Prev Next InstallWindows

Windows Installation and Testing

The Easy Way
If you are satisfied to use the version of OMhelp currently distributed by Harmonic Software, use the following link for a packaged install: O-Matrix Add-Ons .

Using Cygwin and MinGw
If you are using Cygwin or, MinGW with MSYS , with Unix formatted files, just follow all of the Unix installation steps. If you are using Dos formatted files, download the DOS version (see next step) and then follow the Unix installation steps.

Download OMhelp
Download the file current version of the file OMhelp.dos.zip

Create Distribution Directory
Use WinZip or some other program to decompress the files in OMhelp.dos.zip and extract them to the distribution directory
     omhelp-yy-mm-dd
All of the commands below are to be executed from this directory.

Build The Executable
The executable src/src.exe is part of the distribution. If you have Visual Studio, you can rebuild this file as follows:
  1. Open Microsoft Visual Studio dot Net.
  2. Select File | Open | Project an in the dialog that appears select the file
         omhelp-    yy-mm-dd\src\src.sln
    and then select the Open button.
  3. Select Build | Build src. This should create the file
         omhelp-    yy-mm-dd\src\src.exe

Dictionary
OMhelp utility files are stored in the OMhelp subdirectory of the distribution directory. This directory must contains the files 
 
	OMhelp\english.wrd
	OMhelp\local.wrd
If the file dictionary.bin is not present, OMhelp will to create a new dictionary that combines english.wrd and local.wrd (the file local.wrd is optional) to form 
 
	OMhelp\dictionary.bin
The words in english.wrd and local.wrd must be in alphabetic order, lower case, and contain only letters with one per line. For example, 
 
	a
	aardvark
	aardvarks
	...
If you make any changes to english.wrd or local.wrd, the file dictionary.bin should be deleted. A new dictionary.bin that combines the words english.wrd and local.wrd will be created the next time OMhelp is run.

Building Documentation and Testing OMhelp
In a Dos box, execute the following command: 
 
	RunOMhelp Dev
This will run the OMhelp program and create a copy of the OMhelp development documentation directory Dev. Now continue by executing the following command: 
 
	RunOMhelp Doc
This will run the OMhelp program and create a copy of the OMhelp user documentation directory Doc. Make sure OMhelp is functioning correctly by loading the file Doc\getstarted.htm into your web browser. This should be a local copy of the web page
      http://www.seanet.com/~bradbell/omhelp/getstarted.htm .
The files Doc/*.htm are in HTML format. If your browser supports XHTML+MathML format, an easier to read copy is available in the files Doc/*.xml.

Install OMhelp
The following instructions provide a way to have a desktop shortcut that you can run OMhelp in with out setting system environment variables or modifying the win.ini file. If you would rather do that, see the heading Advanced below.
  1. The file
         omhelp-    yy-mm-dd\install.bat
    contains the following text 
     
     rem You can choose a different value for the OMhelp installation sub-directory
     set install_sub_dir=OMhelp
     rem
     rem You can choose a different directory for OMhelp to change to after setup
     set after_setup_dir=c:\cygwin\home\Brad
     rem

    The choice for install_sub_dir is standard and probably does not need to be changed. On the other hand, you will probably want to change the choice for after_setup_dir.
  2. Execute this batch file and follow its instruction by beginning with the command: 
     
	install
  3. Use the Mouse to bring select the following choice: 
     
	start | All Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt | Create Shortcut
    You will have to select the right mouse button over Command Prompt to get Create Shortcut to display and then select the left mouse button over Create Shortcut.
  4. Highlight the shortcut you created and drag it to the desk top. Then highlight the name below the shortcut and change it to OMhelp. Then highlight the shortcut and select the right mouse button and select Properties. Change the Start in directory to
         c:\Program Files\    install_sub_dir
    where install_sub_dir is replaced by your choice for the installation subdirectory. Then select the OK button.


Getting Started
  1. Open the OMhelp shortcut that you created during installation an execute the command 
     
	setup
    You need to do this to initialize the window and change into your after_setup_dir directory.
  2. Create a file (in the after_setup_dir directory) called simple_example.omh with the following contents: 
     
	$begin simple_example$$
	$section Simple Example$$
	$end
  3. Execute the following commands: 
     
	mkdir htm
	cd htm
	omhelp ..\simple_example.omh
    Note that the mkdir command will report an error if the directory already exists. You can view the results by using your web browser to open the file
             after_setup_dir\htm\simpleexample.htm

Advanced
This section is intended for people who know how to modify the Windows system environment. In this case you can choose any directory as the OMhelp installation directory and we refer to that directory as omhelp_dir below.

Copy Files
The first step is to copy if files
     omhelp-yy-mm-dd/OMhelp/*
to the omhelp_dir directory.

omhelp_dir
Choose one of the following alternatives for setting the environment variable omhelp_dir (remember that omhelp_dir is replaced by your choice for the OMhelp installation directory):
  1. You can set the environment variable omhelp_dir in the autoexec.bat file with the command
         set omhelp_dir=    omhelp_dir
    On some Windows systems, it is hard to find the proper autoexec.bat file.
  2. At the system start button select Control Panel. In the Control Panel select System. In the System Properties dialog select the Advanced tab. In the Advanced tab select the Environment Variables button. In the Environment Variables dialog, under system variables, select the New button. Enter omhelp_dir in the Variable name field and omhelp_dir in the Variable value field Then select the OK button.
  3. You can set the value of omhelp_dir by adding the following text to the win.ini file:
         [OMhelp]
         omhelp_dir=    omhelp_dir

Path
You may also want to add omhelp_dir to the Path environment variable. You can do this in the autoexec.bat file or in the control panel in a similar fashion to how omhelp_dir was set.
Input File: installwindows.omh