Docs  /  NAVAX Help Builder  /  Preparations

 Set up Visual Studio Code

2024/09/02 • 3 min. to read

In this topic

• NAVAX Help Builder Extension
• Installation
• Snippets
• Commands
• Related information

The help should be written in Visual Studio Code. It is also possible to write the help with another tool, but then no supporting functions are available.

NAVAX Help Builder Extension

A separate Visual Studio Code Extension resp. the NAVAX Help Builder has been developed for creating help topics in Visual Studio Code. This extension provides various Commands and Snippets for creating and writing the help topics. A Preview can be used to display the later result of a help topic directly in Visual Studio Code. Additionally, tags and special parameters within the help topic files are color-coded.

Installation

The latest version can be downloaded here: nchb-3.0.3.vsix The installation is carried out in Visual Studio Code in the Extension area via the action Install from VSIX. After the installation, Visual Studio Code must either be restarted or a reload window must be performed.

Snippets

The extension provides snippets for the following areas:

• NCHB These snippets make it easier to write the help texts.
• AL These snippets make it easier to specify the additional language layers as comments in the AL objects. For more information, see Write Help, Suggest Help Text, Suggest Help Text from AL File.

The more detailed functionality of the individual snippets will be discussed later.

Commands

In addition to the Snippets, the Help Builder extension provides Commands. These can be executed via Ctrl+Shift+P or via F1.

• Help This command can be used to open the Help Builder help.
• Preview Via this Command a preview for a help topic can be called up. For more information, see Write Help, Basics, Create Topics.
• Suggest Help Text from AL File Via the this Command a help topic can be generated from an AL object (page, pageextension, report oder xmlport). The help text will be suggested based on the object structure and the tooltips, which can then be used as a starting point for the help topic. For more information, see Write Help, Suggest Help Text, Suggest Help Text from AL File.
• Update Translation Files (xliff, AL) Via this command the xliff files in the translation folder of an AL Extension can be created or updated. For more information, see Write Help, Suggest Help Text, Suggest Help Text from AL File.
• Ghostwriter
  • Check for missing Topics This command checks if for all AL objects of a folder corresponding nchb files exist in a help folder.
  • Create missing Topics This command creates for all AL objects of a folder corresponding nchb files in a help folder if they do not exist there yet.
  For more information, see Write Help, Suggest Help Text, Ghostwriter.

The more detailed functionality of the individual commands will be discussed later.

Related information

• Write Help, Basics, Create Topics
  The Help Builder requires that the individual help files for each language are grouped together in one folder (2 characters, lower case)...
• Write Help, Suggest Help Text, Suggest Help Text from AL File
  Via the Suggest Help Text from AL File Command a help topic can be generated from an AL object (page, pageextension, report oder xmlport). The help text will be suggested based on the object structure and the tooltips, which can then be used as a starting point for the help topic...
• Write Help, Suggest Help Text, Ghostwriter
  With the NCHB Ghostwriter, a suggestion for a complete online help or for newly added AL objects can be created within a very short time...