Help$

Help$("[*]topic[,filename]"[,mark])

The Help$ internal function displays a help screen. "Topic" is the name of the help topic to be displayed. The "filename" is optional. When a file name is not specified, the system uses the file named in the HLPDFLT specification in the BRConfig.sys file or with the CONFIG command; if HELPDFLT has not been coded and HELP$ is used without a file name, an error will occur.

If the topic name starts with an asterisk (*), the screen is not saved or restored by the help call. The asterisk has no affect on the search for the topic within the text.

"Mark" is an optional number that indicates which part of the topic text to display first. It correlates to a carat (^) character in the text. If mark is specified as 3, the text located after the third carat in the topic text will be displayed on the screen first, although the operator still will be able to review all text associated with the topic.

Comments and Examples

110 LET X$ = HELP$("HOURS.ENTRY",CURFLD)

Related Functions

• CURFLD

Technical Considerations

See Help Facility for information about preparing and using on-line help screens.