Welcome to the HELP Command
How to use the HELP Command
How to write .HLP Files
Help on CP/M in general
:HELP: Welcome to the HELP Command
Welcom� t� th� HELРCommand�� Th� HELРComman� i� �
designe� t� assis� you�� th� CP/� user�� i� th� us� o� CP/� i� �
genera� an� specifi� CP/� command� i� particular�� I� i� �
designe� a� a� interactive� on-lin� assistanc� system.
HELР pull� i� file� name� <FILENAME>.HL� fro� dis� an� �
display� thes� t� th� use� i� � page� mode�� Thes� file� ar� �
o� tw� basi� type� -- indexe� an� non-indexed.
Indexe� file� ar� thos� .HL� file� whic� star� wit� a� �
index�� Thi� i� a� exampl� o� a� indexe� file�� Whe� HEL� �
load� a� indexe� file�� i� display� thi� inde� t� th� use� an� �
allow� hi� t� selec� entrie� fro� it�� Th� use� ma� selec� a� �
man�� entrie� a� h� desire� i� an� orde� h� desire� b�� simpl� �
typin� th� lette� o� hi� selection�� Onc� th� use� ha� mad� �
hi� selection�� hel� wil� loo� u� th� bod� o� tex� h� selecte� �
an� displa�� i� t� hi� i� � page� mode�� Whe� th� use� ha� �
finishe� readin� hi� selection�� HEL� the� return� hi� t� th� �
inde� menu� Typin� � Control-� wil� retur� th� use� t� CP/M.
Non-indexe� file� ar� thos� .HL� file� whic� d� no� star� �
wit� a� index�� I� suc� cases�� HEL� wil� immediatel� displa� �
th� content� o� th� fil� t� th� use� and�� whe� th� use� ha� �
finishe� lookin� a� it� HEL� wil� retur� t� CP/M.
HELРi� menu-driven�� an� al� th� command� availabl� t� �
th� use� a� an� give� tim� ar� displaye� t� him�
HELР ca� b� � ver� usefu� too� fo� on-lin� referenc� t� �
th� user�� It�� i� conjunctio� wit� th� man� HL� file� no� �
available� ha� alread� prove� t� b� o� significan� value.
:HELP: How to use the HELP Command
Th� HEL� Comman� i� execute� i� on� o� thre� ways:
(1) by just typing 'HELP'
(2) by typing 'HELP FILENAME', where FILENAME
is the name of a disk file named FILENAME.HLP
(3) by typing 'HELP FILENAME.EXT', where
FILENAME.EXT is the name of a file created in
the format of a help file
I� th� use� type� jus� 'HELP'�� h� wil� receiv� th� �
QUICK.HL� hel� file�� Fo� al� othe� form� o� th� HEL� command� �
th� use� wil� se� th� specifie� hel� fil� information� �
Generall�� speaking�� th� nam� o� th� hel� fil� shoul� b� �
indicativ� o� it� subject�� i.e�� CPM.HL� shoul� contai� hel� �
informatio� o� CP/M.
�
:HELP: How to write .HLP files
File� use� b� th� HEL� progra� ar� eithe� simpl� CP/M-�
standar� file� o� ASCI� tex� o� ASCI� file� generate� b�� th� �
WordSta� tex� editor/formatter�� Thes� files�� a� mentione� �
above�� ar� o� tw� basi� types�� indexe� an� non-indexed�� an� �
eac� typ� i� relate� t� th� othe� an� i� o� th� sam� basi� �
format.
Grouping of Information
Informatio� displaye� t� th� use� i� groupe� b� th� inde� �
i� indexe� HLРfile� an� ma�� als� b� groupe� b�� line� �
beginnin� wit� For� Fee� (^L� characters�� Groupin� i� a� �
effectiv� wa�� t� logicall�� organiz� informatio� s� tha� �
meanin砠 wil� b� mor� clea� t� th� use� an� unit� o� �
informatio� wil� no� pas� betwee� scree� displays.
Non-Indexed .HLP Files
Non-indexe� .HL� file� ar� simpl� ASCI� file� whic� star� �
wit� � colo� (:� a� th� firs� characte� o� th� fil� an� �
consis� o� ASCI� tex� (wit� eac� lin� terminate� b� � carriag� �
return/lin� fee� characte� combination)�� Th� informatio� i� �
suc� � hel� fil� consist� o� al� tex� afte� th� leadin� colo� �
u� t� eithe� th� terminatin� end-of-fil� mar� (control-Z� o� � �
ne� lin� whic� start� wit� � colon.
Indexed .HLP Files
Indexe� .HLР file� ar� simpl� ASCI� file� whic� d� no� �
star� wit� � colo� (:� a� th� firs� characte� o� th� file� �
Thi� typ� o� .HL� fil� consist� o� on� o� mor� norma� ASCI� �
tex� line� a� th� firs� line� o� th� fil� followe� b� �
informatio� section� whic� begi� wit� � lin� whos� firs� �
characte� i� � colo� an� en� wit� eithe� th� firs� lin� o� th� �
nex� informatio� sectio� o� th� en� o� th� file.
:HELP: General Information on CP/M
CP/͠ i� � monito� contro� progra� fo� microcompute� �
syste� developmen� whic� use� IBM-compatibl� flexibl� disk� �
(flopp�� disks�� fo� mas� storage�� Usin� � microcompute� �
mainfram� base� o� Intel'� 808� o� Zilog'� Z8� microprocessor� �
CP/͠ provide� � genera� environmen� fo� progra� construction� �
storage�� an� editing�� alon� wit� assembl� an� progra� debu� �
facilities�� A� importan� featur� o� CP/� i� tha� i� ca� b� �
easil�� altere� t� execut� wit� an�� compute� configuratio� �
whic� use� a� Inte� 808� o� Zilo� Z8� Microprocesso� an� ha� �
a� leas� 16ˠ byte� o� mai� memor� wit� u� t� fou� IBM-�
compatabl� diskett� drives.
Th� CP/� monito� provide� acces� t� program� throug� � �
comprehensiv� fil� managemen� system�� Th� fil� subsyste� �
support� � name� fil� structure�� allowin� dynami� allocatio� �
o� fil� spac� a� wel� a� sequentia� an� rando� fil� access� �
Usin� thi� fil� system�� � larg� numbe� o� distinc� program� �
ca� b� store� i� bot� sourc� an� machine-executabl� form.
Digita� Research�� th� designe� o� CP/M�� ha� provide� � �
se� o� si� manual� whic� describ� th� us� an� operatio� o� �
CP/� i� detail.
These manuals are:
1� A� Introductio� t� CP/� Feature� an� Facilities�
2. ED: A Context Editor for the CP/M Disk System
3. ASM: CP/M Assembler User's Manual
4� DDT� CP/� Dynami� Debuggin� Too� User'� Manual
5. CP/M Interface Guide
6. CP/M System Alteration Guide
A� th� reade� ca� see� CP/� support� � contex� editor� a� �
assemble� (Intel-compatable)�� an� � debugge� system�� Thes� �
ar� availabl� i� th� basi� CP/� package�� Ther� i� � larg� �
variet�� o� othe� softwar� availabl� whic� ca� ru� unde� CP/� �
wit� littl� o� n� modification�� Suc� softwar� include� �
severa� assembler� (bot� 808� an� Z80)�� � symboli� debugger� �
severa� high-leve� language� (includin� FORTRA� I� {compiler}� �
CBASI� {translator}�� man� interpretiv� BASICs�� ALGOL� FOCAL� �
an� C)�� an� severa� special-purpos� application� program� �
(suc� a� tex� formattin� system� an� accountin� systems).