feat(desktop): add WebView2 help window with F1 topics and pinned help packaging

Help > OpenNest Help (F1) and context F1 in Auto Nest and the CAD Converter open
the bundled opennest-help site in a single WebView2 window on its own UI thread.
Both packaging scripts install the opennest-help release pinned in
scripts/help.json, verified by SHA-256. The missing lead-in finding now says
the contour is missing lead-in geometry.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

AGENTS.md

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ OpenNest is a .NET 8 Windows CNC-nesting application with cross-platform librari
 
 - Prefer Roslyn Bridge MCP for symbols, references and diagnostics when available; fall back to text search.
 - Use `var` for locals and namespaces matching project directories. Follow `.editorconfig`; format only changed C# files with `dotnet format OpenNest.sln --include <paths>`, then repeat with `--verify-no-changes`. On Linux, prefix both commands with `EnableWindowsTargeting=true`.
-- Keep instructions concise: commands, boundaries and non-obvious safeguards, not class inventories or session history. Update affected instructions and user-facing docs with behavior/build changes; put detailed contracts in `docs/`.
+- Keep instructions concise: commands, boundaries and non-obvious safeguards, not class inventories or session history. Update affected instructions and user-facing docs with behavior/build changes; put detailed contracts in `docs/`. User guides and their screenshots live in the separate `ajisaacs/opennest-help` repo: update or recapture them when a UI change alters a documented screen, and never rename a `HelpTopics` ID.
 - Never commit design specs, implementation plans, progress notes or temporary benchmark reports. Keep working records under local, ignored `.hermes/plans/` or `.hermes/progress/`; retain reusable verification procedures in `docs/`.
 - Keep vendor manuals/full-text extracts out of source control unless redistribution is authorized. Write project-specific behavior summaries with citations, separating controller rules, machine macros and unconfirmed behavior.
 
@@ -68,3 +68,4 @@ Read the relevant contract before changing its behavior:
 - [Cincinnati CL](docs/cincinnati-post-output.md) and [CI Fiber](docs/cincinnati-ci-fiber-post-output.md)
 - [Fill verification](docs/performance/fill-verification.md): opt-in benchmarks, frozen oracles, Debug-only counters and predictor initialization. Zero Release counters do not prove work removal.
 - [Desktop auto-update](docs/auto-update.md): Velopack feed, `UpdateFeedUrl` setting and `Deploy-OpenNest.ps1`.
+- [Desktop help](docs/desktop-help.md): WebView2 help window, F1 topic IDs and the pinned help release both packaging scripts install.

OpenNest.Core/CNC/CuttingPlanning/ReleasedContourState.cs

@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public sealed class ReleasedContourState
                     Finish();
                     if (reportMissingLeadIns && !cutoff && !hasLead)
                         Add(new(PostVerificationKind.MissingLeadIn, plate, part, null,
-                            "A break cut has no nonzero placed lead-in motion.")
+                            "A break cut is missing lead-in geometry.")
                         { Location = move.Curve.Start }, owned);
                     inBreakCut = true;
                     hasLead = false;
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ public sealed class ReleasedContourState
                     contourNumber++;
                     if (reportMissingLeadIns && !cutoff && !hasLead)
                         Add(new(PostVerificationKind.MissingLeadIn, plate, part, null,
-                            $"Cutting contour {contourNumber} has no nonzero placed lead-in motion.")
+                            $"Cutting contour {contourNumber} is missing lead-in geometry.")
                         { Location = move.Curve.Start }, owned);
                     hasLead = false;
                     // A rapid can pause/reposition without leaving any material gap.

OpenNest.WinForms.Tests/HelpTopicsTests.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+using OpenNest.Help;
+
+namespace OpenNest.WinForms.Tests;
+
+public class HelpTopicsTests : IDisposable
+{
+    private readonly string directory = Directory.CreateTempSubdirectory("opennest-help-").FullName;
+
+    public void Dispose() => Directory.Delete(directory, recursive: true);
+
+    private void WriteTopics(string json) => File.WriteAllText(Path.Combine(directory, "topics.json"), json);
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void MapsTopicToItsPageAndAnchor()
+    {
+        WriteTopics("""{ "topics": { "home": "index.html", "auto-nest": "first-nest.html#run-auto-nest" } }""");
+
+        Assert.Equal("first-nest.html#run-auto-nest", HelpTopics.ResolvePage(directory, HelpTopics.AutoNest));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void UnknownTopicOpensTheHomeTopic()
+    {
+        WriteTopics("""{ "topics": { "home": "welcome.html" } }""");
+
+        Assert.Equal("welcome.html", HelpTopics.ResolvePage(directory, "not-a-topic"));
+    }
+
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData(null)]
+    [InlineData("not json")]
+    [InlineData("""{ "pages": {} }""")]
+    public void MissingOrUnreadableTopicsFallBackToIndex(string json)
+    {
+        if (json != null)
+            WriteTopics(json);
+
+        Assert.Equal("index.html", HelpTopics.ResolvePage(directory, HelpTopics.Post));
+    }
+}

OpenNest/Forms/AutoNestForm.cs

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
 using System.Windows.Forms;
 using OpenNest.Controls;
 using OpenNest.Engine;
+using OpenNest.Help;
 
 namespace OpenNest.Forms
 {
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ namespace OpenNest.Forms
             LoadDrawings(nest);
             LoadDefaultPlateOptions();
             SetPlateOptimizerVisible(false);
+            HelpTopics.Attach(this, HelpTopics.AutoNest);
 
             partsGrid.DataError += PartsGrid_DataError;
         }

OpenNest/Forms/CadConverterForm.cs

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ using OpenNest.CNC;
 using OpenNest.Controls;
 using OpenNest.Converters;
 using OpenNest.Geometry;
+using OpenNest.Help;
 using OpenNest.IO;
 using OpenNest.IO.Bending;
 using OpenNest.TabbedCutouts;
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ namespace OpenNest.Forms
         public CadConverterForm()
         {
             InitializeComponent();
+            HelpTopics.Attach(this, HelpTopics.ImportDrawings);
 
             fileList.SelectedIndexChanged += OnFileSelected;
             filterPanel.FilterChanged += OnFilterChanged;

OpenNest/Forms/MainForm.cs

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ using System.Windows.Forms;
 using OpenNest.Engine.BestFit;
 using OpenNest.Engine.Jobs;
 using OpenNest.Forms.Commands;
+using OpenNest.Help;
 using OpenNest.IO;
 using OpenNest.Properties;
 
@@ -119,6 +120,7 @@ namespace OpenNest.Forms
             mnuFile.DropDownItems.Insert(mnuFile.DropDownItems.IndexOf(mnuFileExport), exportNestMenu);
             mnuFile.DropDownItems.Insert(mnuFile.DropDownItems.IndexOf(mnuFileExit), storageModeMenu);
             InitializeAlignMenu();
+            InitializeHelpMenu();
             UpdateOverlapMenu();
             MainWindowSettings.Load(this);
 
@@ -160,6 +162,17 @@ namespace OpenNest.Forms
 
         private UpdaterStatus updaterStatus;
 
+        private void InitializeHelpMenu()
+        {
+            var contents = new ToolStripMenuItem("OpenNest &Help") { ShortcutKeys = Keys.F1 };
+            contents.Click += (_, _) => HelpTopics.Show(this, HelpTopics.Home);
+            var firstNest = new ToolStripMenuItem("&Your First Nest");
+            firstNest.Click += (_, _) => HelpTopics.Show(this, HelpTopics.FirstNest);
+            var help = new ToolStripMenuItem("&Help");
+            help.DropDownItems.AddRange(new ToolStripItem[] { contents, firstNest });
+            menuStrip1.Items.Add(help);
+        }
+
         private static ToolStripButton CreateActionButton(string name, string text, Image image,
             EventHandler click)
         {

OpenNest/Help/HelpForm.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+using System;
+using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.Drawing;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+using System.Threading;
+using System.Windows.Forms;
+using Microsoft.Web.WebView2.Core;
+using Microsoft.Web.WebView2.WinForms;
+
+namespace OpenNest.Help
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Single help window hosting the bundled HTML in WebView2. The help folder is served
+    /// from a private virtual host so the site's search and scripts run as on a web server.
+    /// The window runs its own UI thread, so modal dialogs in the app never disable it:
+    /// F1 in a dialog opens help that can be scrolled and searched while the dialog is open.
+    /// </summary>
+    public sealed class HelpForm : Form
+    {
+        private const string Host = "help.opennest.local";
+        private static readonly string Origin = $"https://{Host}/";
+        private static readonly TimeSpan StartTimeout = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10);
+
+        private static readonly object Sync = new();
+        private static HelpForm instance;
+
+        private readonly WebView2 browser = new() { Dock = DockStyle.Fill };
+        private string pendingPage;
+        private bool ready;
+
+        private HelpForm(string page)
+        {
+            pendingPage = page;
+            Text = "OpenNest Help";
+            Icon = Icon.ExtractAssociatedIcon(Application.ExecutablePath);
+            StartPosition = FormStartPosition.Manual;
+            var area = Screen.FromPoint(Cursor.Position).WorkingArea;
+            Size = new Size(System.Math.Min(1100, area.Width), System.Math.Min(900, area.Height));
+            Location = new Point(area.Right - Width, area.Top);
+            Controls.Add(browser);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>Shows <paramref name="page"/> (relative to the help folder) in the help window.</summary>
+        public static void ShowPage(string page)
+        {
+            lock (Sync)
+            {
+                var open = instance;
+                if (open != null && !open.IsDisposed)
+                {
+                    try
+                    {
+                        open.BeginInvoke(() => open.Reveal(page));
+                        return;
+                    }
+                    catch (InvalidOperationException)
+                    {
+                        // Closed between the check and the call: start a new window below.
+                    }
+                }
+
+                using var started = new ManualResetEventSlim();
+                var thread = new Thread(() =>
+                {
+                    var form = new HelpForm(page);
+                    form.HandleCreated += (_, _) => started.Set();
+                    instance = form;
+                    Application.Run(form);
+                })
+                {
+                    IsBackground = true,
+                    Name = "OpenNest Help",
+                };
+                thread.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA);
+                thread.Start();
+                started.Wait(StartTimeout);
+            }
+        }
+
+        private void Reveal(string page)
+        {
+            if (WindowState == FormWindowState.Minimized)
+                WindowState = FormWindowState.Normal;
+            Activate();
+            Navigate(page);
+        }
+
+        protected override async void OnLoad(EventArgs e)
+        {
+            base.OnLoad(e);
+            try
+            {
+                var dataFolder = Path.Combine(
+                    Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData),
+                    "OpenNest", "WebView2");
+                var environment = await CoreWebView2Environment.CreateAsync(null, dataFolder);
+                await browser.EnsureCoreWebView2Async(environment);
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex) when (ex is WebView2RuntimeNotFoundException or COMException or IOException
+                                           or UnauthorizedAccessException)
+            {
+                MessageBox.Show(this,
+                    "OpenNest Help needs the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime, which could not be started.\n\n"
+                    + ex.Message,
+                    "OpenNest Help", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Warning);
+                Close();
+                return;
+            }
+
+            var core = browser.CoreWebView2;
+            core.SetVirtualHostNameToFolderMapping(Host, HelpTopics.Directory,
+                CoreWebView2HostResourceAccessKind.DenyCors);
+            core.Settings.AreDevToolsEnabled = false;
+            core.Settings.IsStatusBarEnabled = false;
+            core.NavigationStarting += Core_NavigationStarting;
+            core.NewWindowRequested += Core_NewWindowRequested;
+            // Site page titles already end in "OpenNest Help".
+            core.DocumentTitleChanged += (_, _) => Text = core.DocumentTitle;
+
+            ready = true;
+            if (pendingPage != null)
+                Navigate(pendingPage);
+        }
+
+        private void Navigate(string page)
+        {
+            if (!ready)
+            {
+                pendingPage = page;
+                return;
+            }
+
+            pendingPage = null;
+            browser.CoreWebView2.Navigate(Origin + page.TrimStart('/'));
+        }
+
+        // Help pages stay in this window; anything off-site opens in the user's browser.
+        private static void Core_NavigationStarting(object sender, CoreWebView2NavigationStartingEventArgs e)
+        {
+            if (IsHelpPage(e.Uri))
+                return;
+            e.Cancel = true;
+            OpenExternally(e.Uri);
+        }
+
+        private void Core_NewWindowRequested(object sender, CoreWebView2NewWindowRequestedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            e.Handled = true;
+            if (IsHelpPage(e.Uri))
+                browser.CoreWebView2.Navigate(e.Uri);
+            else
+                OpenExternally(e.Uri);
+        }
+
+        private static bool IsHelpPage(string uri) =>
+            uri.StartsWith(Origin, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) || uri.StartsWith("about:", StringComparison.Ordinal);
+
+        private static void OpenExternally(string uri)
+        {
+            if (!Uri.TryCreate(uri, UriKind.Absolute, out var parsed)
+                || (parsed.Scheme != Uri.UriSchemeHttps && parsed.Scheme != Uri.UriSchemeHttp))
+                return;
+            Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo(parsed.AbsoluteUri) { UseShellExecute = true });
+        }
+    }
+}

OpenNest/Help/HelpTopics.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using System.Windows.Forms;
+
+namespace OpenNest.Help
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Opens the bundled help (built from the ajisaacs/opennest-help repository) at a topic.
+    /// Topic IDs are a stable contract: the help's <c>topics.json</c> maps each ID to a page,
+    /// so pages can move without app changes. Never rename an ID the app uses.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static class HelpTopics
+    {
+        public const string Home = "home";
+        public const string FirstNest = "first-nest";
+        public const string ImportDrawings = "import-drawings";
+        public const string AutoNest = "auto-nest";
+        public const string Post = "post";
+
+        /// <summary>Overrides the help folder, e.g. a local opennest-help <c>site/</c> build.</summary>
+        public const string DirectoryVariable = "OPENNEST_HELP_DIR";
+
+        public static string Directory
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                var overridden = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(DirectoryVariable);
+                return string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(overridden)
+                    ? Path.Combine(Application.StartupPath, "Help")
+                    : overridden;
+            }
+        }
+
+        public static bool IsInstalled => File.Exists(Path.Combine(Directory, "index.html"));
+
+        /// <summary>Opens <paramref name="topic"/> when F1 is pressed anywhere in <paramref name="form"/>.</summary>
+        public static void Attach(Form form, string topic)
+        {
+            form.HelpRequested += (_, e) =>
+            {
+                e.Handled = true;
+                Show(form, topic);
+            };
+        }
+
+        public static void Show(IWin32Window owner, string topic)
+        {
+            if (!IsInstalled)
+            {
+                MessageBox.Show(owner,
+                    $"Help is not installed. Expected it in:\n{Directory}",
+                    "OpenNest Help", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            HelpForm.ShowPage(ResolvePage(Directory, topic));
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>Maps a topic ID to a site-relative page, falling back to the home page.</summary>
+        public static string ResolvePage(string helpDirectory, string topic)
+        {
+            var topics = LoadTopics(helpDirectory);
+            if (topics.TryGetValue(topic, out var page))
+                return page;
+            return topics.TryGetValue(Home, out var home) ? home : "index.html";
+        }
+
+        private static Dictionary<string, string> LoadTopics(string helpDirectory)
+        {
+            var path = Path.Combine(helpDirectory, "topics.json");
+            try
+            {
+                using var document = JsonDocument.Parse(File.ReadAllText(path));
+                var topics = new Dictionary<string, string>(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+                foreach (var property in document.RootElement.GetProperty("topics").EnumerateObject())
+                    topics[property.Name] = property.Value.GetString();
+                return topics;
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex) when (ex is IOException or JsonException or KeyNotFoundException
+                                           or InvalidOperationException or UnauthorizedAccessException)
+            {
+                return new Dictionary<string, string>();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}

OpenNest/OpenNest.csproj

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
     <ProjectReference Include="..\Posts\OpenNest.Posts.Cincinnati\OpenNest.Posts.Cincinnati.csproj" ReferenceOutputAssembly="false" />
     <ProjectReference Include="..\Posts\OpenNest.Posts.CincinnatiCIFiber\OpenNest.Posts.CincinnatiCIFiber.csproj" ReferenceOutputAssembly="false" />
     <PackageReference Include="System.Drawing.Common" Version="8.0.10" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Web.WebView2" Version="1.0.2903.40" />
     <PackageReference Include="Velopack" Version="1.2.0" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>

docs/desktop-help.md

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# Desktop help
+
+User guides live in [ajisaacs/opennest-help](https://github.com/ajisaacs/opennest-help):
+Markdown pages plus annotated screenshots, built with MkDocs into offline HTML. This repo
+holds only the code that shows that HTML and the pin of which help release ships.
+
+## In the app
+
+- **Help > OpenNest Help** (F1 in the main window) opens the home topic;
+  **Help > Your First Nest** opens the tutorial.
+- A dialog opts in to context help with `HelpTopics.Attach(this, HelpTopics.<Topic>)`;
+  F1 anywhere in it opens that topic. Auto Nest and the CAD Converter do this today.
+- `HelpForm` is a single WebView2 window on its own STA thread, so modal dialogs never
+  disable it. It serves the help folder from the private virtual host
+  `https://help.opennest.local/`; off-site links open in the default browser. WebView2
+  data goes to `%LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenNest\WebView2`.
+- The help folder is `Help\` beside `OpenNest.exe`. Set `OPENNEST_HELP_DIR` to a local
+  opennest-help `site\` build to preview unreleased pages. Without either, the menu
+  explains that help is not installed.
+
+## Topic IDs
+
+`HelpTopics` constants are IDs, not file names. The help's `topics.json` maps each ID
+to a page or `page.html#anchor`, and its build fails if a mapped page is missing. An
+unknown ID falls back to the home page. Add the ID to `topics.json` (in the help repo)
+before using a new constant here, and never rename an existing ID.
+
+## Packaging
+
+`scripts/help.json` pins one opennest-help release (tag and SHA-256 of its
+`opennest-help.zip`). `scripts/Install-Help.ps1` downloads it, refuses a hash mismatch
+and expands it into the package's `Help\` folder; both `Publish-Windows.ps1` and
+`Deploy-OpenNest.ps1` call it, and `build-info.json` records the help version. Pass
+`-HelpDirectory <site folder>` to either script to package a local build instead.
+
+To ship new help: tag the help repo `vX.Y.Z`, wait for its release, then update `tag`
+and `sha256` here (the release attaches `opennest-help.zip.sha256`).
+
+When a UI change alters a documented screen or workflow, update or recapture the
+affected opennest-help pages (its README covers capture and markup).

docs/releasing.md

@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ pulls from GitHub every hour; it refuses pushes.
 4. Download the `OpenNest-X.Y.Z-win-x64` artifact and verify its `.sha256`.
    It contains `OpenNest.vX.Y.Z.win-x64.zip`, with the .NET runtime, native
    dependencies, shipped configurations, all three post-processors, license,
-   and `build-info.json` identifying the exact source commit. The nesting engines
+   the `Help` folder from the opennest-help release pinned in `scripts/help.json`
+   (see [desktop help](desktop-help.md)), and `build-info.json` identifying the exact
+   source commit and help version. The nesting engines
    are built into `OpenNest.Engine.dll`; no external engine repository or plug-in
    DLL is packaged. `scripts/ReleaseSmoke` loads the packaged engine assembly and
    checks that every built-in engine instantiates from it, that the renamed

scripts/Deploy-OpenNest.ps1

@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ Param(
     [string]$FeedHost,
     [string]$FeedUser = "aj",
     [Parameter(Mandatory)]
-    [string]$RemoteDataDir
+    [string]$RemoteDataDir,
+    # A built opennest-help site/ folder to package instead of the release pinned in help.json.
+    [string]$HelpDirectory
 )
 
 Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
@@ -55,6 +57,9 @@ Write-Host "Publishing self-contained build..."
 & dotnet publish $ProjectPath -c $PublishConfiguration -r win-x64 --self-contained true -o $PublishDir
 if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "dotnet publish failed with exit code $LASTEXITCODE" }
 
+$helpVersion = & (Join-Path $ScriptDir 'Install-Help.ps1') -Destination (Join-Path $PublishDir 'Help') -HelpDirectory $HelpDirectory
+Write-Host "Packaged help $helpVersion"
+
 Write-Host "Packing Velopack release v$Version..."
 & vpk pack -u OpenNest -v $Version -p $PublishDir -e OpenNest.exe -o $ReleasesDir
 if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "vpk pack failed with exit code $LASTEXITCODE" }

scripts/Install-Help.ps1

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+<#
+Put the OpenNest help site into a package's Help folder.
+
+By default this downloads the opennest-help release pinned in scripts/help.json and
+refuses it unless its SHA-256 matches. Pass -HelpDirectory to use a locally built
+site/ folder instead (e.g. while writing new help pages). Returns a short
+description of the help version for build-info.json.
+
+Example:
+  ./scripts/Install-Help.ps1 -Destination artifacts/OpenNest/Help
+  ./scripts/Install-Help.ps1 -Destination bin/publish/Help -HelpDirectory ../opennest-help/site
+#>
+[CmdletBinding()]
+param(
+    [Parameter(Mandatory)] [string] $Destination,
+    [string] $HelpDirectory
+)
+
+$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
+
+if (Test-Path $Destination) { throw "Refusing to overwrite existing help folder: $Destination" }
+
+if ($HelpDirectory) {
+    if (-not (Test-Path (Join-Path $HelpDirectory 'index.html'))) { throw "No help site in $HelpDirectory (index.html missing)." }
+    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $Destination | Out-Null
+    Copy-Item (Join-Path $HelpDirectory '*') $Destination -Recurse
+    return "local:$([IO.Path]::GetFullPath($HelpDirectory))"
+}
+
+$pin = Get-Content (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot 'help.json') -Raw | ConvertFrom-Json
+$version = "$($pin.repository)@$($pin.tag)"
+$zip = Join-Path ([IO.Path]::GetTempPath()) "opennest-help-$([guid]::NewGuid().ToString('N')).zip"
+try {
+    Invoke-WebRequest "https://github.com/$($pin.repository)/releases/download/$($pin.tag)/opennest-help.zip" -OutFile $zip -UseBasicParsing
+    $hash = (Get-FileHash $zip -Algorithm SHA256).Hash.ToLowerInvariant()
+    if ($hash -ne $pin.sha256) { throw "Help $version hash $hash does not match scripts/help.json." }
+    Expand-Archive -Path $zip -DestinationPath $Destination
+}
+finally { Remove-Item $zip -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue }
+return $version

scripts/Publish-Windows.ps1

@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ param(
     [Parameter(Mandatory)]
     [ValidatePattern('^(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)$')]
     [string] $Version,
-    [string] $OutputDirectory = 'artifacts'
+    [string] $OutputDirectory = 'artifacts',
+    # A built opennest-help site/ folder to package instead of the release pinned in help.json.
+    [string] $HelpDirectory
 )
 
 $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
@@ -39,6 +41,9 @@ try {
         if ($name -eq 'GravographIS') { Copy-Item "$staging/System.IO.Ports.dll" $package }
     }
 
+    # Help ships as the opennest-help release pinned in help.json, verified against its hash.
+    $helpVersion = & (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot 'Install-Help.ps1') -Destination (Join-Path $package 'Help') -HelpDirectory $HelpDirectory
+
     New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path (Join-Path $package 'Schemes') -Force | Out-Null
     Copy-Item LICENSE $package
     @{
@@ -46,6 +51,7 @@ try {
         sourceCommit = $commit
         runtime = 'win-x64'
         selfContained = $true
+        help = $helpVersion
     } | ConvertTo-Json | Set-Content (Join-Path $package 'build-info.json') -Encoding utf8NoBOM
 
     $required = @(
@@ -54,7 +60,8 @@ try {
         'onnxruntime.dll', 'System.IO.Ports.dll', 'Configurations/PipeFlangeShape.json',
         'Posts/OpenNest.Posts.Cincinnati.dll', 'Posts/OpenNest.Posts.Cincinnati.json',
         'Posts/OpenNest.Posts.CincinnatiCIFiber.dll', 'Posts/OpenNest.Posts.CincinnatiCIFiber.json',
-        'Posts/OpenNest.Posts.GravographIS.dll', 'LICENSE', 'build-info.json'
+        'Posts/OpenNest.Posts.GravographIS.dll', 'Help/index.html', 'Help/topics.json',
+        'LICENSE', 'build-info.json'
     )
     foreach ($file in $required) {
         if (-not (Test-Path (Join-Path $package $file) -PathType Leaf)) { throw "Package missing $file" }

scripts/help.json

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "repository": "ajisaacs/opennest-help",
+  "tag": "v0.1.0",
+  "sha256": ""
+}