

(Extract from README.DOC)


The Helper v4.1 - Creating Help screens and hypertext files
============================================================

With The Helper you can create hypertext-like programs and help files
with the following features:

*  a "Help file" is created from an ASCII text file by compiling it
   into an interactive hypertext document. The compiled file can be
   used as an interactive information document where various topics
   can be selected using the arrow keys and a cursor bar, or it can
   become a controlling program in its own right, or a combination
   of both.

*  each Help file can have up to 254 categories of information, with
   up to 254 pages per category. Use PgUp and PgDn to page up and down
   within a category, or flip between pages and categories using
   highlighted cursor options;

*  backtrack through previously-selected categories;

*  animate the screens by using time-delay overlays;

*  search for text;

*  print some or all of the Help screens;

*  the window size and position can be individually set for each page,
   with full color control on each page;

*  create automatic slide shows from the Help screens;

*  auto-sensing of color or mono video cards, to set colors 
   accordingly (separate color sets can be specified for color or mono
   cards);

*  cursor actions can be programmed to execute specific DOS commands,
   or enter a DOS shell (these features let you create sophisticated
   menu programs, auto-installation routines, etc).

*  The Helper itself contains masses of help screens to guide you
   through all the features and aspects of the program while you
   develop your own applications.

*  several sample Help files are supplied to demonstrate most of the
   features of The Helper.

In addition, if you are adding the Help to your Turbo Pascal programs,
you can have:

*  entry from your program into any specific category of the Help file
   (for context-sensitive help) or automatic entry into the most
   recent category used;

*  exit and reentry for your own user-specific functions, which can be
   activated either by global "hot keys" or from a cursor bar within
   the document. These user functions could be anything from sounding
   the bell to running another application, returning to the 
   controlling Help file on completion.

Note that you do NOT require Turbo Pascal to use The Helper. However, 
if you are a Turbo Pascal programmer and you purchase the source code 
pack you can incorporate access to your compiled Help files directly 
into your programs. Several sample Turbo Pascal programs are supplied 
to demonstrate how easy it is to do this. In its simplest application 
only 2 or 3 lines of source code are required for full access to a 
Help file for your program, including all the features listed above.


REQUIREMENTS
=============
  Required:  IBM-PC or compatible. 512k RAM.
             Hard disk recommended but not required.


REGISTRATION
=============
Registration is US$69-00. Registered users receive the latest regis-
tered version with additional TSR versions, a printed manual, and
other products. An optional Turbo Pascal source code pack is available
for US$35.

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