Configuring the Help system

[idog]

Hi,

I've downloaded the Help docs (HTML version), extracted them to a directory and set the IDE Options -> Help -> Help Options path to that directory. Since then, strange things happen when I click F1.

First I got to select the relevant help file from the "Help Selector" and view it. Excellent. Then I got a message "No help found for [path+filename] (line([YY],[XX])" for elements that should obviously be in the Help. Then the "Viewers" box in the IDE Options -> Help -> Help Options got cleared somehow,  and I get "Help Database "TRLUnits" did not found a viewer for a help page of type text/html" messages. I don't see any way to set a viewer manually.

So, in essence, my question is: How do I make the context-sensitive help work?

Thanks in advance,
Ido

[bluewolf]

Hi Ido,

I'm new to Lazarus but I have managed to install local help files (HTML version) in this way in Lazarus 0.9.28 :

- Download help file (HTML Version);
- Extract in a directory. You will have 3 subdir: fcl, lcl and rtl
- In IDE Environment -> Options -> Help Options:
- In Database section I have set BaseURL for RTLUnits, FCLUnits and LCLUnits to the corresponding subdir. I.e.:
  RTLUnits -> BaseURL = file://C:/download/Lazarus/docs/rtl
  FCLUnits -> BaseURL = file://C:/download/Lazarus/docs/fcl
  LCLUnits -> BaseURL = file://C:/download/Lazarus/docs/lcl

In this way local help is working. However I was not able to set local help in chm (using help file in chm format) and I was not able to understand the meaning of all other options in this Help Options window.

It would be nice is someone can tell us exactly what is the meaning and the use of all this options and how to use chm help file.

[idog]

Thanks Bluewolf, it does look better now that I set the BaseURLs as you said.
There should also be an Object Pascal language-reference help for beginners... just a thought 

[bluewolf]

Hi Idog,

I was able to discover something more regarding this topic.
I found how to install chm help files.

In Lazarus components directory there is one chmhelp directory. You can find a README.txt file which is explaining how to install despite the description has not been updated with the latest version of the IDE.

I have managed to install the help file using chm files. I have downloaded the documentation (CHM format) and tried.

It works but unfortunately some considerations:

The text is displayed in clear fuchsia except links and it is not very easy to read.
I tried to display help with Windows program but if I try to open one of the three chm files I got the message "Navigation to the webpage was canceled" on the right side of the page while on the left side I can see the tree structure.

So far I will still stick to HTML help files which look much better.

[idog]

I gave up the idea when you said it was Fuschia 

Well, actually I tried it just for sports, but there was an error when I recompiled Lazarus for the CHM help and it ended up still showing the HTML... so I stayed with it. Thanks.

[thierrybo]

Hi,

i follow carefully this thread because I am new to lazarus ans have some issues with html help.
You did not said if you use windows or linux? Actually I used both, and for Windows the html help works out of the box without downloading anything and open http://lazarus-ccr.sourceforge.net/docs.
Also Lazarus nicely ask to choose when different choices are possible. However with Ubuntu, F1 for the same 'Integer' does not work, but F1 on 'TForm' works !? Also I never saw a "choices selector window" on ubuntu.

[idog]

Hi Thierrybo,

Yes, I forgot to mention - I'm using only Windows. I have no idea what happens in other OSs.

[bluewolf]

Hi Thierrybo,

I'm also using Windows (Vista to be more specific).

I haven't installed it on Linux. I have only a VM with Ubuntu but I haven't installed Lazarus there.

You are right in saying that by default, without any configuration, documentation is open from the web site.
However it might happen that you are not connected or you have a slow connection. That's why I prefer to have documentation installed on my computer.

[eastorwest]

The text is displayed in clear fuchsia except links and it is not very easy to read.

If you want to correct color of the text with fuchsia on what should be (that is to correct this bug) enough only to change one line in a file " \lazarus\components\turbopower_ipro\ipcss.inc ".
In function ColorFromString (const sColor: String): TColor; it is necessary for you to replace line S: = UpperCase (S); on S: = Trim (UpperCase (S)); and rebuild LHelp.

[rockyredhead]

There is a 'Free Pascal Reference Guide' which I downloaded.  Its in PDF format
so you have to look things up in it.  Its dated 2007.
You could probably find it by googling.

I also use the kylix help which I installed as per instructions in the lazarus wiki.

This is on linux ubuntu.  I still have delphi and kylix from when I used
windows so I have the 'Delphi Object Pascal Language Guide' and the
'Delphi Language Reference'  Pdfs on my desktop which come in handy
along with the first PDF I mentioned above.

[marcov]

There is a 'Free Pascal Reference Guide' which I downloaded.  Its in PDF format
so you have to look things up in it.  Its dated 2007.
You could probably find it by googling.

Or you can simply download an up to date 2010 version from the FPC site?

I also use the CHMs a lot:

http://www.stack.nl/~marcov/doc-chm.zip

The unit chm work fine in Lazarus if you install the chm helppackage. (which comes with the lazarus distro, just have to install it)

[jhmos]

Actually my main issue with Lazarus is the lack of an offline Help system that is actually installed correctly when you install Lazarus from official install packages (ubuntu ones in my case). I even find it difficult to get the IDE help system working at all after installation, there being no help on how to set up Help in the IDE :-). I have to rely on the documentation/Help from Delphi and the pdfs (mainly rtl.pdf which is the only document which is reasonably complete, lcl documentation is fairly scant).
I really hope, in the next lazarus version at least, that help is set up by default on installation.

[picstart]

I agree. Why off line help is the least helpful part of Lazarus beats me. I use Delphi help for offline help. The on line help for Lazarus does work. Off line help for Lazarus could well be beyond help for the next year or so.