The local documentation can now be opened if installed, otherwise go to online docs

.gitignore

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 # Documentation
 /docs/build/
+novelWriter.qch
 novelWriter.qhc
 
 # Python Temp

docs/source/started.rst

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ the following command:
 
 .. code-block:: console
 
-   python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
+   pip install -r requirements.txt
 
 On some operating systems you need to use ``python3`` instead of ``python``.
 
@@ -78,6 +78,31 @@ The spell checking extension is optional, but recommended:
 The optional spell check library must be at least 3.0.0 to work with Windows. On Linux, 2.0.0 also
 works fine.
 
+.. _a_started_depend_docs:
+
+Building Documentation
+----------------------
+
+If you installed novelWriter from a package, the documentation should be included. If you're running
+novelWriter from the source code, a local copy of this documentation can be generated. It requires
+the following Python packages on Debian and Ubuntu.
+
+* ``python3-sphinx``
+* ``python3-sphinxcontrib.qthelp``
+
+Or from PyPi:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+   pip install sphinx sphinxcontrib-qthelp
+
+To build the help packages from the documentation source, run
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+   ./setup.py qthelp
+
+from the root source folder.
 
 .. _a_started_running:
 

nw/gui/mainmenu.py

@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@
 import logging
 import nw
 
-from PyQt5.QtCore import QUrl
+from os import path
+
+from PyQt5.QtCore import QUrl, QProcess
 from PyQt5.QtGui import QDesktopServices
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QMenuBar, QAction, QMessageBox
 
@@ -47,6 +49,10 @@ class GuiMainMenu(QMenuBar):
         self.theParent  = theParent
         self.theProject = theParent.theProject
 
+        self.assistProc = None
+        self.helpPath = path.join(self.mainConf.assetPath, "help", "novelWriter.qhc")
+        self.hasHelp = path.isfile(self.helpPath)
+
         self._buildProjectMenu()
         self._buildDocumentMenu()
         self._buildEditMenu()
@@ -67,6 +73,10 @@ class GuiMainMenu(QMenuBar):
 
         return
 
+    ##
+    #  Methods
+    ##
+
     def setAvailableRoot(self):
         for itemClass in nwItemClass:
             if itemClass == nwItemClass.NO_CLASS: continue
@@ -76,6 +86,25 @@ class GuiMainMenu(QMenuBar):
             )
         return
 
+    def closeHelp(self):
+        """Close the process used for the Qt Assistant, if it is open.
+        """
+        if self.assistProc is None:
+            return
+
+        if self.assistProc.state() == QProcess.Starting:
+            if self.assistProc.waitForStarted(10000):
+                self.assistProc.terminate()
+            else:
+                self.assistProc.kill()
+
+        elif self.assistProc.state() == QProcess.Running:
+            self.assistProc.terminate()
+            if not self.assistProc.waitForFinished(10000):
+                self.assistProc.kill()
+
+        return
+
     ##
     #  Update Menu on Settings Changed
     ##
@@ -134,10 +163,21 @@ class GuiMainMenu(QMenuBar):
         msgBox.aboutQt(self.theParent,"About Qt")
         return True
 
-    def _openHelp(self):
-        """Open the documentation URL in the system's default browser.
+    def _openAssistant(self):
+        """Open the documentation in Qt Assistant.
         """
-        QDesktopServices.openUrl(QUrl(nw.__docurl__))
+        self.assistProc = QProcess(self)
+        self.assistProc.start("assistant", [
+            "-collectionFile", self.helpPath, "-enableRemoteControl"
+        ])
+        if not self.assistProc.waitForStarted(20000):
+            return False
+        return True
+
+    def _openWebsite(self, theUrl):
+        """Open an URL in the system's default browser.
+        """
+        QDesktopServices.openUrl(QUrl(theUrl))
         return True
 
     def _openIssue(self):
@@ -818,17 +858,27 @@ class GuiMainMenu(QMenuBar):
         # Help > Separator
         self.helpMenu.addSeparator()
 
-        # Document > Preview
-        self.aHelp = QAction("Online Documentation", self)
-        self.aHelp.setStatusTip("View online documentation")
+        # Document > Documentation
+        self.aHelp = QAction("Documentation", self)
+        if self.hasHelp:
+            self.aHelp.setStatusTip("View local documentation with Qt Assistant")
+            self.aHelp.triggered.connect(self._openAssistant)
+        else:
+            self.aHelp.setStatusTip("View online documentation")
+            self.aHelp.triggered.connect(lambda: self._openWebsite(nw.__docurl__))
         self.aHelp.setShortcut("F1")
-        self.aHelp.triggered.connect(self._openHelp)
         self.helpMenu.addAction(self.aHelp)
 
+        # Document > Go to Website
+        self.aWebsite = QAction("Open the novelWriter Website", self)
+        self.aWebsite.setStatusTip("View the main website")
+        self.aWebsite.triggered.connect(lambda: self._openWebsite(nw.__url__))
+        self.helpMenu.addAction(self.aWebsite)
+
         # Document > Report Issue
         self.aIssue = QAction("Report an Issue", self)
-        self.aIssue.setStatusTip("View online documentation")
-        self.aIssue.triggered.connect(self._openIssue)
+        self.aIssue.setStatusTip("Report a bug or issue on GitHub")
+        self.aIssue.triggered.connect(lambda: self._openWebsite(nw.__issuesurl__))
         self.helpMenu.addAction(self.aIssue)
 
         return

nw/guimain.py

@@ -892,6 +892,7 @@ class GuiMain(QMainWindow):
 
         self.mainConf.saveConfig()
         self.reportConfErr()
+        self.mainMenu.closeHelp()
 
         qApp.quit()
 

setup.py

@@ -17,10 +17,14 @@ if "qthelp" in sys.argv:
     sys.argv.remove("qthelp")
 
 if buildDocs:
-    inFile  = os.path.join("docs", "build", "qthelp", "novelWriter.qhcp")
-    outFile = os.path.join("docs", "build", "qthelp", "novelWriter.qhc")
-    helpDir = os.path.join("nw", "assets", "help")
-    dstFile = os.path.join(helpDir, "novelWriter.qhc")
+
+    buildDir = os.path.join("docs", "build", "qthelp")
+    helpDir  = os.path.join("nw", "assets", "help")
+
+    inFile  = "novelWriter.qhcp"
+    outFile = "novelWriter.qhc"
+    datFile = "novelWriter.qch"
+
     print("")
     print("Building Documentation")
     print("======================")
@@ -35,7 +39,7 @@ if buildDocs:
         buildFail = True
 
     try:
-        subprocess.call(["qhelpgenerator", inFile])
+        subprocess.call(["qhelpgenerator", os.path.join(buildDir, inFile)])
     except Exception as e:
         print("Failed with error:")
         print(str(e))
@@ -50,9 +54,12 @@ if buildDocs:
             buildFail = True
 
     try:
-        if os.path.isfile(dstFile):
-            os.unlink(dstFile)
-        os.rename(outFile, dstFile)
+        if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(helpDir, outFile)):
+            os.unlink(os.path.join(helpDir, outFile))
+        if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(helpDir, datFile)):
+            os.unlink(os.path.join(helpDir, datFile))
+        os.rename(os.path.join(buildDir, outFile), os.path.join(helpDir, outFile))
+        os.rename(os.path.join(buildDir, datFile), os.path.join(helpDir, datFile))
     except Exception as e:
         print("Failed with error:")
         print(str(e))