To Create a File Entity

1. Declare an entity as follows:

   <!entity Entityname FILE  "filename"> 

   Where Entityname is the name of the entity and filename is the name of the file. The keyword FILE is required.

2. Reference the entity as follows:

   • If the file is a text file, enter the following entity reference at each location where you want the contents of the file inserted.

     &Entityname;

     The & (ampersand) and ; (semicolon) characters are required for the HelpTag software to properly recognize the entity reference.

   • If the file is a graphics file, include the name of the entity as a parameter in one of the following markup lines:

     <figure entity=Entityname ... > 

     Or:

     <graphic entity=Entityname ... > 

     Or:

     <p gentity=Entityname ... > 

     ---

     Note -

     Do not include any path in the file name. If the file is not in the current directory when you run the HelpTag software, add the appropriate search path to the helptag.opt file. (See "To Create a Run-Time Help Volume".)

     ---

Example: Text File Entities

Suppose you wrote the text for your help volume in three files named file1, file2, and file3, plus a fourth file containing your <metainfo> ...</metainfo> section. You could include them in your volume.htg file like this:

<!entity MetaInformation   FILE  "metainfo">
<!entity MyFirstFile       FILE  "file1">
 <!entity MySecondFile      FILE  "file2">
 <!entity MyThirdFile       FILE  "file3">

 &MetaInformation;

 <hometopic>  My Home Title

 Welcome to my application's help volume.

 &MyFirstFile;
 &MySecondFile;
 &MyThirdFile;

Example: A Graphic File Entity

Suppose a simple help volume has a figure in the home topic and the graphic image for the figure is stored in a file named picture.tif. The following example shows how that image would be used in a figure.

<!entity MetaInformation  FILE  "metainfo">
<!entity MyPicture        FILE  "picture.tif">

 &MetaInformation;

 <hometopic> A Sample Graphic

 Welcome to my application's help volume

 <figure nonumber entity=MyPicture>
 A Picture
 <\figure> 

The text "A Picture" is the figure's caption.

The markup produces this output:

See Also

• "Displaying Graphics"