Product
Support
Everything Else
Helix Tips & Techniques

This section of the Helix Knowledgebase contains information on how to accomplish specific tasks in Helix.

  • The Release Notes section links to the release notes from every version we have information on.
  • The OS X Transition Notes section covers specific changes you need to be aware of when migrating from Macs running OS 9 to OS X.
  • The Working with Helix section covers setup and administrative tasks.
  • The Tips and Techniques section looks at the various Helix icons in detail, outlining solutions to specific problems.
  • The Helix Diagnostics section discusses methods of checking your database.

If you have a particularly well-documented explanation of a Helix function, please consider submitting it. You will be given full-credit for your entry, even if it is nothing more than a better way of saying something than the way we already say it.

techdb

Be sure to check our online Helix database techdb for more techniques. The searchable log contains questions and answers culled from calls and emails answered by Helix technical support.

Release Notes
Release Notes

What's new in version 6.1.x (Features and Bug Fixes)

What's new in version 6.0.1 (Features and Bug Fixes)

What's new in version 6.0 (Features and Bug Fixes)

What's new in version 5.3 (Features and Bug Fixes)

What's new in version 5.2/5.2.1 (Features and Bug Fixes)

What's new in version 5.1/5.1.1 (Features and Bug Fixes)

What's fixed in version 5.0.2 (Features and Bug Fixes)

OS X Helix Notes
Application

Intel Native Helix System Requirements

Changing Preferences in OS X

View

The Save Changes dialog

Abacus

AEL: Abacus Expression Language

Sequence

R6153: Button Naming Precedence

Query

The OS X Quick Query

The OS X Form Query

The OS X Power Query

AppleScript

Abacus Expresion Language (AEL)

AppleScript Error Codes

User Interface

The ‘Apply Structure’ Dialog

The ‘Delete Records’ Dialog

OS X Transition Notes
Application

Graphic User Interface (GUI) Status Report

Helix and OS X 10.7 (Lion) Compatibility

R6939: AutoConnect & AutoOpen Preference Interaction

Keyword Indexing in Helix 6.1 and Later

TS6405: Page Setup, Page Scaling, and More

View

Changes to View Types

List Selection Spec Changes

Default & Invalid Field Shading

Understanding Font Resizing in OS X

Designing Views for OS X

BZ929: Picture Display Size in Classic vs OS X

R6112: Printing Unentered Records (With Post On Print Caveats)

Abacus

Post All and the Max Tile (Posting Summary Data)

Sequence

Sequence Behavior Changes in Various Versions of Helix

Miscellaneous

BZ814: Windows Menu Placement in OS X

Obsolete Technologies (Publish & Subscribe, AppleTalk…)

Using an ImageWriter with OS X

More notes on the FAQ page

Working with Helix
Server Management

Helix Server Access Configuration Guidelines

Helix Client Access Configuration Guidelines

Remote Access Options

TCP/IP Implementation Notes

Changing Esoteric Preferences in Helix Server 6

Monitor Helix Server to Keep It Running

Helix Server Activity Animations

Understanding Client/Server Communications

Database Basics

How to Report Crashes in OS X native Helix

Backing Up

Relational Database Definitions

Helix Networking

FAQ: TCP/IP and Helix Server 6 FAQ page

FAQ: TCP/IP and Helix Server 5.x FAQ page

TS484: Configuring a TCP/IP network for access through a firewall (Helix 5.2.1 or earlier)

TS1048: Helix Client via TCP/IP configuration notes (5.2.1 or earlier)

Memory Management

Helix Classic Only: Understanding and Setting up RAMJet™ and Customized Caches

Tips and Techniques
The Application

Entering a New Registration (Enablement) Key

Helix Client Access Configuration Guidelines

The Collection

International Resources (Collection Localization)

The Relation

Global Lookup Problems

Open an Icon from within Get Info dialog

Helix Relation Icons

Selection and Display Modes

User Global Relation

When to create a new Relation

The Field

How Can I Easily Load a Bunch of Documents into Helix?

Create Evaluation Applications

5.2 Fixed Point Field Bug Reference

Number Format Note

Uses for Inert Fields

Using Lookups in Dynamic Popups--a Caveat

The Abacus

Abacus Format

Bar Codes

Data Import

Delete Duplicate Records

Delta Hours Tile

Field Validation

Generating Page Numbers in Printouts (i.e., "Page 4 of 7 pages")

Mailing Label Abacus

Numbering Items on a Subform

Positional (Previous) Tiles and Undefined Fields

Range Validation

Rounding in Helix

Round with Percentages

Select a Field, Abacus or Relation

Treatment of Undefined Values

Understanding Time in Helix

Validate Specific Fields on Replace

Validation to Prevent Carriage Returns

Variance and Standard Deviation

The Index

Fragile Index

Query Optimization Note

Subform Index

The Template

Arrow Buttons

Custom Grids

Dynamic PopUps

How to Open a Subform Template from a Host Template

Removing a Subform Template from a Host Template

Use Background Pictures

Using Lookups in Dynamic Popups--a Caveat

The View

Understanding Page Visibility & Numbering

Field Shading in Helix Applications (New: July, 2006)

Restricting the Number of Records on a Subform

"Priming" a Delete Dialog in Design Mode

Optimization of Lists Using the Shade Invalid Fields Command

Quick Lists and Quick Entry Forms

Use only one Entry Form in a Relation

The Post

Conditional Posting

Duplicating Records

Forcing the order of Posts

Limit Views for a Specific User

Option and Triplet Posting Sections

Order of Posting Events

Post On Export Notes (New: May 2007)

Store Text in Upper Case

The Query

Quick Query Options

The User

User Global Relation

Resetting User View Sizes & Positions

The Sequence

Sequence Dialog Options

Structure Only Copy of Collection

Helix Diagnostics
Overview

General Questions about the Diagnostic Utilities

Helix Maintenance Manager

All About Helix Maintenance Manager

Helix Diagnostic Utilities

Helix Update Collection

Helix Utility

Helix 6.2 Integrated Structure Check

Problems

Collection Damage: Repair Procedure

Collection Damage: Lost Resource Fork