Psion Epoc Help File Hints and Tips

How to use the Help file

The Psion Help system is more extensive than the manual (which in turn is heavier than the Psion).

The Help file is a fairly simple flat file database derived from the Data application, and using the same engine.

You have probably noticed that the Psion Help facility (and the Help in many programs) is a specialised instance of Data. Owners of the original Psion 5 classic model can imitate the Jotter application by using Data.

The Help application provides two views, a combined List view and Card view, and a Card view only.

The Card view can occupy 55% to 85% of the display, if you include a list browser. You can remove the list browser entirely and have the cards occupy the full display.

If you want to simply see help about one of the built in applications, use their name, ending with an exclamation mark. For Word, use word!

If you want to extract the text of all of a Help file, one way is to print to file using the General printer. However a better, albeit longer, way is to make a copy of the .hlp file in the program System Apps directory. Rename this by removing the .hlp extension. When you open it, Data will open it as a regular Data file. You can then use File More Export to obtain a clean text copy.

Right arrow goes down card list
Fn+Right arrow goes down card list by page
Left arrow goes up card list
Fn+Left arrow goes up card list by page
Ctrl+S four times to force file compression
Ctrl+Tab inserts a Tab when entering data
Esc Esc clears the Find field
Shift+arrow key selects text for cut or copy
Ctrl Z undeletes the last delete

Add more here.

This site will look much better in a browser that supports W3C web standards but it is accessible to any browser or internet device, including Psion Web and similar PDA or limited browsers. Netscape 4.x users - turn Style Sheets off. Your style sheet support is too broken to use (sorry).


ericlindsay.com -> epoc -> applications -> data

Contact Webmaster