◄Up► ◄Contents► ◄Index► ◄Back► ─────HELPMAKE Concepts────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Each time you "encode" a help source file, you create a single help file containing a single help database. Help files can be concatenated; a single help file may contain several help databases. See: ◄Concatenating Help Databases► You create a help database by processing help source files with HELPMAKE. ■ Your source file is divided into sections of text called "topics." The application using the help database displays one topic at a time. See: ◄Topics► ■ Each topic has one or more labels associated with it. These labels are called "context strings." Context strings allow you to move from one section of the help database to another. See: ◄Context Strings► ■ You can define "explicit" links ("hot spots") in one section of text that link to another section of text. A link destination can be in the same help database, another help database, or an ASCII text file. See: ◄Links► ■ You can set up "implicit" links (automatic links). The context string for an implicit link is a keyword. Wherever a user encounters that keyword in the database, the user can request help on the keyword. Help displays the section of text associated with the keyword. See: ◄Links► ■ You can use formatting flags to set character attributes for boldface, underlining, and italics. Formatting flags are also used to define hot spots on the screen and to hide the text used to give link destinations. See: ◄Formatting Flags► ■ You can use application control codes to affect the way help is displayed. For example, you can use these codes to define a title for the screen or to change the number of lines displayed when help is requested. See: ◄Control Codes► -♦-