NAME

help_open − use help_viewer to open a file

SYNOPSIS

help_open [ −a ] [ filename [ page_number ] ]

AVAILABILITY

Available only on Sun 386i systems running a SunOS 4.0.x release or earlier.  Not a SunOS 4.1 release feature. 

DESCRIPTION

help_open is used to cause a running help_viewer(1) to open a file.  filename is typically the name of a help_viewer file.  A call is made to help_viewer using the same RPC mechanism as is used by Spot Help. 

If filename is relative, help_viewer looks for it relative to the default help directory (as defined in the user’s .defaults database).  Otherwise, help_viewer treats filename as an absolute pathname. 

If the RPC call to help_viewer fails, help_open attempts to spawn help_viewer, with filename as a command line argument.  If the −a command line option was given, then filename is first converted to an absolute pathname, as described in OPTIONS, below. 

OPTIONS

−a Convert filename to an absolute pathname.  This option causes help_open to get the current working directory and append it to the front of filename (thus creating an absolute pathname) before passing filename on to help_viewer.  This allows help_open to be used with other processes, such as Sun Organizer (see organizer(1)), which deal in relative pathnames.  The −a option has no effect if filename begins with the character ’/’. 

EXAMPLES

In the first example, help_viewer opens the file help/Help_Basics.  This file is located relative to the default help directory (as defined in the user’s .defaults database).  If the default help directory is set to /vol/help/language/USA-English, this is /vol/help/language/USA-English/help/Help_Basics. 

example% help_open help/Help_Basics
example%

The second example is the same as the first, but it opens Help_Basics to page 3. 

example% help_open “help/Help_Basics 3”
example%

In the next example, help_viewer opens somefile using the absolute pathname, /home/mtravis/somefile. 

example% help_open /home/mtravis/somefile
example%

In the last example, help_viewer opens /home/ahinkle/anotherfile. 

example% cd /home/ahinkle
example% help_open −a anotherfile
example%

FILES

/usr/lib/help/∗

SEE ALSO

help_viewer(1), organizer(1), help(5), help_viewer(5)

Sun386i User’s Guide
Sun386i Developer’s Guide

Sun Release 4.1  —  Last change: 21 January 1990