History of Html Help Documentation
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.1.0 - english only):
There was no version 1.0.9! I jumped directly to 1.1.0.
The htm help was almost completely rewritten by using modern
technologies, e.g. FreeDOS live CDs (ISO images), a WIN-editor
that supports most DOS-Codepages and UTF-8 and by virtual machines.
Almost each command was compared with the (often very short)
manuals and tested in a virtual machine to see if it really
works as described.
By doing so several bugs in the commands were found, reported,
and the help adapted to the real behaviour. In several cases there
were contacts with the programmer to avoid misunderstandings or
to ask for bug fixes.
Commands that are no longer supported (or never real existed)
were removed, e.g. backup, restore, emm386, himem etc.
Some commands stayed inside for historical and other reasons
(in round brackets).
Two files "Newbies 01" and "Newbies 02" were added to explain
Newcomers to FreeDOS how the basics work.
Appendix was added in section command.
There were so many changes that it is not possible to list
them all. Alltogether I needed in about two years to write
the english version of help.
Andy Stamp fixed several bugs in htmlhelp.exe.
Bernd Böckmann fixed a lot of additional bugs in htmlhelp.exe.
Thank you for version 5.3.6 of htmlhelp exe!
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0.8a en + hhstndrd 1.0.8a de:
+ hhstndrd 1.0.8a fr + hhstndrd 1.0.8a es)
xkeyb.htm, cdd.htm and a lot of other htm-files
were updated (including the hyperlinks in the network
section).
The GNU Free Documentation license 1.2 is valid for
the network section of the help. This was corrected.
The english htm-text was slightly corrected (thanks
to Berki Yenigün). The hyperlinks were updated to actual
working links (footnotes were created) as far as
possible. Thanks to Berki Yenigün too!
The whole help now also has a French and a Spanish
translation. Thank you so much to Berki Yenigün and
Lorenzo del Toro Saravia!!! I know that this is a
lot of work!
Release Date: 14 November 2020
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0.7a en + hhstndrd 1.0.7a de):
If a mentioned command does not exist in FreeDOS or if the
command is out of date, the hyperlinks to these help files
were set into brackets "(command)" to show that the command
does not exist or is out of date. Updated the following
commands: cpidos, kpdos, sys, uide.
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0.7 en + hhstndrd 1.0.7 de):
Removed a lot of bugs and added "Networking under DOS"
Removed empty lines from the htm files for space reasons.
Added some commands (e.g. rdisk).
Split the help into an internet version (with links within
a htm site) and a FreeDOS version (without links within a htm
site, no background pictures and so on so that less space is
needed on a diskette!)
Actualized the LSM files.
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0.6 en + hhstndrd 1.0.6 de):
Created a completely new htm file system:
The text is NOT in htm so that it is very simple to correct
failures. You only have to look that the line is not longer
than 74 (!!!) characters.
Updated to a "unique look and feel".
Added German language support.
Added several commands and a lot of comments.
Built in a lot of new bugs (of course!)
Editor: W. Spiegl; Release Date: March, 30, 2009.
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0.5 en):
Directory structure support further improved and simplified.
Added help file for append.
Fixed link to "Other ways of getting help" on contents page.
Added a little more explanation to the edit command help file.
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0.4 en):
* International support provided. Directory restructured
to make it easier for translators and to allow multiple
languages on one system.
Hence the help files renamed to hhstndrd 1.0.4 en.
* Dramatic update of many files, plus the addition of
new ones for LBAcache, CDRcache, Bootfix, Himem, etc.
* Aitor and Henrique Peron's contributions:
Updated display.htm, replaced cpi.htm with cpidos.htm
Added kpdos.htm and kc.htm.
Editor: Robert Platt. Released: 16th May 2004
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0.3):
HTML Viewer 5.3.1 fixes many long-standing bugs,
non of them major, as well as addressing some
issues introduced with the zip support in viewer 5.3.
Also, a search box has been added to the viewer.
Added explanation of zip support to writing.htm.
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0.2):
Included HTML Viewer 5.3
(Provides support for compressed help in zipfiles)
Updated files for country/keyboard by Henrique and Aitor
(CPI, XKeyb, Keyb, Display, (Modecon), Printer)
Fixed links in batch/index.htm
Fixed links in cnfigsys/index.htm
Editor: Robert Platt. Released: 04 March 2004
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0.1):
Added help for the config.sys commands:
- echo
- menu
- menudefault
- screen
Added help for:
- (atapicdd.sys)
- callver
- display
- loadfix
- (modecon)
- graftabl
- (setver)
- scankbd, keyman, listxdef (utilities of xkeyb)
Removed obsolete.htm.
Made corrections to:
- graphics
- mirror
- undelete
- unformat
Henrique and Aitor updated xkeyb.htm
Included the HTML Viewer 5.2.1
Editor: Robert Platt. Released: 17 July 2003
FreeDOS Help (hhstndrd 1.0):
First release of this HTML Help System.
Included the HTML Help Viewer 5.2
Editor: Robert Platt. Released: 12 June 2003
Copyright © 2003 Robert Platt, updated 2007 - 2023
by W. Spiegl.
This file is derived from the FreeDOS Spec Command HOWTO.
See the file H2Cpying for copying conditions.