
 A HELP file is a text file with up to nine  levels  of  nesting.   The
 format  is  much  the  same  as  a  conventional  outline,  i.e topic,
 subtopic, subsubtopic, etc.

 You can put all HELP text in a single file, but for faster  processing
 on  larger  HELP  files,  you  will  probably  want  to  use  indirect
 referencing.  This is explained further below.  The  first  (or  only)
 HELP  file accessed is called the root file.  

 Since the HELP processor keys off the characters in the first column, this
 file has a comment character ( ! ) in the first column of many lines.  This 
 is so this example can be included in the HELP files without confusing the 
 HELP processor.  Omit comment lines from your HELP files.

 Here is an example of a HELP file:

 BLANK OR NOT LINE ONE OF ROOT FILE IS IGNORED. USE FOR LABELLING.
	Here is the text displayed by typing HELP without parameters.  The 
	first line is never displayed and can be left blank or used for 
	labeling.  Introductory information on the further use of the 
	HELP file usually appears here.  For better appearance, the 
	first character in each line is usually a tab or blank, but there 
	is no technical requirement that you do this.  The HELP 
	processor ignores any first character except the numerals 1 
	through 9 and the symbols @ and #.  It is good practice to 
	limit text to about 20 lines so that the display text can be 
	displayed on a video terminal without scrolling and with room 
	left to enter a command without losing HELP text.  Text at 
	each level should refer to all HELP available at the next 
	level.
 
	Further HELP is available.  Type
 
		HELP FIRST-LEVEL1	HELP SECOND-LEVEL1
 
		HELP INDIRECT		HELP SYNONYMS
 
		HELP PURPLE

!1 FIRST-LEVEL1
	This is the first level-1 HELP text.  The first line of this 
	text must begin with the numeral 1.  This is the text 
	displayed if you type 
 
		>HELP FIRST-LEVEL1
 
	The parameter must be all uppercase characters (CAPITALS).  It 
	is not necessary to type the full text of the parameter to 
	display the text, but you must type enough of it to 
	distinguish the parameter from all other parameters at the 
	same level.  In this example, typing
 
		>HELP FIRST
 
	would be enough.  The parameter must be separated from the level 
	number by one or more blanks or tabs.  The parameter itself 
	cannot include any blanks or tabs, but phrases can be tied 
	together with hyphens or underscore characters.  If you do 
	this, make it clear in your references to that level.
 
	Further HELP is available.  Type 
 
		HELP FIRST-LEVEL1 FIRST-LEVEL2
 
!2 FIRST-LEVEL2
	This is the text displayed if you type HELP FIRST FIRST.  This 
	is the first level-2 HELP text.
 
!1 SECOND-LEVEL1
	This is the text displayed if you type HELP SECOND.  This is 
	the second level-1 HELP text.
 
	Further HELP is available.  Type
 
		HELP SECOND-LEVEL1 SECOND-LEVEL2
 
!2 SECOND-LEVEL2
	This is the text displayed if you type HELP SECOND SECOND.  
	This is the second level-2 HELP text.
 
!1 INDIRECT
	HELP files can also include indirect references to other HELP 
	text.  These indirect references greatly decrease search time, 
	because once the HELP processor sees the indirect reference, 
	the root file (this file) is left behind.  The filespec can be 
	any legal filespec.  The default file type is .HLP.  If you 
	use a file type other than .HLP, that type becomes the default 
	file type for that session of HELP.  
 
	The file referenced in this manner has the same format as 
	other HELP files, except that if the indirect file contains 
	level numbers, these must be greater than the level number in 
	the root file.  For instance, if the root file contains the 
	lines
 
!		1 INSTANCE
!		@INSTANCE
 
	then INSTANCE.HLP can contain only level numbers 2 through 9.
 
	Further HELP is available.  See
 
		HELP INDIRECT EXAMPLE
 
!2 EXAMPLE
!@EXAMPLE.TXT
 
!1 SYNONYMS
	HELP also permits cross-references between two or more similar 
	or synonymous parameters.  The format for synonyms appears 
	below.  You can greatly assist the user by trying to imagine 
	what might be typed in seeking particular HELP text and 
	including the most likely possibilities as synonyms.  
 
	The synonyms must all precede the main entry to which they 
	refer,  The main entry and all synonym entries must have the 
	same level number.
 
!1 MAUVE
!#PURPLE
   .
   .
   .
!1 MAGENTA
!#PURPLE
   .
   .
   .
!1 PURPLE
	Color of a hue between blue and red.  Shades of purple include 
	mauve, violet, plum, lilac, puce, amethyst, and magenta.
 
	This is the end of the example HELP file.


