Installation/Settings > INI and the Help System

AbsoluteSQL configuration

The AbsoluteSQL may optionally be configured as desired via the associated INI-file AbsoluteSQL.ini.
The INI being a plain text file bearing the .ini file name extension is auto-created as necessary, but may be modified by the user if desired.

The two distinct help modules

The AbsoluteSQL provides two separate help modules:

•the AbsoluteSQL Help - the application manual proper

•the Absolute SQL Reference manual

This implies that the two modules may be configured independently, and that for example the SQL Reference may be independently edited or relocated, if you for example like to develop an SQL reference with more examples of specific relevance.

Help module location

Each of the help modules may be located either locally on a hard-drive/removable device or remotely on an internet server.
The help system is designed to use MS HTML Help (.chm Help) locally or WebHelp on an internet server.

WebHelp is a design using a collection of plain HTML files integrated through the use of CSS and JavaScript into a dynamic book like entity.

Neither the HTML Help nor the WebHelp is designed to be located on a local file server (LAN), though the WebHelp may be partially functional locally or on a file server (TOC will display static unfolded).

If you decide to place the AbsoluteSQL application on a file server, you are recommended directing the help calls to internet located WebHelp as needed.

Specifying Help system selection via INI-file

The help system preferences are specified via the INI-file AbsoluteSQL.ini like this:

;*************************************************

;* Initialization (INI-)file for AbsoluteSQL.exe *

;*************************************************

;Lines preceded by semicolon are currently inactive

[AppHelp]

UseLocalHelp = 0

[AppHelpLocal]

Location = .\help

Target = AbsoluteSQLmanual.chm

[AppHelpOnWeb]

Location = http://nknabe.dk/database/absolute/help

Target = index.html

[SQLhelp]

UseLocalHelp = 1

[SQLhelpLocal]

Location = .\help

Target = AbsoluteSQL.chm

[SQLhelpOnWeb]

Location = http://nknabe.dk/database/absolute/sql

Target = index.html

; etc. ...

[AppHelp...] : settings for the Application Help.
[SQLhelp...] : setting for the SQL Reference.
The [AppHelp] / [SQLhelp] section headers specifies by the key UseLocalHelp if either local help or remote WebHelp is selected to be used.

Correspondingly the AppHelp will use either the AppHelpLocal or the AppHelpOnWeb section for further specifications as will the SQLhelp depending on UseLocalHelp selection.

The local location may be specified either as an absolute address or relative to the location of the AbsoluteSQL application exe (see example above).

[WebHelpMode]

CallHelpContextNumeric = 1

[WebHelpLocal]

OmitHtmlFilePrefix = 0

[Mode]

; etc. ...

Optional sections (not auto created)

The optional [WebHelpMode], CallHelpContextNumeric = 1 allows the WebHelp topic items to be called by their context numbers for context sensitive help calls. The default value is = 1 – this has to be changed to = 0, if the WebHelp is placed locally.

The optional [WebHelpLocal] and key is needed only if you decide to run the WebHelp from a local address/file server with an older Windows like Windows XP not compliant with the file:/// address prefixing used when launching html files locally.