VX
Help System 
Help (All Levels)
The VX online help is written and compiled using the latest Microsoft MSHTML HELP standard. The compiled version (vxhelp.chm) is automatically used on all Windows-based machines that have MS Internet Explorer(R) installed. The VX online help is also available in generic HTML format that can be viewed with any web browser (help.htm). You can control which format to display from the VX Configuration Form.
VX help is available from the Help Menu or by pressing the F1 key. From the Help Menu you can browse the latest Release Notes, display the Help Browser or enable the VX Help Interactive Mode. You can also display information about Function Keys, Control Keys and Other Keys or display information about your currently installed version of VX.
This command launches the VX online help.
Use the Files
tab of the VX
Configuration Form to change the default web browser used to display
the online help.
If "iexplore.exe" (Windows Internet Explorer) is specified, this command will display the VX online help using the compiled MSHTML format. If any other web browser is specified (e.g., "netscape.exe"), this command will display the generic web version of the VX online help.
Pick Help Browser... from the Help Menu.
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Some help documents will suggest that you maximize the window (full screen). Other activities such as viewing an online tutorial or using Interactive Help will benefit from the window being resized to view both VX and the web browser at the same time. The VX online documentation will adjust to the size of the browser window. |
When VX Interactive Help is activated, the next command selected will launch the VX help browser and display help for that command. Help will continue to be loaded automatically as you work while this mode is active. Select Help>Interactive Mode to toggle VX Interactive Help on and off. If you want quick help for only the next command, press (Ctrl+Q) prior to selecting the command. VX Interactive Help will not be activated for quick help.
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This occurs in the compiled version of VX help (i.e., when VX is set to "iexplore.exe" as the default web browser on the Files tab of the VX Configuration Form).
If you want to use the Glossary during VX Interactive Help, you need to pick the "Home" icon on the top toolbar of the help browser and then select the "Glossary" tab. This only has to be done once during a VX interactive help session.
The check mark symbol
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Use this command to enable/disable the display
of VX hints during the active
session. Hint boxes will be displayed at strategic times during VX
operations to provide user assistance. Use the Show hints option
on the VX Configuration
Form to determine if hints are enabled at VX startup.
The check mark symbol 
appearing to the left
on the button indicates that it is enabled.
Pick ShowHints from the Help Menu to enable or disable VX hints during ALL VX sessions (not just the active session). A sample VX hint is shown below.
Sample VX Hint
[Tools/Feature]
to make shape
Hints for one of the next logical operations. The text in brackets indicates the menu sequence to follow. You can select the icon to execute the Extrude Shape command.
[File/Import]
non-native data
You can select the button to execute the Import command.
[Insert/Sketch]
to make a sketch
You can select the button to insert a sketch. Many feature creation commands (like Extrude Shape above) allow you to create sketches on the fly during the command. You can also make stand-alone sketches using this command.
Don't show this hint again
Check this box if you don't want this hint displayed again.
Use this command to enable/disable the F1 function key. With the F1 key enabled, pressing it will display the VX help browser. This is the same as selecting the Display Help Browser command. VX ignores the F1 key if it is not enabled. Loading the help browser can take several seconds depending on your system configuration. Too often the F1 key is pressed by mistake instead of F2 or F3. Disabling the F1 key will bypass the activation of the help browser if it is pressed accidentally.
The check mark symbol appearing to the left
on the F1 Enabled button indicates that it is enabled.
This button displays copyright and license information about
your VX program.
About VX Form
This menu selection displays a map of the available function keys.
This menu selection displays a map of the available control
keys.
This menu selection displays a map of other available key combinations supported by VX .
About Other Keys
(RMB/LMB = Right/Left
Mouse Button)
The full version of the VX documentation is available online by selecting Browse from the VX Help Menu. You can also browse all VX online documentation in HTML format directly from the VX CD. Windows users should go to the "\win\doc" directory on the VX CD using Windows Explorer and load the file "vxhelp.chm." Users of all other platforms should use any Java enabled web browser, go to the "\doc" directory of your platform, and load the file "help.htm".
The following printed manuals are available in PDF format. To view or print the PDF version, install the Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 4 (provided on the VX CD in the Acrobat directory) and open the corresponding files in the PDF directory on the CD.
CAD Reference - CADRef.pdf (includes Vol I, II and III)
CAM Reference - CAMRef.pdf
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To Install the Adobe Acrobat 4.0 Reader:
Load the VX CD
Install the appropriate Adobe Acrobat 4.0 Reader* for your operating system from the Acrobat directory located on the VX CD or download the 4.0 Reader free from the Adobe website.
You can use the following Acrobat tools to navigate the documents:
Document/Go to Page
Navigation Pane - Bookmark Tab - hyperlinked to top-level
Table of Contents
Find - Type in keyword
* For more information or help with the Reader, visit the Adobe website at www.adobe.com. VX Corporation does not support the Reader, it is supplied on the CD for convenience only.
Use this command to display the What's New online help topic. This topic contains all of the currently documented changes to VX for the current release as well as a complete list of PCR repairs.
