VyperHelp

VyperHelp is a visual outliner and editor for creating online help for OS/2-based systems. It generates IPF files, as well as HTML and Windows Help files. The source code is now available under the GNU GPL license.

Developed by Mat Kramer. Open sourced in 2005

Features
VyperHelp has the following features:
 * WYSIWYG text editing with codes revealed
 * Powerful outline tree controls
 * Keyword/index support
 * Full symbol support
 * IPF import and export
 * WinHelp (HPJ, CNT, RTF, HH) import and export
 * HTML (single file or framed) export
 * HTMLHelp export
 * RTF document-style export
 * C header file export
 * ASCII text import and export
 * Command-line conversion program


 * Editor
 * maintain cross-platform help text from a single source.
 * write help text without knowing IPF, RTF or HTML syntax.
 * quickly and easily manipulate the contents tree.
 * import or export IPF, Windows help or plain text.
 * export to web pages or HTMLHelp.
 * export to printable RTF or plain text.
 * export help IDs to C language #define statements.


 * Converter
 * convert OS/2 IPF help to Windows help.
 * convert Windows help to OS/2 help.
 * convert OS/2 IPF or Windows help into printable RTF.
 * convert OS/2 IPF or Windows help into HTML or HTMLHelp.
 * import or export plain text.

Requirements

 * OS/2 Warp version 3 or greater
 * Pentium or faster
 * 4M hard drive space
 * 32M memory recommended
 * IPF compiler (to create HLP or INF files)

Main Window
The main window is divided into two panes. On the left is the section tree, which displays the contents of the document in tree form. The Section menu contains commands which are used to easily manipulate the contents tree (for example, promote, demote, move up and move down).

On the right is the text editor, which holds the contents of the open section. Control information, such as paragraph breaks, character styles and hyperlinks are shown in grey.

Section Properties
The Section Properties dialog lets you assign keywords and labels to a selected section. Keywords are used to generate an index. Labels are used to link sections within the document and from an application. VyperHelp can generate a C header file with all of the labels so the program can easily link to the help screens.

Symbol Selection
The Symbol Selection window lets you choose from a large list of symbols, including those not visible on the machine being used for editing. Symbols will be correctly displayed on the target machine (if possible) whether generating OS/2 or Windows help.

Version

 * VyperHelp 1.11
 * This is a free upgrade. All registration keys from 1.0x will work with this release.
 * New features in this release are:
 * Output and conversion to HTML (single file, framed or HTMLHelp)
 * Support for bitmaps in the editor
 * Retain naming of bitmap files
 * Remember last directory for file operations
 * Import C header file with IPF file
 * Bug fixes

License

 * Open Source under GNU GPL license
 * Author: Mat Kramer, MekTek

Links

 * Hobbes:
 * vhelp111.zip (2000)
 * vyperhelp.exe (2005 - Binaries and Source Code)
 * Netlabs: http://vyperhelp.netlabs.org/en/site/index.xml