Batch Compile Dialog

The Batch Compile dialog is available from the Authoring menu (main window), and allows you to compile a list of MS Help project files (MS Help 1.x and MS Help 2.x). The combined compiler output is logged to a single log file. At the end of the log is a summary of what files have been created, and the total number of errors and warnings reported.

FAR Batch file format is an ASCII file containing a simple list of project files. Either relative and absolute paths are allowed (Relative to the Batch file location).

Menu Commands

File Menu

The current filename is displayed in the window title bar. If you cannot read the full filename, widen the window (window is sizable).

• New - Create a new FAR Batch file.
• Open - Open a FAR Batch file and load its project file list.
• Reload - Reopen the same file or a previously opened file.
• Save - Save the list of project files to the current FAR Batch file.
• Save As - Save the list of project files to disk under a new name.
• View Source - View the batch file source in your preferred text editor (See Preferences dialog - F12).
• Auto Open Last - When you open this dialog you are normally prompted to select a Batch file to open. When this item is checked the dialog will automatically open and load the last batch file you had open.
• Exit - Closes the dialog.

Edit Menu

• Add - Add one or more project files to the list.
• Remove - Remove the selected list item(s) from the list.
• Edit Project - Open the selected project in the appropriate FAR Project Editor.
• Move Up/Dn - Move the selected list item Up/Down in the list. Thus changing the compile order.
• Select All - Select all list items.

Compile Menu

• Compile All - Compile all projects in the list, starting from the top and finishing at the bottom of the list.
• Compile Selected - Compiles just the selected projects in the list.
• Log Level - Select the appropriate Log level. 1 brief logging ... 3 verbose logging. The log level only effects MS Help 2.x projects. This Log Level setting is global to all Batch files.
• View Log File - View the combined compile log file. The default log filename is the same name as the FAR Batch file + .LOG file extension.

Help Menu

• Online Help - Displays this help.
• MS HH 1.x Error Info - Opens a page containing info about all HH 1.x compile time errors.
  (This help comes courtesy of the wonderful folk at www.keyworks.net -- see KeyTools utility).
• MS Help 2.x Error Info - Opens a page containing info about all Help 2.x compile time errors (You must have VSHIK installed).

Toolbar

Contains a selection of commands from the windows main menu.

File List

• Project File column - Displays the list of files you have added to the current batch file.
• Output column - Displays the type of file that will be output by the compiler. This is for information only.
• Title ID column - Displays the Title ID specified by a .HxC MS Help 2 project file. For all other project files this field is left blank. This is for information only.
• Last Compiled column - Displays the date and time of the last compilation performed. If the project output file cannot be found then this field is left blank. This is for information only.

File List Popup Menu

Right-click the list to show the popup menu. It contains a selection of commands from the main window, plus 2 additional commands.

• Convert to full path - Converts the selected item(s) to a fully qualified path.
• Convert to relative path - Converts the selected item(s) to a relative path.

Note:  Relative paths are short and simple. However if you ever want to move the location of the Batch file (not relative to the project files in the list), you should first convert all file paths to being full paths.