Welcome to Customizing NetHelp2

This guide shows authors how to modify the NetHelp2 user interface. As you create NetHelp2 systems you may decide to change the color scheme to match your product, or replace the standard buttons with your own set. This guide explains the NetHelp2 implementation files and shows you where to find the "code" to customize the look and feel of the NetHelp2 user interface.

We begin by showing you some strategies for using this guide. We then give you an overview of the NetHelp2 window by comparing the window end users see with the window authors create. Finally, we chart all the NetHelp2 files that control interface elements and show you the code within those files.


Using this Customizing Guide

The best way to use this guide is to take advantage of NetHelp's indexing. Imagine that you want to change the background color. Click the index icon to switch to the index view of the help system. Type the word background into the "Look for" field and then click on the background color topic. The help system gives you a list of all files that contain code for modifying the background color.

Another way to use this guide is to simply read through the chart of NetHelp2 files and their corresponding interface elements.

Clicking on a file name spawns a new Navigator window. This new window shows you where interface settings appear in the file. We've included the approximate line number for each line of code and we've used red to indicate settings you can modify.


What the End User Sees

The NetHelp window is divided into regions called panes which are visible to end users. There is, however, much more to this frameset than meets the eye.

What the Author Sees

This is the underlying frame set. End users should never see all of these frames, and you will only discover them if you decide to customize your help system. Keep in mind that all of these frames are necessary and they cannot be deleted.


NetHelp Interface Elements

This chart lists each NetHelp2 file and the interface elements it controls. Click on a file name to view the code.
File UI Elements
NSHIfrm.htm Controls the window: 
  • frame set
  • scrolling
  • resizing
  • borders
  • margins
  • Help.hpf Controls the window: 
  • size overall
  • System.htm Controls the system frame: 
  • background color
  • System.js Controls the tool frame: 
  • background color
  • ToolUI.htm Controls the tool button labels: 
  • background color
  • font family
  • font size
  • font weight
  • font color
  • text
  • orientation
  • CntTool.htm Controls the table of contents entries: 
  • margins
  • CntTool.js Controls the table of contents: 
  • section text
  • subsection text
  • current subsection text
  • font family
  • font size
  • font weight
  • font color
  • space before
  • space after
  • link colors
  • IdxFill.htm Controls the index: 
  • background color
  • font family
  • font size
  • font weight
  • font color
  • space before
  • space after
  • look for: field
  • IdxKey.htm Controls the index: 
  • background color
  • font family
  • font size
  • font weight
  • font color
  • space before
  • space after
  • link colors
  • IdxTopic.htm Controls the list resulting from index keyword: 
  • background color
  • font family
  • font size
  • font weight
  • font color
  • space before
  • space after
  • link colors
  • IdxTool.htm Controls the index: 
  • margins
  • NavUI.htm Controls the button bar: 
  • background color
  • alignment
  • spacing
  • Status.htm Controls the status bar: 
  • background color
  • alignment
  • xxxxxHdr.htm Controls the header: 
  • content
  • NSHIfrm.htm

    This file controls the window frame set, scrolling, resizing, margins, and borders.

    Click to view the NSHIfrm.htm code.

    Help.hpf

    This file controls the overall window size. There is a Help.hpf file in each section directory. The window size may be set by hand, or with the Builder.

    Click to view the Help.hpf code.

    System.htm

    This file controls the system frame background color.

    Click to view the System.htm code.

    System.js

    This file controls the tool frame background color.

    Click to view the System.js code.

    ToolUI.htm

    This file controls the tool button labels, background, spacing.

    Click to view the ToolUI.htm code.

    CntTool.htm

    This file controls the table of contents margins.

    Click to view the CntTool.htm code.

    CntTool.js

    This file controls the table of contents section, subsection, and current section text, spacing, and link colors.

    Click to view the CntTool.js code.

    IdxFill.htm

    This file controls the index keywords and look for: field.

    Click to view the IdxFill.htm code.

    IdxKey.htm

    This file controls the index keyword text attributes, spacing, link and background color.

    Click to view the IdxKey.htm code.

    IdxTopic.htm

    This file controls the list resulting from index keywords' text attributes, spacing, link, and background color.

    Click to view the IdxTopic.htm code.

    IdxTool.htm

    This file controls the index margins.

    Click to view the IdxTool.htm code.

    NavUI.htm

    This file controls the button bar background color, alignment, and spacing.

    Click to view the NavUI.htm code.

    Status.htm

    This file controls the status bar background color.

    Click to view the Status.htm code.

    xxxxxHdr.htm

    This file controls the overall window size. There is a xxxxxHdr.htm file in each section directory.

    Click to view the xxxxxHdr.htm code.


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