Help Text Files

MAC-PAC stores help text information on two files:

·     HP110M - This file stores screen description information.

·     HP100M - This file stores the sequence numbers, help text, help text tags, extended help fields, and mod marks.

Screen Descriptions (HP110M)

This file contains one record for each application screen or glossary name.  The two fields on the record are the screen identifier and a 45-character screen description.  The screen number and description from this file are displayed when the corresponding help text is accessed online.  For an application screen, the identifier must be identical to the screen number.  For example, the Part Master Maintenance Function Select screen has the identifier DE100S01.  For a glossary definition, the identifier must be no more than 8 characters, the first two of which must be GY.  For example, the glossary text for ABC Classification is GYABC.

This file is maintained by selecting the Screen Description Maintenance option on the Help Facility Menu.  A record must exist on HP110M before you can enter text for the corresponding application screen or glossary.

Help Text (HP100M)

This file stores all help text for the MAC-PAC system. It is maintained by selecting the Help Text Maintenance option on the Help Facility Menu.  You maintain all help associated with one application screen or glossary at a time.  For example, you could access all of the help text associated with the DE100S01 screen at the same time and scroll through the various pages of text to locate a specific line to be modified. 

Each help text line is stored as a separate record within the HP100M file.  Within each screen, the lines are assigned unique sequence numbers to determine the order in which they are displayed.  Each line may also be associated with a help tag.  The help tag indicates which application screen field is associated with the text.  When help is requested from the application screen, the Help Text Facility will display all lines assigned to the help tag that corresponds to the cursor position.

Several additional fields are also stored on the HP100M file.  For information about these fields, refer to the detailed field descriptions for the Help Text Maintenance screen in the Screens section.

Because each help text line is stored as a separate record, lines must be entered and edited independently of each other; the Help Text Maintenance Facility does not provide word-wrap capabilities.

Modmarking

Modmarks are used in the Help Text File (HP100M) to indicate changes from one version to the next.  Modmarking helps clients who have modified the help text to update their customized text.  In addition, it is very valuable to clients who have translated the help text into another language; they only need to retranslate the changed sections.

MAC-PAC source code also uses modmarks.  However, the rules for help modmarks are slightly different.  These differences make it possible for clients who have not modified the help text to read the text exactly as it is released.

·     Modmarks are generally placed on the first line of a field description.  This line is highlighted and contains the field name.  A modmark in this line indicates that text somewhere in the following field description has changed.  You will need to read the entire description to determine what has changed from the prior version.  We have decided to modmark field descriptions rather than individual lines, since it is rare for a help text change to affect only a single line.  For example, the insertion of a single word could affect the line breaks in the remaining lines of the paragraph.  In addition, minor wording changes could affect the meaning of the entire description. 

·     In some rare instances, a help text change is so minor that it really does affect only one line.  In these cases, the individual line (rather than the field description) is marked. 

·     The codes used in the Modmark field indicate:

-     The first version when the change was released.  For example, a modmark beginning 638 was originally issued in PTF release 6.3.8.

-     The reason for the change.  Reason codes vary with each release.  However, they typically indicate whether the change corrects a defect in the documentation, enhances the documentation, or was caused by a functional enhancement to the software.  The reason codes for documentation modmarks are not as specific as those for application code, since users do not typically apply individual portions of the help text.