Help Subroutines

int name_help(int index)

set_name_help(int index, int offset)

get_doc()               /* help.e */

Every item in Epsilon's name table has an associated help file offset. The help offset contains the position in Epsilon's help file "edoc" where information on an item is stored. Epsilon uses it to provide quick access to help file items. It is initially -1, and may be set with the set_name_help( ) primitive and examined with the name_help( ) primitive. (The Windows version of Epsilon normally uses a standard Windows help file to display help, so it doesn't use these help file offsets.)

When an EEL function wants to look up information in the help file, it calls the EEL subroutine get_doc( ). This function loads the help file into the buffer "-edoc" if it hasn't been loaded before.

Epsilon's help file "edoc" uses a simple format that makes it easy to add new entries for your own commands. Each command's description begins with a line consisting of a tilde (~), the command or variable's name, a <Tab>, and the command's one-line description (or, for a variable, some type information). Following lines (until the next line that starts with ~, or the end of the file) constitute the command's full description. The entries can occur in any order; they don't have to be listed alphabetically.

An entry can contain a cross-reference link to another entry in the file; these consist of the name of the command or variable being cross-referenced, bracketed by two control characters. Put a ^A character before the name of the command or variable, and a ^B character after. Also see the description of the view_linked_buf( ) subroutine in Pop-up Window Subroutines.

help_on_command(int ind) /* help.e */ help_on_current() /* help.e */
The help_on_command( ) subroutine provides help on a particular command. It takes the name table index of the command to provide help on.

The help_on_current( ) subroutine displays help on the currently-running command. It uses the last_index variable to determine the current command.

show_binding(char *fmt, char *cmd) /* help.e */
The show_binding( ) subroutine displays the message fmt using the say( ) primitive. The fmt must contain the %s sequence (and no other % sequences). Epsilon will replace the %s with the binding of the command cmd. For example,

show_binding("Type %s to continue", "exit-level");
displays "Type Ctrl-x Ctrl-z to continue" with Epsilon's normal bindings.

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