Implementing a help system

[Karim Liman-Tinguiri]

Hello,

I've recently joined the ReactOS project (1) where I intend to work as
a coder primarily. After downloading the LiveCD and trying it out, I
found out it lacks (amongst many) a help system. I believe it should
be added amongst the urgent TO-DOs checklist now that the OS runs,
provides a minimal GUI, and is stable. Built-in user assistance is
essential since the React Operating System is intended for the large
audience; not only for hackers.

Therefore I am wondering if there is a current project started to code
one. If not, I plan to code an open-source version of the winhlp32.exe
file located in the system folder able to open and show windows .hlp
files. The goal is to have a winhlp32.exe that runs and behaves
exactly like (or very close to) that of the Microsoft copyrighted
winhlp32.exe. It should therefore be able to serve existing windows
apps with a help server without any modification to the program. I've
verified the dependencies of winhlp32.exe; all of them have already
been implemented in ReactOS, so it should not be a big deal to code it
from scratch. Despite the fact that the .hlp file format isn't
officially documented, it has already been reverse engineered and its
documentation can be found on the web (2). However, if there already
is a help support project up and running, I intend to join it.

Besides, as soon as this is ready (why not before ?), I advise we
convert all documentation on the reactos.com's library (and all
further documentation) to the DocBook (SGML) format: it has the
advantage of being easily converted on-the-fly to pdf, html,
post-script and many others. A tool chain to convert it to .hlp will
however have to be created (meanwhile we can use the standard tools
for compiling .hlp files).

(1) I'm referring to the developer mailing list
(2) http://www.geocities.com/mwinterhoff/helpfile.htm

[Ge van Geldorp]

> From: Karim Liman-Tinguiri
>
> I've recently joined the ReactOS project (1) where I intend 
> to work as a coder primarily.

Welcome!
> Therefore I am wondering if there is a current project 
> started to code one. If not, I plan to code an open-source 
> version of the winhlp32.exe file located in the system folder 
> able to open and show windows .hlp files.

There is a winhelp in Wine, I have no idea how complete it is. I can import
the current Wine version into our SVN repository if that's easier for you to
work on. Are you willing to license your work as LGPL so we can contribute
your changes back to Wine?

Ge van Geldorp.

[Thomas Larsen]

Hello

I did a port of winhelp and many of the files you need i my wierd 1.2.3.4 patches packed in both
winrar and sevenzip but right now a am making a new help engine to use in reactos (Visual Studio
Alike)..

but the one includede in the patches need hhctrl.ocx (did also port that fine one and you allso
need it for the fine util winzip to start).. and shfolder.dll  (for most apps to run) the one in
wine are only pointing to shell32 but the functions are so much a like according to ida pro 4.7
but windows don�t do this but think their importing them from a lib instead or use too version one
for future use one for older apps but that don�t seem so :-)

!...!...!...!...!...!

Request for the last time could we have a place on Reactos Homepage for new patches programs dlls
so ppl don�t need to use irq special webpages contact list emails to get a patch in reactos

http://www.winehq.com/site/sending_patches Information like this on reactos webpage and a mail
where pacthes could be send width online browsing like wine

!...!...!...!...!...!

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[Karim Liman-Tinguiri]

So, there already is a winhelp for ReactOS. It'd be nice if you could
provie a link to it so I can have a look. The problem is it hasn't yet
been implemented. Also keep in mind that our aim is to achieve 100%
compatibility with Windows, therefore I think you should port some
unexsiting yet windows code to ReactOS rather than beginning on
something new/specific ("but right now a am making a new help engine
to use in reactos"); since we haven't even yet implemented the
existing help engine, why go further ?

Is your help system .hlp or .chm capable ?

On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 22:29:44 -0800 (PST), Thomas Larsen
[e-mail] wrote:
> Hello
>
> I did a port of winhelp and many of the files you need i my wierd 1.2.3.4 patches packed in both
> winrar and sevenzip but right now a am making a new help engine to use in reactos (Visual Studio
> Alike)..
>
> but the one includede in the patches need hhctrl.ocx (did also port that fine one and you allso
> need it for the fine util winzip to start).. and shfolder.dll  (for most apps to run) the one in
> wine are only pointing to shell32 but the functions are so much a like according to ida pro 4.7
> but windows don´t do this but think their importing them from a lib instead or use too version one
> for future use one for older apps but that don´t seem so :-)
>
> !...!...!...!...!...!
>
> Request for the last time could we have a place on Reactos Homepage for new patches programs dlls
> so ppl don´t need to use irq special webpages contact list emails to get a patch in reactos
>
> http://www.winehq.com/site/sending_patches Information like this on reactos webpage and a mail
> where pacthes could be send width online browsing like wine
>
> !...!...!...!...!...!
>
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more.
> http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250
> _______________________________________________
> Ros-dev mailing list
> [e-mail]
> http://reactos.com:8080/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev

[Thomas Larsen]

Can provide some links:

Got no pages to provide this stuff see below in my prev. letter

But why implenting a new help system:

I made a new version of reactos "Lila OS Client Editon" based on my own stuff and reactos
i have been working on over the last years and wanted it... and shared it with reactos if they
wanted it also the reason for making new version of rosmine notepad sol soltaire spider notepad

Why go further:

I Would like to have a little smarter Version of winhelp32

Microsoft allready did that "HelpSvc and hh.exe"

But what i would like is a new help system that could both handle chm and hlp
and a new interface like "HelpSvc" and Visual Studio MSDN Help"

Project
hh.exe is the native program and winhlp32.exe is stub a redir to hh.exe so it can handle both hlp
and chm files... (MS All ready did that)
so in the end no double work of first making winhlp32 then making hh.exe

Can you see the comp. issues... ??

Thomas Larsen

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[Wesley Parish]

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 04:08, Karim Liman-Tinguiri wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I've recently joined the ReactOS project (1) where I intend to work as
> a coder primarily. After downloading the LiveCD and trying it out, I
> found out it lacks (amongst many) a help system. I believe it should
> be added amongst the urgent TO-DOs checklist now that the OS runs,
> provides a minimal GUI, and is stable. Built-in user assistance is
> essential since the React Operating System is intended for the large
> audience; not only for hackers.
>
> Therefore I am wondering if there is a current project started to code
> one. If not, I plan to code an open-source version of the winhlp32.exe
> file located in the system folder able to open and show windows .hlp
> files. The goal is to have a winhlp32.exe that runs and behaves
> exactly like (or very close to) that of the Microsoft copyrighted
> winhlp32.exe. It should therefore be able to serve existing windows
> apps with a help server without any modification to the program. I've
> verified the dependencies of winhlp32.exe; all of them have already
> been implemented in ReactOS, so it should not be a big deal to code it
> from scratch. Despite the fact that the .hlp file format isn't
> officially documented, it has already been reverse engineered and its
> documentation can be found on the web (2). However, if there already
> is a help support project up and running, I intend to join it.

If I remember rightly, there was an article in DDJ in the early nineties on 
the structure of the MS Win Help files.  If my memory serves me right, it 
takes the form of a compressed file system.

Search on the DDJ site - they've got an archive of articles - failing that, 
get in touch with the editors.

Wesley Parish
> Besides, as soon as this is ready (why not before ?), I advise we
> convert all documentation on the reactos.com's library (and all
> further documentation) to the DocBook (SGML) format: it has the
> advantage of being easily converted on-the-fly to pdf, html,
> post-script and many others. A tool chain to convert it to .hlp will
> however have to be created (meanwhile we can use the standard tools
> for compiling .hlp files).
>
> (1) I'm referring to the developer mailing list
> (2) http://www.geocities.com/mwinterhoff/helpfile.htm
> _______________________________________________
> Ros-dev mailing list
> [e-mail]
> http://reactos.com:8080/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev
-- 
Clinersterton beademung, with all of love - RIP James Blish
-----
Mau e ki, he aha te mea nui?
You ask, what is the most important thing?
Maku e ki, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
I reply, it is people, it is people, it is people.

[Karim Liman-Tinguiri]

There is no need to, since the documentation at
http://www.geocities.com/mwinterhoff/helpfile.htm is more than
complete.

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 21:37:20 +1300, Wesley Parish
[e-mail] wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 04:08, Karim Liman-Tinguiri wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I've recently joined the ReactOS project (1) where I intend to work as
> > a coder primarily. After downloading the LiveCD and trying it out, I
> > found out it lacks (amongst many) a help system. I believe it should
> > be added amongst the urgent TO-DOs checklist now that the OS runs,
> > provides a minimal GUI, and is stable. Built-in user assistance is
> > essential since the React Operating System is intended for the large
> > audience; not only for hackers.
> >
> > Therefore I am wondering if there is a current project started to code
> > one. If not, I plan to code an open-source version of the winhlp32.exe
> > file located in the system folder able to open and show windows .hlp
> > files. The goal is to have a winhlp32.exe that runs and behaves
> > exactly like (or very close to) that of the Microsoft copyrighted
> > winhlp32.exe. It should therefore be able to serve existing windows
> > apps with a help server without any modification to the program. I've
> > verified the dependencies of winhlp32.exe; all of them have already
> > been implemented in ReactOS, so it should not be a big deal to code it
> > from scratch. Despite the fact that the .hlp file format isn't
> > officially documented, it has already been reverse engineered and its
> > documentation can be found on the web (2). However, if there already
> > is a help support project up and running, I intend to join it.
>
> If I remember rightly, there was an article in DDJ in the early nineties on
> the structure of the MS Win Help files.  If my memory serves me right, it
> takes the form of a compressed file system.
>
> Search on the DDJ site - they've got an archive of articles - failing that,
> get in touch with the editors.
>
> Wesley Parish
> > Besides, as soon as this is ready (why not before ?), I advise we
> > convert all documentation on the reactos.com's library (and all
> > further documentation) to the DocBook (SGML) format: it has the
> > advantage of being easily converted on-the-fly to pdf, html,
> > post-script and many others. A tool chain to convert it to .hlp will
> > however have to be created (meanwhile we can use the standard tools
> > for compiling .hlp files).
> >
> > (1) I'm referring to the developer mailing list
> > (2) http://www.geocities.com/mwinterhoff/helpfile.htm
> > _______________________________________________
> > Ros-dev mailing list
> > [e-mail]
> > http://reactos.com:8080/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev
>
> --
> Clinersterton beademung, with all of love - RIP James Blish
>
> Mau e ki, he aha te mea nui?
> You ask, what is the most important thing?
> Maku e ki, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
> I reply, it is people, it is people, it is people.