Maintain Predict Help Texts

Predict online help texts can be changed with this function. Help texts are edited with a Natural-based editor. See the section Editors in Predict in the Predict Reference documentation.

Each Predict function has a corresponding help text. This help text explains what a function does and how it is used. An online help text is displayed by entering a question mark (?) in the first input field of a function.

The Maintain help texts screen is displayed with code H in the Special Functions menu or with the command SPECIAL HELP.

    13:09:29              *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
    Plan  10                  - Maintenance help texts -
   
   
                        Function
   
                        D  Display help text
                        M  Modify help text
                        S  Select help text from a list
   
    Code ..............
   
   
    Natural program-name (help text) .. H-
    Natural library ................... SYSDIC
    Natural program-type .............. T (Text)
    Natural system file number ........ 54
    Natural system database number .... 180
   
   
    Command ===>
    Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
          Help  Next  Stop  Last  LnkEl Flip  Print Impl  AdmFi SelFi Prof  Main
  

This section covers the following topics:

• Functions

• Creating a Help Text

• Intensifying Text

• Using Topic Lists

• Protecting User Help Texts

Functions

Display help text - Code D

Display a Predict help text as it appears online. Highlighted text which is marked intensified is displayed intensified.

Modify help text - Code M

Invokes the Predict help text editor, a Natural-based editor, which comprises standard editor functions and some features specifically designed for editing help texts. See the section Editors in Predict in the Predict Reference documentation. Help text specific functions are described below:

FORMAT

Blanks are inserted between words to make text right and left-justified

UNFORMAT

Additional blanks between words are removed to make text left-justified only.

Select help text from a list - Code S

Displays a list of all help texts available for selection. Mark the required help text with any non-blank character and press enter. The name of this help text appears at Natural program name (help text) in the Maintenance help texts Menu.

Creating a Help Text

To add a new help text, enter the command SAVE with the new name as parameter; or add the help text via Natural directly (object type must be TEXT). Use Natural commands for purging a help text.

Intensifying Text

If part of a help text line (for example, a word) is to be displayed intensified, enclose that part in a hash sign (#) and a 'paragraph' sign (§) as used on German keyboards.

Using Topic Lists

To use topics as search criteria, each line which is to be used as a topic must contain ">>" in its first four columns and "<<" in its last two columns. The corresponding line in which the information pertaining to this topic starts must be enclosed in both a hash sign (#) and a paragraph sign (§) as used on German keyboards.

Protecting User Help Texts

During an INPL for any new version or SM of Predict, all standard Predict help texts are overwritten with new texts from the tape. Changes made to standard Predict help texts since the last INPL are then lost.

The following method is used to protect user-defined help texts:

• User-defined help texts and standard Predict help texts are stored in help members with identical names but different prefixes: Member names for user-defined help texts have the prefix T-, whereas the names of standard Predict help texts have prefix H-. For example: H-MNTFI is name of the standard Predict help text to be displayed for the File Maintenance menu. A user-defined help text for this menu must be stored in a member T-MNTFI.

  The names of standard help texts for user-defined entities always start with H-#, for example H-#MNT for a maintenance help text.

• Whenever help information is requested, Predict looks for an appropriate T-name text. If no T-name text is available, the H-name text is displayed.

To prevent changes to help texts being overwritten, modify a standard Predict help text as required and then save the help text with the prefix T-.