IDL: How to access IDL help & Resources

 This Help Article provides information about accessing IDL Help & Resources.

 

There are different ways to start the IDL Online Help System :

- From within the IDL interface:  

• Use the "?" command at the IDL prompt
• Select Help > Help Contents from the IDL Workbench menu

- On Windows: the IDL Help System can be started from the Start> Programs > IDL x.x > Help > IDL Help menu

- On UNIX/Linux/MAC: the IDL Help System can be started using the "idlhelp" command in a terminal

The IDL Online Help System includes:

• Extensive reference on IDL routines with explanations of syntax, arguments, keywords and code examples
• Thumbnail images showing different types of graphics help you quickly find the examples that illustrate how to create the visualizations you need in IDL

In addition to the IDL Online Help System: 

• Portion of IDL product documentation is available only in PDF files. These files are installed in the "/help/pdf" subdirectory of the IDL installation tree. These pdf files cover the following topics:

            - advmathstat.pdf: Advanced Math & Stats module

                - bridges.pdf: IDL connectivity bridges

                - datamine.pdf: Dataminer module

                - edg.pdf: External Development Guide

                - image.pdf: Image processing

                - itooldevguide.pdf: ITOOL programming

                - itools_classes_reference.pdf: ITOOL object classes reference

                - itooluserguide.pdf: ITOOL User's guide

            - using.pdf: Using IDL

For more details regarding these pdf files please see the following Help Article: HA #4623 

  

• For IDL 8.2 or later, the IDL Help System and PDF files can also be found on the Documentation Center on  the Exelis Visual Information Solutions website at:

http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/home.html

http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/PDF_Guides.html                                          

 

• IDL Release Notes, IDL system requirements and the Advanced Topics in Licensing in PDF format are available on the installation DVD in the /<media>/info/ folder. IDL Release Notes and the Advanced Topics in Licensing documents are also available as links when you download IDL or the IDL License Server from our website.   

 

• IDL System requirements  and Features supported are available in the IDL Online Help System (under Contents > About IDL) or in the following links:

http://harrisgeospatial.com/Support/SelfHelpTools/HelpArticles/HelpArticles-Detail/TabId/2718/ArtMID/10220/ArticleID/18492/Some-IDL-product-documentation-is-provided-in-PDF-file-format.aspx 

http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/AboutIDL.html

• Product Installation instructions are available  for each product and platform on the download page or in the Installation Guide provided with the DVD.

 http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/MyAccount/Downloads.aspx          

            

• Licensing instructions are available at the following link:

http://harrisgeospatial.com/Support/SelfHelpTools/HelpArticles/HelpArticles-Detail/TabId/2718/ArtMID/10220/ArticleID/18457/License-installation-instructions-for-particular-product-platform-and-license-type-configurations.aspx

If you need assistance using your IDL Help System, please contact Technical Support