FIGHELP-Provide Figaro on-line help

Usage:

fighelp [topic]

Description:

This routine interfaces the portable help library for the Figaro package with a terminal. The ADAM parameter TOPIC is used only for the initial entry into the help library. The user can then navigate through the library with the following responses to the prompt:

- A blank response gets you one level up in the topic hierarchy.

- A question mark (?) re-displays the current topic.

- An end-of-file character exits fighelp. Note that this is Ctrl-z under VMS but usually Ctrl-d under Unix.

- Any normal text specifies (sub-) topics to look for.

- Each blank-separated word stands for one topic in the hierarchy. E.g. three blank-separated words go down three levels in the hierarchy.

- Each underscore-separated word stands for an underscore-separated word in a single topic

- Words (whether separated by blanks or underscores) that are not unique topics or include wild card characters are expanded and help is given on all matching topics. Wild card characters are % for a single character and * for any number of characters including none. In the word expansion A_G_N would match active_galactic_nuclei, which is one topic. The same is true for A*_G*_N* or active or active*.

When the help text to be printed is longer than the terminal page, then the user is asked to press the Return key before proceeding with output. At this point, too, can an end-of-file character be given to exit fighelp immediately.

Parameters:

PAGE

The number of lines that are a screen-full of information on the terminal. This is used so that FIGHELP knows when to wait for the reader to hit the return key. To turn paging off set this parameter zero. If this is not given, then the routine will try to find out about the terminal on its own.

WIDTH

The number of columns on the screen. If this is not given, then the routine will try to find out about the terminal on its own.

LIBRARY

The full file name of the library to be enquired. If this is not given, then the translation of the environment variable FIG_HELP will be used.

TOPIC

A initial topic to be looked for in the library. If this is not given, the top level of the library will be presented.

Notes:

This routine is available only under Unix from a Unix shell.

Authors:

hme: Horst Meyerdierks (UoE, Starlink)