USING THE NETSCAPE HELP
DEVELOPER'S KIT

The purpose of this package is to provide you with an overview of Netscape Help and all the pieces you'll need to create your own Netscape Help system. We'd appreciate any feedback you can give us. Originally we had hoped to get feedback by the end of the week, but we haven't left you much time, so please give us feedback when you can. We're interested in all levels of feedback--don't be shy!

Netscape Now!Be sure to use at least beta 5 of Netscape Navigator 3.0 when creating Netscape Help systems.

Please read through the Help Developer's Kit and then follow these steps to create your own help system.

  1. Examine the sample help system. Launch it from and navigate through it from link to link, and via the contents and index screens.
  2. Use the test program NAVHELP.EXE (whose use is described in Using the test utilities) to see how the project file works for the sample system. Get the IDs from the project file--help.h. (If the NAVHELP.EXE program doesn't work, make sure you are using at least beta 5 of Navigator 3.0.)
  3. Change the values of some of the IDs in the project file, and test them using NAVHELP.EXE.
  4. Create new HTML topic files and reference them and their IDs to help.h. (The project file syntax is described in this section of the Help Developer's Kit.)
  5. Test the new IDs in help.h with NAVHELP.EXE.
  6. Replace the placeholder help content with some of your own. (Use any text or HTML editor, or Navigator Gold.) Add and delete jumps and topics.
  7. As you change your help system's content, continue to test its internal structure and integrity by launching it from HTML (using the button above) and navigating around in it. Also use NAVHELP.EXE to test your project file.