Using the Help Tool

Index

Introduction
Starting the Help Tool
Description of a Help Specification
The Functions of the Help Tool

Introduction

The ST/X Help Tool allows you to build and maintain help-text dictionaries for graphical user interfaces.
You can define and/or modify the key <-> text associations, which specify the helptext to be displayed when the user moves the mouse pointer over a widget.

By default, the helpText dictionary is stored in the method helpSpec in the class protocol of the application.
Common help texts should be moved to a superclass of the application class to avoid having the texts around multiple times and to make changes easier.

Notice:
The texts as defined in the helpSpec are used as keys for national language translated variants, which are loaded from the application's resource file.

Starting the Help Tool

Normally, the Help Tool is embedded as a sub canvas in a GUI Painter or Menu Editor.
However, it may also be used stand alone. There are 2 ways to start the Help Tool:

by double-clicking in a System Browser on a resource method containing a help specification

by evaluating one of

UIHelpTool open

UIHelpTool openOnClass:anApplicationClass

Description of a Help Specification

The specification of a help resource is simply an array of pairs, each consisting of a help key and a help text. The help resource method has following format:

helpSpec

<resource: #help>

^super helpSpec addPairsFrom:

#(

#helpKey1
'This is the help text for the help key 1.'

#helpKey2
'This is the help text for the help key 2.'

...

)

The resource methods of the help specifications have to be implemented as class methods in subclasses of the class ApplicationModel. Other classes with window or menu resource methods should implement the #helpSpecClass-method, to specify the class which provides the help information.
The returned class should be a subclass of ApplicationModel:

For example:

helpSpecClass

^ApplicationModelSubclassWithTheHelpSpec

The Functions of the Help Tool

Help Key List	List of the help text keys.
Add Button	Adds a key.
Remove Button	Removes the help text key from the widget. Only available, if the Help Tool is embedded in a GUI Painter or Menu Editor.
Delete Button	Deletes the help text from the help spec.
Help Key Entry Field	Unique help text key.
Help Spec Classes List	List of the classes where help specs can be/are implemented.
Help Text Text Editor	Shows the help text. Help text which can be displayed in the application by redefining the help call `showHelp: aHelpText for: aView`, where `aHelpText` is the help text and `aView` is the widget instance invoked the call. Usually, this text is displayed in the application's help or info label; but its also possible to pop up an active help bubble.