. Update the standard IRAF help database. + +.nf + cl> softools + so> mkhelpdb helpdir=lib$root.hd helpdb=lib$helpdb.mip +.fi + +2. Update the NOAO package help database. + + so> mkhelpdb helpdir=noao$lib/root.hd helpdb=noao$lib/helpdb.mip +.ih +SEE ALSO +hdbexamine, help |