Accessing a Help Server

A help server is a computer system on a network that other systems can rely on for accessing online help files. You can configure your local system (the "client") to access a remote system (the "server") by mounting the remote system's disks on your system, modifying the help search path, and updating your Help Manager.

To configure access to a help server

On the remote system (the "server"), log in as superuser, then do these tasks:
- Install the online help you want to access. Usually, online help files are installed when you install application software. It is common for an application server to also be a help server, since the files are usually kept together.
- Export the disk volume where the online help resides. Usually, this is the /etc/ volume -- if not, also export /etc/, since the /etc/vhelp/ directory should also be available for mounting.
On the local system (the "client"), log in as superuser, then do these tasks:
- Mount the disk volume(s) exported from the remote system (in step 1).
- Edit the /etc/vue/config/Xsession script. Set the XVHHELPSYSTEMSEARCHPATH environment variable to search the newly mounted directories for online help.
- Log out and back into HP VUE. This ensures the Xsession script is executed, setting the search path variable.
- Update your local Help Manager. Open a Terminal Emulator window. Verify that the XVHHELPSYSTEMSEARCHPATH is set properly (use the env command). Then, execute this command to update the browser volume used by Help Manager to list available help:
  /usr/vue/bin/helpgen

Example. This example shows how the XVHHELPSYSTEMSEARCHPATH environment variable is used within HP VUE to access help installed on another computer on the network. (These tasks require superuser permission to mount a new file system and edit the /etc/vue/config/Xsession script.)

To make the remote files accessible, "mount" the remote system's /etc/disk volume on your local system in the directory /net/hostname/etc/. (Refer to the operating system documentation or online help to learn how to "mount" a network file system.)

Once the remote files are physically available, you must tell the HP Help System where to look for them. You do this in HP VUE by editing the /etc/vue/config/Xsession script. Search for the section of the file that defines XVHHELPSYSTEMSEARCHPATH, then uncomment and edit the lines so that they look like this:

   XVHHELPSYSTEMSEARCHPATH=\

   /etc/vhelp/%T/%L/%H:\

   /etc/vhelp/%T/%H:\

   /etc/vhelp/%T/%L/%H.hv:\

   /etc/vhelp/%T/%H.hv:\

   /etc/vhelp/%T/C/%H:\

   /etc/vhelp/%T/C/%H.hv:\

   /net/hostname/etc/vhelp/%T/%L/%H:\

   /net/hostname/etc/vhelp/%T/%H:\

   /net/hostname/etc/vhelp/%T/%L/%H.hv:\

   /net/hostname/etc/vhelp/%T/%H.hv:\

   /net/hostname/etc/vhelp/%T/C/%H:\

   /net/hostname/etc/vhelp/%T/C/%H.hv

Where hostname is the name of the directory you created for the remote system.

When you're done editing, save the file, then log out and back in. To update Help Manager on the local system, run this command:

   /usr/vue/bin/helpgen

Any help installed on the remote system (hostname) should now be available in Help Manager. (If you already have a Help Manager window open, close it and open a new one to see the changes.)

Accessing a Help Server

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To configure access to a help server