🚀 go-pugleaf

Thanks for all of the help I received from various folks regarding
my frustration and confusion in creating help files.  I received
many suggestions and simplified examples of RTF files.  However
the overwhelming number of responses came from folks who confirmed
my original statement that I was "stupid", but in a different way.
I thought I was just dense, but they all thought I was stupid:

  (a)	to try to create help without a real word processor that
	could export RTF files

  (b)	to try to understand the syntax of the RTF files

  (c)	to invest so much time and money in good development tools
	like Borland C, etc etc and then *not* go out and get a
	decent RTF wp package (like Word or WordPerfect)

Well, you know something?  They are 100% correct.  I was just
wasting my time with trying to understand RTF format so I could
create RTF files with a plain-text editor or other text-to-rtf
converters, just to avoid buying another word processor.

I got a copy of Word for Windows.  I fired it up, had it figured
out in 2 minutes and 20 minutes later, had most of the features
(pop-ups, jumps, various fonts etc) coming up when summoned
from my application.  It really is so simple and easy to use
that I'm really quite embarrassed about my original question
and plea for help on writing RTF files.

The bottom line (IMHO) is:
	(a) don't mess about with creating RTF files by hand
	(b) don't mess about with tools to convert text files
	    to RTF files
	(c) buy a decent wp package that can export RTF files
	    directly

However, let me just close with a parting shot at MicroSoft.  As
one person pointed out, I should consider myself lucky to have
a good help engine - something that other GUIs don't have.  On
the other hand, why doesn't MicroSoft provide *all* of the tools
to develop applications without steering us into other products
in their product line?  If Windows help is such an integral feature
of Windows and is standardized throughout all Windows apps,
then why can't Windows Write (supplied with Windows) export
RTF files?  Why isn't an editor/wp capable of exporting RTF files
supplied with the SDK?  No, instead we are directed to buy their
other (expensive) products (like Word).  It is exactly this type
of consumer manipulation (or whatever you call it), that MS is being
allegedly investigated for right now.

Well folks, that's it.  I have now finished my help and that completes
my first Windows app: 20k lines of code and 5 months of effort.
I am delighted (and less stupid).  Thanks to all of you for your
help on this and other topics.  Time for project #2...
-- 
John A. Grant						jagrant@emr1.emr.ca
Airborne Geophysics
Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa