Help on Help

The latest up-to-date Help is available on the Micro Focus Infocenter on the Web, at http://documentation.microfocus.com. Alternatively, you can display the Help locally from the Help menu in the IDE, or from the Start menu.

Help in the Infocenter

Tips on using the Infocenter Help:

  • You can specify the scope of Help to search, by creating your own search lists. To do this, click Scope and follow the wizard instructions. To read more information on how to create a scope, click Infocenter Help, Infocenter Help.
  • The topic in the documentation displayed in the right frame can get out of step with the Table of Contents in the left frame. This can occur when you choose the topic from a search list or when you link to it from another topic. To show where the topic appears in the contents, click Show in Table of Contents, Show in Table of Contents, on the toolbar.
  • You can navigate the Help using the following keystrokes:
    Alt+left arrow/Alt+right arrow Go back/forward.
    Alt+C Move to the Contents tab.
    Alt+R Open Search Results tab.
    Alt+S Move to the search entry field.
    Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+F6 depending on your browser Go to the next frame or toolbar.
    Left arrow/Right arrow Collapse/expand a tree node.
    Shift+Ctrl+Tab or Shift+Ctrl+F6 depending on your browser Move to the previous frame or toolbar.

Help in Microsoft Visual Studio

The Microsoft Help on using Visual Studio is comprehensive and detailed and includes many samples as well as extensive reference material and more. If you are new to Visual Studio, we recommend that you explore the Microsoft Help and follow the tours and introductory material there.

Tips on using Help in Visual Studio Help format:

  • To view the help in Visual Studio 2015, ensure that the Visual Studio Help Library is pointing to local help. From the Visual Studio menu click Help > Set Help Preferences > Launch in Help Browser.
  • For full details of the Visual Studio Help system, see the locally installed Microsoft Help Viewer 2.2 Help, which is available from Help menu in the IDE.

COBOL Help within the IDE

Tips on getting Help on COBOL when using the IDE:

  • COBOL syntax, library routines and Compiler directives. In the COBOL editor, put the cursor anywhere within the reserved word, routine or directive, and then press F1.
  • Error messages. In the output pane, put the cursor on the error message number and press F1.
  • Tooltips. Hover over an item in the COBOL code or over a field or control, by leaving the mouse pointer on it for a moment. A brief description of it may be displayed, either beside it or at the bottom of the window.
Note: Context help in the IDE that is provided as context help files, .HLP, might not work on versions of Windows such as Vista or later. This is because .HLP files require the Windows Help Program (WinHlp32.exe) which is not available in these versions of Windows. You need to install the Windows Help Program separately - click here to download the program.

Release Notes

The Release Notes accompany major releases and updates. They are available from the Product Updates section on the Micro Focus SupportLine Web site and your EPD email. On Windows, a link to the release notes is available from the startup screen during installation.

The Release Notes include information about new features for the release, system requirements and installation instructions, known technical issues, information about the issues that are resolved in the current release, and any changes in behavior that could potentially affect existing applications.

Readmes

This documentation includes two types of readmes:

  • HotFix readmes contain information about issues that are resolved in a HotFix, changes in behavior that could potentially affect existing applications, and any specific HotFix installation procedures.
  • Samples' readmes contain information about how to install and execute a sample.

Unless otherwise stated, references to a "readme" will refer to a HotFix readme.