.;^AMOS^ to ^d^/^SOFT^ format HELP file converter
         ^% AMH2DS - An AMOS to d/SOFT Product Help file converter %^

                                     by

                          % James A. Jarboe IV %

     Help files for ^d^/^SOFT^ products  use  a method of defining_terminal_
    _attributes_by defining ^toggle^ characters within the text file.

     ^Alpha Micro^ products help files use escape  ^TCRT^  codes to produce
     graphic  effects  for  terminal  display.  This  means  help files
     written  for  ^Alpha  Micro^  products  such as ^AMOS 2.x^, ^AlphaCALC^,
     ^AlphaWRITE^, ^AlphaMENU^, ^ESP^, and ^DART^  are incompatible with ^d^/^SOFT^
     help file processing.

     ^AMH2DS^ is a utility that will convert an ^AMOS^ style help file to a
     ^d^/^SOFT^ format help file. Therefore, an ^AMOS^ product help file such
     as ^AMOS 2.x^,  ^AlphaCALC^, ^AlphaWRITE^, ^AlphaMENU^, ^ESP^ or ^DART^ can be
     processed and used with  ^d^/^SOFT^'s% HELP %command.




     ^% AMH2DS - An AMOS to d/SOFT Help file converter %^    Screen 2 of 5

     The format of the ^AMH2DS^ command is as follows:


        ^.AMH2DS^ {Output filespec} = Input filespec{/Option} {comment}


     Where:

           ^Input  filespec^ = Name of ^AMOS^ file to convert to ^d^/^SOFT^
                             style help file. (Defaults to ^.HLP^).

           ^Output filespec^ = Name  of  file  converted  to ^d^/^SOFT^ style
                             help file. (Defaults to input filespec).


    _Full file specifications_, along with_Ersatz devices_are accepted.

     If ^Output file^ specification is omitted then the  ^Output file^ will
     have the same name as the ^Input file^ specification.


     ^% AMH2DS - An AMOS to d/SOFT Help file converter %^    Screen 3 of 5


     If  the  ^full^  Input  file specification is the same as  the  ^full^
     Output file specification  then  the Input file specification will
     create a ^backup^ copy named% Inputfilespec.DSH %.

     If an Output file already ^exists^ or a ^backup^  copy  of  the  Input
     file  specification  already  exists  as% filename.DSH %, the user
     will  be  prompted  for confirmation of ^deletion^  of  the  already
     existing file.

     Example:

          ^.AMH2DS AMH2DS.USA = HLP:AMH2DS.HLP^








     ^% AMH2DS - An AMOS to d/SOFT Help file converter %^    Screen 4 of 5


  % Options %

         /^?^            -  Display Help.
         /^C^            -  Prompt user for comment line.
         /^C^ {^comment^}  -  Automatically insert comment line.

     The /^C^ option allows the user to enter a comment to be inserted on
     the first line of the converted file.  ^d^/^SOFT^'s %  HELP  % command
     will  display  this comment line when scanning for which help file
     the user wishes to use.

     The /^C^ option with ^no^ argument will prompt  the  user  for   input
     when  the program is invoked.  The /^C^ option ^with^ an argument will
     automatically  take  the ^argument^ and insert it into the converted
     file. The comment line  may include ^d^/^SOFT^ style toggle characters
     that  will  be  interpreted   when   using   the  ^d^/^SOFT^ %  HELP  %
     command.



     ^% AMH2DS - An AMOS to d/SOFT Help file converter %^    Screen 5 of 5

     This  ^Help^  file  was  originally  produced  with  ^SuperVUE^,  then
     formatted with the ^AMHELP.PDV^, and converted to ^d^/^SOFT^ format with
     ^AMH2DS.LIT^.



     Any ^comments^, ^suggestions^, for ^AMH2DS^ should be made to:

     ^James A. Jarboe IV^
     Educational Filmstrips
     1401 19th Street
     Huntsville, Texas 77340

     (^409^) ^295^-^5767^

     Send Email to ^GR^/^AM^ on the ^AMUS Network^.


.
