AstroHelp
A tool for creating Windows Help in Microsoft Word 6.x/7.x

AstroHelp is no longer to be developed: here is the final release. I have no plans of releasing any new versions that would work under WinWord 97. AstroHelp from now becomes freeware and is distributed with full source code.

AstroHelp features (here is the Russian version of this text)

The main idea of AstroHelp is to speed-up work with Help-specific elements (footnotes and jumps). No additional concepts are introduced, but the existing ones are made more accessible and convenient.

Help-development system should meet certain requirements, to remain at least usable. Here is the minimal set:

• for common operations, one or two keystrokes must suffice, not a dozen;
• there must be no need to recall a context footnote name: a list of contexts to select from must be provided, or an opportunity to convert a footnote directly into the jump;
• compile and run Help with one click;
• create titles and browse sequences automatically or manually;
• follow jump and return back; get list of topics in a moment.

Besides these, AstroHelp also provides the following:

• an elaborate approach to document design;
• macros for generating local and global Tables Of Contents;
• automated correction of text-formatting errors;
• macros for converting documents from printable to on-line form;
• a universal and powerful tool for creating various footnotes.

Screen snapshot Download! (166k) WinHelp: tips & tricks

Victor Sapojnikov * August 5, 1997