Building a Help System for Delphi Applications

The last file that we need to create is the MAP file. This file basically contains numerical references to your topic and will be used by Delphi to show the right topics when the user selects a topic. So open up notepad or any simple text editor and add the following:

#define IDH_HOWTOCREATEHELPFILE1 100

#define IDH_BEGINNING1 200

#define IDH_HOWTOCREATEHELPFILE2  300

#define IDH_HOWTO2  400

Save the file as MyProject.MAP. It is very important that the .map extension is there, so make sure that it is. Next, we need to add the file to our project, so open up your help project (.hpj file) and click on the "map" button. A new window should pop up with four buttons on the side. Click on "add" and navigate to where you saved your map file. Select it and press OK. You should now be returned to the main window.

Next we need to define the type of window in which your help program is going to appear. Here we define the width, height and name of the window. So click on the "windows" button and click on "Add." Enter "MAIN" as the type of window and where it says "based on this Standard Window" leave it as "Procedure." Click OK and you should now be back to the "Windows Properties" dialog box. Enter the following text where it says "title bar text:"

Project Help File

and then select the "Keep Help Window on top" option. Your "Windows Properties Dialog Box" should look something like this:

Click OK and you should now be returned to the main window, which should look something like this:

Now all that is left is compiling the project. So click on "save and compile" and you should now have a help file in the folder in which you saved your original help project.

Linking Help File to Application

To link your newly created help file to your application, simply copy the .hlp file (your help file) to the same directory as your exe. And then on the OnformCreate event handler of your application add the following code (assuming that your help file is called "myhelpfile.hlp"):

Application.helpfile:='myhelpfile.hlp';

To launch the help file from within your menu item or  from a button, add the following code:

application.helpcommand(HELP_CONTENTS,0);

That's it! You will now have a fully functioning help system for your project.