Installing Context-Sensitive Help for Delphi 2.x

Using Delphi's HELPINST application, you can merge the help file for the TRPCBroker component into the Delphi help system. Then, when you are working with the TRPCBroker component in Delphi, you can press F1 and get context-sensitive help for it and for any of its properties.

To install this help file in Delphi 2.x:

1. Delphi 2.x should already be installed on your programmer client workstation.
   
   
2. Exit Delphi if is running.
   
   
3. Copy the BROKER.CNT, BROKER.HLP, BROKER.KWF, BROKERSM.CNT, and BROKERSM.HLP files (i.e., located in the …\BDK32\DOC directory) into the …\Delphi 2.0\HELP directory.
   
   
4. Run Delphi's HELPINST.EXE program from the …\Delphi 2.0\HELP\TOOLS folder.
   
   
5. Use HELPINST to open the DELPHI.HDX file. From HELPINST's File menu, choose Open. The DELPHI.HDX file is usually located in the \BIN subdirectory below the main DELPHI directory.
   
   
6. Ordinarily, several keyword files should be listed when you open DELPHI.HDX, including DELPHI.KWF and CWG.KWF.
   
   Do not be concerned if HELPINST reports the files as "* Not Found *".
   
   If the file BROKER.KWF is listed, click it once to highlight it, and then press HELPINST's red "-" button to delete it. It should now be removed from the list.
   
   
7. Now click HELPINST's green "+" button, to add the BROKER.KWF file to HELPINST's list of .KWF files. You may need to navigate to the \HELP subdirectory of the main Delphi directory to find BROKER.KWF. Once selected, BROKER.KWF should be in HELPINST's list of .KWF files.
   
   
8. Save the updated DELPHI.HDX file. From HELPINST's file menu, choose save. This completes the merging of this help file into Delphi's help.
   
   
9. Exit HELPINST.
   
   
10. Start Delphi. On a blank form, add the TRPCBroker component from the component palette to your form. Select the TRPCBroker component on your form and press F1 for help. If the help for the TRPCBroker component comes up, you are all set.
    
    However, you may get the message:
    

    "Cannot find the BROKER.HLP file. Do you want to try to find this file yourself?"

    If you get this message, click YES. Navigate to the \HELP subdirectory of the main Delphi directory, and choose BROKER.HLP and click on the Open button. Windows opens the help file, and the path to the help file should be remembered in the future.

    You can find related information about merging help into Delphi's help in Delphi's Component Writer's Guide manual (Delphi Version 2.0: pp. 77-81).