[lmi] LMI Help Proposal

[Ericksberg, Richard]

LMI Help Proposal [represents how we want Help to work]

  Authors: Rick Ericksberg / Kara Raabe
  Date:    2006/05/16

Purpose

  To define how Help functionality will work in LMI.

Definitions / Explanations

  What was formally called "Context Help" is now called "What's This?"
  Help as Context Help [or Context Sensitive Help] is really a broader
  term and therefore a better name was needed.

  F1 Help is another form of Context Sensitive Help giving more detail
  than "What's This?" Help.

  The main help dialog window will be referred to as HTML Help.

  [Currently grayed out] Help Buttons will be removed from the modal
  dialogs in favor of F1 Help.

Tooltip

  What is it ?

    A little yellow box with text appearing over the control.

  How is it invoked ?

    Anytime the mouse pointer hovers over the control. Disappears when
    the pointer moves away.

  What does it give you ?

    A brief [one or two word] explanation of "what" the control is
   [e.g. Cut, Copy, Paste.]

  Where is it appropriate ?

    High-level controls [navigational] such as main window toolbar
    buttons that usually only have a picture.

  When is it available ?

    Always, whether or not the control is.

"What's This?" Help

  What is it ?

    A yellow box with text that appears in the vicinity of the control.

  How is it invoked ?

    1) By Clicking on the "?" button [i.e. activating the "? Cursor"]
       and then clicking the control [not preferred - shifts user's
       focus away from the control in question.]

    2) By right-clicking on the control [giving a "What's This?"
       pop-up] and then clicking the pop-up [preferred - keeps user's
       focus on the control in question.]

    Remains on the screen until the mouse is clicked or there is
    keyboard entry.

  What does it give you ?

    More detailed than a tooltip but brief explanation of the use of
    that field or some other useful information to help the user make
    a selection or provide a valid value for that field. Basically the
    minimum necessary to be able to understand the control. 

  Where is it appropriate ?

    Lower-level controls [data entry, selection etc.]

  When is it available ?

    Always, whether or not the control is. If there is no useful
    statement about a control, "What's This?" will evoke "Sorry Not
    Available..." or something like that.

F1 Help

  What is it ?

    A method to get to a specific location within HTML Help.

  How is it invoked ?

    By pressing F1 for any control that has the focus.

  What does it give you ?

    Launches HTML Help [if not already active.] The user will be
    located in HTML Help at an appropriate topic corresponding to the
    context of the control that has the focus. This gives the most
    detailed Help for a control.

    If no control has the focus, the user will be located at the top of
    the HTML Help dialog.

  Where is it appropriate ?

    Lower-level controls [data entry, selection etc.] same as "What's
    This?"

  When is it available ?

    Always, whether or not the control is.

HTML Help

  What is it ?

    The Main Help Dialog.

  How is it invoked ?

    1) By clicking the desired selection within the Help menu.

    2) By clicking the Help toolbar button which on the main window.

    3) As previously stated via F1 Help.

  What does it give you ?

    The standard Contents, Index and Search navigational facilities for
    Help. The most detailed Help.

  Where is it appropriate ?

    Its generic nature make it appropriate anywhere.

  When is it available ?

    Always. One caveat: When a modal window is active, the main menu
    and toolbar buttons are unavailable. However, HTML Help can still
    be accessed via F1 Help and normal navigation of it could proceed
    at that point.

End Proposal

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