Windows HTML Help offers users system, which makes possible to display certain topic exactly concerned about part of application that was user using when he asked for help. For example, if user needs help on "Image properties dialog", and this dialog is displayed as user presses F1 for help, topic referring exactly about "Image properties dialog" is showed. This system is called context sensitive help.
How it works:
- In your application you must assign unique number (ID) to every component (usually form), that should provide context sensitive help. Usually development environment for programming language you are using provides some way how to do this.
- In your HTML Help you have to assign these unique numbers (IDs) to topics.
In Helptrix Author is the second step provided by Context Help ID tool. This tool is designed for assigning context sensitive help IDs from application to topics in book.
HTML with frames
If you want to use context sensitive help in the HTML output with the frames, use Context Help ID tool as described bellow. When output is created, you can invoke specific topic by calling "index.html" file with question mark followed by some id (number). For example, type into your browser "http://www.mycompany.com/myproduct/manual/index.html?25", assuming that path is specified correctly and some topic was assigned form with context help id 25.
To use Context Help ID tool select item Context Help ID from menu the Tools.
The tool window is displayed.
Window is divided to the two sections. Help Topic pane on the left is table of content of your book. Topics, which have already assigned some application form are shown with red icon, unassigned topics with blue. Application Forms pane on the right shows all application forms with their number IDs. Already assigned forms are shown with red icon, unassigned with blue. To find out current assignments click on already assigned topic on the left or already assigned form on the right and its matching pair is selected automatically in the opposite pane (see figure above). Your goal is to have all applications forms assigned to some topics, because each form must have matching pair. At the other hand, not every topic must be (and most likely would be not) assigned to some application form.
Note
More application forms may have the same ID number. In this case they are always treated together automatically.
To assign form's IDs to topics, follow these steps:
- Create list of application forms which IDs you want to assign to some topic in your book. a) You have your form records stored in the XML file. In this case, click Load File button. The Open file dialog is shown. Locate XML file you have created and click Open button. Tool will make local copy of specified file and this local copy will be then used each time you run Context Help ID tool until you load new XML file. b) Create forms records manually Click on New button to add the new form record (see figure bellow). Click on Edit button to change properties already existing form record or click Delete button to remove it. Click on Clear All button to remove all existing form records.
- To create new assignment select one unassigned help topic on left side and one unassigned application form on right side. Click Add button.
- To cancel existing assignment select assigned help topic on left side, or assigned application form on right side. Click Remove button.
- If you have finished assigning, click OK button. Changes will be saved to book immediately.
This window is used to add new or edit old form records. Form name is unique form identifier, usually form name in IDE of your programming language. Form caption is usually form title bar. Context Help ID is number that you have assigned to form in your programming language IDE. Click OK to add new form record or change properties of old one.