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Implementing "What's This?" HTML Help

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"What's This?" Help is similar to context-sensitive Help because it provides Help related to the specific object or control that currently has focus.

For WinHelp, instead of invoking the Help file and displaying the Help topic in the full default-sized Help window, "What's This?" Help displays the topic in a small pop-up window that disappears as soon as the user clicks anywhere on the screen. "What's This?" Help is useful for providing brief tip-style descriptions or definitions for specific controls.

Unlike WinHelp, HTML "What's This?" Help is displayed in the full default-sized Help window.

You associate "What's This?" Help with a particular form, form control, or toolbar by setting its WhatsThisHelpID property to a number representing a specific topic in your Help file.

Use the following properties and methods to implement "What's This?" Help:

Property Description
WhatsThisHelp Set this property to true (.T.) on a form to enable "What's This?" Help for the form and any controls on the form.
WhatsThisButton Set this property to true (.T.) if you want a "What's This?" Help button to appear in the title bar of the form.
WhatsThisHelpID For a form, control, or toolbar, set this property to an ID number corresponding to a topic in your HTML Help file.
WhatsThisMode Use this method to display the "What's This?" Help question mark mouse pointer and enable "What's This?" Help mode. Clicking an object displays the "What's This?" Help topic specified by the WhatsThisHelpID property for the object.

To implement "What's This?" Help

  1. In design mode, open the form you want to enable "What's This?" Help for.
  2. Set the form's WhatsThisHelp property to true (.T.).
  3. To display a "What's This?" Help button in the form's title bar, set the form's WhatsThisButton property to true (.T.).
  4. To associate a "What's This?" Help topic with the form, set the form's WhatsThisHelpID property to an ID number corresponding to a topic in your HTML Help file.
  5. To associate a "What's This?" Help topic with a specific control on the form, select the control and set its WhatsThisHelpID property to an ID number corresponding to a topic in your HTML Help file.

See Also

Adding Context Sensitivity to HTML Help | Programming HTML Help Features | Creating Help | HTML Help