How to create a HelpInfo XML file

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Note

Manual authoring of XML-based help is very difficult. The PlatyPS module allows you to write help in Markdown and then convert it to XML-based help. This makes it much easier to write and maintain help. PlatyPS can also create the Updateable Help packages for you. For more information, see Create XML-based help using PlatyPS.

This topics in this section explains how to create and populate a help information file, commonly known as a "HelpInfo XML file," for the PowerShell Updatable Help feature.

HelpInfo XML file overview

The HelpInfo XML file is the primary source of information about Updatable Help for the module. It includes the location of the help files for the modules, the supported UI cultures, and the version numbers that Updatable Help uses to determine whether the user has the newest help files.

Each module has just one HelpInfo XML file, even if the module includes multiple help files for multiple UI cultures. The module author creates the HelpInfo XML file and places it in the internet location that's specified by the HelpInfoUri key in the module manifest. When the module help files are updated and uploaded, the module author updates the HelpInfo XML file and replaces the original HelpInfo XML file with the new version.

It's critical that the HelpInfo XML file is carefully maintained. If you upload new files, but forget to increment the version numbers, Updatable Help will not download the new files to users' computers. if you add help files for a new UI culture, but don't update the HelpInfo XML file or place it in the correct location, Updatable Help will not download the new files.

In this section

This section includes the following topics.

See also

Supporting Updatable Help