Directives
SYSTEM_HELP Invoke Windows Help
   
Format
1. Invoke Standard Help: SYSTEM_HELP help_path$[,help_key$][,ERR=stmtref]
2. Invoke Application Help: SYSTEM_HELP " 'help_msg","", ctl_id [,ERR=stmtref]
3. Open file based on type: SYSTEM_HELP { PRINT | EDIT | OPEN } [ WAIT ] file_path$ [,ERR=stmtref]

Where:

ctl_id Unique logical identifier for object. Numeric expression. Use integers, range: -32000 to +32000. Avoid integers that conflict with keyboard definitions (e.g., using 4 can cancel CTL=4 for the F4 key).
help_key$ Key to start with in the help file. This string expression must exactly match an entry unless the first character is:
   ?  to denote a partial key
   #  to denote that the key is the help index.
help_path$ Pathname of the help file. If "*" then the standard PxPlus EXE help file will be used. Maximum string size 8kb.
'help_msg Application supplied message text, prefixed with an apostrophe.
file_path$ Pathname of the file that you want the system to Open using its default OPEN, PRINT, or EDIT logic. This is the same as opening the file from the Operating system Shell/Explorer.
stmtref Program line number or statement label to which to transfer control.
*Note* This directive only functions in Windows or with the WindX terminal driver. When using WindX, the help file must be resident on, or directly accessible to, the remote workstation. If used on a text mode terminal, the system will call *text/sys_help (or *text/sys_print for PRINT and *text/sys_edit for EDIT) to handle the request.
   
Description Use the SYSTEM_HELP directive to invoke standard or application-supplied Help.
   
Format 1 Invoke Standard Help

SYSTEM_HELP help_path$[,help_key$][,ERR=stmtref]

Use this format to invoke the standard Windows Help system and CHM-based Help files. Help files must be created in accordance with the Windows standard.

Indicate the key to start with in the Help index. (Optional.) If a partial key (?) is used, the Help subsystem tries to find the entry in the Help index that most closely matches it. If the first character is a # then the key is considered the Help index for the file.

If it is neither ? nor #, the key must be an exact match for an entry in the Help index.

Example:

1000 INPUT "Enter customer ID:",C$
1010 IF CTL=1 THEN SYSTEM_HELP "OENTRY.HLP","Client"; GOTO 1000

SYSTEM_HELP allows you to use files other than those with a .HLP extension. ProvideX passes these directly to the Windows Shell command for processing, allowing Windows to apply normal file associations to automatically launch the appropriate application.

Preface the second argument with a #and append it to the first argument for URL handling; e.g., SYSTEM_HELP"http://www.pvx.com/support.htm","mymark" would be http://www.pvx.com/support.htm#mymark.

 
Passing this to SYSTEM_HELP will automatically launch the default browser (if any) and jump to the web page requested.

   
Format 2 Invoke Application-Supplied Help

SYSTEM_HELP " 'help_msg","", ctl_id [,ERR=stmtref]

If this format is used, the text following the single quote in the Help message is displayed in a popup Help box; e.g.,

SYSTEM_HELP "’Press Me","",10

   
Format 3 Operating system Open/Print/Edit of file
          The PRINT and EDIT options are +PxPlus Exclusive

SYSTEM_HELP { OPEN | PRINT | EDIT } [ WAIT] file_path$ [,ERR=stmtref]

This directive can be used to request that the operating system open the file based on the file suffix. For example, if you want to print a document you could issue:

SYSTEM_HELP PRINT "c:\docs\My Resume.doc"

If no option (OPEN/PRINT/EDIT) is specified, the system will use OPEN by default.

If the WAIT option is specified it must be the final option and will cause PxPlus to wait until the completion of and process initiated by the SYSTEM_HELP command.