VkHelp(3x)							    VkHelp(3x)

NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

     VkHelp - Description of ViewKit-supported on-line help facilities

Security Note    [Toc]    [Back]

     It	is known that some help	libraries cause	security problems, especially
     for programs running suid root.  You must read the	documentation for
     whatever help library you use, looking for	security concerns.



To use the standard SGI	help library
     VkApp automatically takes care of what is needed for applications that
     want to use the standard SGI help facilities.  For	a complete description
     of	the standard SGI help facilities, see:

   IRIX	Interactive Desktop(TM)	Integration Guide
     Describes how to create SGI help.

   insight
     The insight product contains help system developer	examples and
     documentation.

   insight_dev
     The insight_dev product also contains help	system developer examples and
     documentation.  Although you can use the base insight product, creating
     SGI help is much easier with the insight_dev product.

To use a compatible help library    [Toc]    [Back]

     if	an application wants to	provide	help its own way, everything is	still
     automatic if the application is linked with a library that	provides entry
     points that match the SGI help library.

     The help entry points are weak symbols in libvk, and must not be weak
     symbols in	the application's help library.	 Because of the	way the	loader
     works (9/96), you must be careful that your help routines actually	get
     loaded:

     o	  If your help library is a DSO, there is not problem.

     o	  If your help library is an archive library, you must precede it with
	  the ld option	-all.  (If you are giving the option to	CC, it is
	  -Wl,-all.)  You probably also	want -none after loading the help
	  library.

Exception    [Toc]    [Back]

     if	the application	has something such as a	HELP button of its own,
     separate from the Help menu, then the application must:





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VkHelp(3x)							    VkHelp(3x)



	  1) include <Vk/VkHelpAPI.h>

	  2) call SGIHelpMsg() when it needs to.

If an application does not want	to provide on-line help
     or	if the application is satisfied	with the default help capability, then
     there is nothing it needs to do.  ViewKit default help will automatically
     be	be available if	needed.	 See the IRIS ViewKit Programmer's Guide,
     Appendix C, for more information on setting up the	default	help
     capabilities.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

     IRIX Interactive Desktop(TM) Integration Guide
     The insight product
     The insight_dev product


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