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(MM/DM) Help File

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bryan1

Well-Known Member
G'day Guy's,
Over the last few weeks I've been working on a help file so both new and experienced users can reference a help guide without the needing a PC when using the Maximite/Duinomite. At this stage I have done the command set and typing in the command one wants see will open a new page and close the main page so only 1 file is open to reduce the program used. when a user is finished reading the command by pressing 'escape' it will close the file and take you back to the main page.

In the next week I'll get the function set done and I2C,SPI etc as well so it will be a full help file system. As I learn MMBasic more I do want to make inter active pages so new comers can learn in real time to get them upto speed.

Today I have released what I have done so far and 76 individual .bas files are in the 'help' folder. Now all a user has to do is first unzip the folder then place it on the SD card. In order to get the help file open one will need to do :- CHDIR "help" then LOAD "help" followed by RUN "help". If one does type in a wrong command or it goes back to the prompt just type in RUN again and the page will come up then hit escape to get back to the main page.

This help file is totally open source so feel free to edit any page or include new pages but look at the source of some of the files and one will see a 3 line routine that must be included and be sure with the second line the line numbers are correct. The main pagewill need to be updated to include the new page and the command link must be 8 characters or less to work as that is the maximum allowed.

I have requested F1 and F2 be coded in the firmware to open and close the help file so at any time if a user needs help a simple F1 will open the file.

I have put a heap of hours in this week to get the command set finished so I can finally put out the code so it still needs a lot of work but the barebones are there straight out of the latest PDF manual.

Regards Bryan

P.S. 41Kb in notepad in 3 days has been a heap of typing..... Enjoy

View attachment help.zip
 
Bryan,
Thanks very much for doing this.

I'm not very far up the learning curve at the moment, so I need all the help I can get.

regards,
 
Last edited:
[DM] Help File System

G'day Guy's,
Hi Guy's,
Over the last week or so I have been testing out the new help file system with Ken's new firmware. Today I added a heap more to the file like SPI I2C etc.

The link to the new firmware for is at:-

**broken link removed**

and

**broken link removed**

Don will also host the 'help' file folder too and I'll let Don provide that link.


OK

So far there is 122 text files that I have written and on the main 'help' page is all the details for adding an option to invoke F1 to start the help file.

All one needs to do to start up a help is type help "whatever

Then the file will clear the screen and show, now a Ken suggested this text based system if one is working on a program and need's to look at a help file the program you are working on won't be shutdown so it does give a very handy reference.

All the data for this help file system was taken from the MM V2.7 manual and the current Olimex pdf manual. So many thanks to both parties for providing the base of this project.

Right now all of that is out of the way........

This Help File system is Totally Open Source so users are encouraged to add content and edit the text files if you think the page could look better. One thing I would like is code examples for each command so when either new or experienced users get stuck on a command they can have a quick reference then get back on track.

Also another great feature this new system can provide is a 'post it note' style system. Lets say you have a code snippet or something else you want to reference just make a text file and using the help "whatever... it will be shown.

I would for this thread to be a base for any new items to place in new help system and just attach a zip file of the whole new folder and the separate files that you have done so user's can decide if they want the new update.

Guy's this is my first project in the Duinomite and I thought well if it will be good for me then why shouldn't everyone have the benefit of it. After All the spirit of Open Source is alive with this whole Duinomite project so lets make this new help file even better so everybody has a great online reference when needed.

Regards Bryan

View attachment help.zip
 
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