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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Help files and how best to use them

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electricat

Senior Member

Joined: 30/11/2020
Location: Lithuania
Posts: 288
Posted: 12:46pm 21 Apr 2025
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For any furthurer discusions (and sharing), this was moved from RC thread.

  matherp said  Please could you start a new thread for discussing Help files and how best to use the new (fixed) functionality


  matherp said  V6.00.02RC16 is available on

https://geoffg.net/Downloads/picomite/PicoMite_Beta.zip

Implements HELP [search_pattern$] command. See above.

HELP without a parameter just outputs the text:
"Enter help and the name of the command or function
Use * for multicharacter wildcard or ? for single character wildcard"

This looks for a file on the A: drive named "help.txt"
This must be formatted as follows:
~searchable_string
text line - recommend this is the command syntax e.g. COLOUR fore [, back]
text line
....
text line
~next_searchable_string
text line
....
etc.

There can be one or many text lines for each searchable_string. It is highly recommended that text lines do not exceed 80 characters in length

in the "search_pattern" use * for multicharacter wildcard or ? for single character wildcard

The command will output all sections (between the matching searchable string and the next searchable string) where the search_pattern matches the searchable_string


help.txt templates

Only commands

  electricat said  Some errors corrected
Added better PEEK, POKE, FORMAT$ explanationes etc
(Changes may be seen with any text comparing tool)

Anyone wishes test it, can download help.txt here
help.txt.zip

I think it has now all universal notes for public use. And All other help notes would be by personal 'taste' to add .


Commands and functions with full desriptions.

  electricat said  
There is trade off.
Not that big ~390-430 Kb file to start with, but only commands and functions left.

full_Commands_and_Functions-full-_no_separators_help.zip

full_Commands_and_Functions-full-help.zip


Edited 2025-04-21 22:47 by electricat
My MMBasic 'sand box'
 
electricat

Senior Member

Joined: 30/11/2020
Location: Lithuania
Posts: 288
Posted: 08:53am 24 Apr 2025
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  matherp said  I've change the filespec slightly. Filename is "help.txt" - lowercase. Everything should be on different lines.

  Quote  
~COLOUR
COLOUR fore [, back]
Sets the default colour for commands (PRINT, etc)
that display on the on the attached LCD panel.
'fore' is the foreground colour, 'back' is the background colour.
The background is optional and if not specified will default to black.
~COLOUR MAP
COLOUR MAP inarray%(),outarray%() [,colourmap%()]
This command generates RGB888 colours in outarray% from colour codes (0-15)


- I made help.txt files accordingly.
- I found also, I missed and not added in previous uploads
TRIANGLE SAVE / RESTORE
- Added text files as in official help manual (no pictures, tried use ASCII if possible). Means , now there is almost full official help  +3D commands from CMM2
- Tried to remove unnecessary duplicatings
- Moved important BETA notes to external file. All beta changes can be listed in one go, entering '*' as keywoard.
> HELP ***
Sure I might be missed something. Tried to follow and documenting beta thread at my best.

So now, there is three groups of files inside archive.
-Beta changes (long only/verbose)
-commands and functions only (long/verbose and short)
-full help as per official manual (long/verbose and short)

Short versions still contains explanations near commands I felt might be important/hard to rememeber.


Help_system_Picomites.zip


If you see any bad problems needed to fix, please post. I will fix at free time.

P.S. Personally I use different format of this help.
~ COMM/FN (or TOPIC or OPT or MM) ; args ; optionals ; theme_keyword(s) ; *  
I believe it`s more friendly for new users.

  ville56 said  
I had problems with your file "long__nosep_official_help.txt" as there are lots of NUL chars in it. Had to remove them all, now it is usable. Didn't check the other files, but they may have the same problem.


I updated files, should be OK now
Edited 2025-04-25 02:10 by electricat
My MMBasic 'sand box'
 
electricat

Senior Member

Joined: 30/11/2020
Location: Lithuania
Posts: 288
Posted: 07:25pm 24 Apr 2025
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Dirty and simple three help.txt files switcher.
Copy choosen help files to -> A:
Rename them -> long_help.txt ; short_help.txt ; beta_help.txt
Add -> OPTION F6 "sw_help"+chr$(13)
Code below  -> LIBRARY SAVE


Sub sw_help
sw_cdrw$=MM.Info(DRIVE)
sw_cdir$=Cwd$
Drive "A:"
Chdir "A:"
sw_long_h=MM.Info(exists file "long_help.txt")
sw_short_h=MM.Info(exists file "short_help.txt")
sw_beta_h=MM.Info(exists file "beta_help.txt")

If sw_long_h= 1 And  sw_short_h=1 Then
Rename "help.txt" As "beta_help.txt"
Rename "short_help.txt" As "help.txt"
Print "SHORT HELP version online"
End If
If sw_long_h= 1 And  sw_beta_h=1 Then
Rename "help.txt" As "short_help.txt"
Rename "long_help.txt" As "help.txt"
Print "LONG HELP version online"
End If
If sw_short_h= 1 And  sw_beta_h=1 Then
Rename "help.txt" As "long_help.txt"
Rename "beta_help.txt" As "help.txt"
Print "BETA HELP version online"
End If
Drive sw_cdrw$
Chdir sw_cdir$
End Sub
My MMBasic 'sand box'
 
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