Documentation
Updated: Nov 25, 2007

The present goal is to define syntax as used in HotBasic.  Many excellent
textbooks and references on the Basic language and programming concepts may be
consulted by beginners.  Or just dive in and compile hello.bas and run from
there.  

HotBasic documentation consists of:

(1) This Manual

Run HBdoctor in your "doc" sub-directory.  Most sub-topics are already expanded
in the "contents" page for an immediate view of detail in linked topics.

An alternate entry into the HotBasic Manual is search with HotFind.exe.
Similar to a web search-engine, HotFind lists all instances of search text in
the manual with direct access to the files you select for view.

(2) HotIDE

HotIDE provides a source code edit and compile interface.  Its Help menu
provides Keyword lists for quick reference.  F1 invokes HotFind which uses the
keyword/text at the HotIDE cursor to automatically search and list all
references in the Manual.  

HotIDE > HotBasic > Options > Setup > Help Directory should point to the
directory containing the HotBasic Manual files.

(3) Sample source code files

If all the sample programs are put in a single directory, HotFind may be used
to find any HotBasic keyword in a one-step search.  

Seeing working code doing things related to desired components in your
projects may be useful in getting started.  One can cut and paste from these
templates.

It may be easier to understand HotBasic syntax and get started in a project
with a small working example. 

Almost all of the demo downloads (HotTrial, HotThing, HotToys, HotWin, HotReg,
HotTypes, HotTest, etc) contain source code and each is a tutorial on keyword
usage and how to code a wide range of tasks.

(4) HotInclude provides useful include files -- code designed for easy
inclusion in user projects (please see $INCLUDE in Compiler > Directives)
-- and useful constants in HBguidef.inc, HBwinmsg.inc and HBimages.inc.

(5) Third-party help and coding tools include HBassistant, HotSnip, HotVisual
and ComHelper.

(6) Peer-support forums

Forums contain questions and answers, an abundance of coding examples and
solutions.  Several forums have been available, and users have chosen Yahoo!
HotBasic as the most popular, with its searchable Messages, Links and source
code posted by users in Files section.

Summary:  We are "up to our ears" in documentation.  HotFind provides rapid
access to search text/keywords in both the Manual and source code samples.


Copyright 2006-2007 James J Keene PhD
Original Publication: Apr 16, 2005
