Axel...
Thanks for confirming my work as your answer. I'll repost it here
for the sake of future readers.
I'll also address how to make a batch file that opens a text file
along with the program it pertains to.
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I teach a computer course for seniors. If I knew of anything like
what you're asking for, believe me, I'd be telling everyone!
Most programs have their own Help files, accessible from the menu,
but she would need to look things up by keyword or subject, and
many are not user-friendly. Most Microsoft programs, and many
others, allow access to the help files by way of the keyboard
shortcut of pressing the F1 key.
There's no way to add programming within the program itself that
would do what you want - it would be illegal, anyway, to modify
the program's code.
About the only thing I can suggest is the you work with her to
create simple text files with the information she might need,
and place shortcuts to these files next to the shortcuts she
uses to open the programs.
Text files would be the easiest thing, but you can also fancy
things up, if you like. You can create virtual, moveable, and
resizable sticky notes using Microsoft Outlook:
http://www.ehow.com/how_14643_create-computer-sticky.html
Or you can use another freeware program:
http://www.freestickynotes.com/
Another recent answer to a question about a similar situation
recommended the use of a remote control program, whereby you
(or someone else) could take control of her computer from a
remote location, and show her what to do in any given situation.
One such program is the free version of LogMeIn remote:
https://www.logmein.com/go.asp?page=products_free
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Sticky notes are just like the Post-It notes you stick on
the side of the monitor, except they sit on your desktop,
are movable, editable, minimizable, etc. If she only needs
a few notes, that may be all you need.
If she needs a LOT of notes, the freeware EverNote program
may be useful to you. You can add notes by typing or dragging
and dropping text. You can organize them in folders. You can
search for keywords. You can make it stay on top of other
windows, and more.
EverNote:
http://www.evernote.com/en/
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Now, as for batch files:
I'm going to assume you're using Windows 2000 or XP.
The simplest way to write a batch file would look like this:
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@echo off
"C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe"|C:\winnt\notepad.exe
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Just copy and paste that into a text file, and rename it something.bat
Since you want to start a text help file with a program,
it would look more like this:
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@echo off
"C:\Program Files\program.exe"|C:\texthelp\program.txt
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The vertical line between the programs is the upper case
of the \ key.
I tried to figure out how to close the DOS window automatically,
but couldn't figure it out. She'll have to click the X at the
top right of the DOS window.
A fancier way, which will also allow her to press any key to
close the DOS window, once she places focus on the window by
clicking on it (it will get hidden), is a script like this:
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@echo off
start "" "C:\Program Files\program.exe"
Echo Program Started
start C:\texthelp\program.txt
Echo Program Help Started
Pause
exit
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Once you've created the batch files, create shortcuts for them
and put them next to the shortcuts to the programs. Then she
can open either both the program and the helpfile, or just the
program.
sublime1-ga |
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