helpKeyword

Type: String

Default Value: Null

If a help keyword is provided for a common dialog, the helpKeyword property of the CMDialog class contains the text that is used to access the help file when the user presses F1 for help while the focus is on that common dialog. This property must be set before the dialog is initiated by using the open method of the CMDialog subclass. The current keyword is the value of the helpKeyword property for the object that has the focus. If the helpKeyword property is empty and its helpContextId property is set to zero (0), the Contents section of the help file is requested.

If the helpFile property of the Application class is not set, no help file is opened. If the helpContextId property is also set, the help keyword is used in preference to the help context number. When a user presses F1 to request help, if the help file specifies a:

• Portable Document Format (PDF) file (detected by the .pdf file suffix), JADE attempts to execute Adobe Acrobat to handle the file. JADE checks the Windows registry for the Adobe Reader (AcroRd32) or for the acrobat executable program. If Adobe Reader is not found, the help request is ignored and entries explaining the cause of the failure are output to the jommsg.log file. If Adobe Reader is located, it is initiated for the PDF help file defined in JADE.

  For a helpKeyword help request, the helpKeyword property is passed to Acrobat as a named destination, which Acrobat uses to position the help file display. As there are no equivalent concepts in a PDF file of any other type of help request (for example, helpContextId, index request, and so on), only the first page of the PDF file is displayed for a help request other than one using the helpKeyword property.

• Windows help file (detected by the .hlp file suffix), JADE automatically calls help and requests the topic identified by the current helpKeyword property or the helpContextId property.

• Compiled help file (detected by the .chm file suffix), JADE calls the HtmlHelp entry point of the htmlhelp.dll file and requests the topic identified by the current helpKeyword property or the helpContextId property. You can use the compiled help file (.chm) format files when producing online help for HTML thin client applications, for example.

• The helpKeyword property can contain a help file name before the keyword, separated by a semicolon. This help file (which can be a .pdf, .hlp, or .chm file) is specific to this helpKeyword property, and overrides the default value, as shown in the following examples.

  btnHelp_click(btn: Button input) updating;
  vars
  begin
      if fldFolder.topSheet = shtSelect then
          btn.helpKeyword := "DevRef.pdf;selectinglibraryacxautomationdrg10";
      elseif fldFolder.topSheet =  shtLibrary then
          btn.helpKeyword := "DevRef.pdf;namelibrary_activex";
      elseif fldFolder.topSheet =  shtObjects then
          btn.helpKeyword := "DevRef.pdf;namingobjectclassesacxautomationdrg10";
      elseif fldFolder.topSheet =  shtInterfaces then
          btn.helpKeyword := "DevRef.pdf;naminginterfacesacxautomationdrg10";
      elseif fldFolder.topSheet =  shtConstants then
          btn.helpKeyword := "DevRef.pdf;namingconstantsacxautomationdrg10";
      endif;
      btn.showHelp;
  end;

  myForm.helpKeyword := "formHelpfile.pdf;formKeyword";

  Although it is more efficient to use a single help file, specified in the Help File text box on the Application sheet of the Define Application dialog, this feature is intended for situations in which multiple help files are required for a single application.

• When handling automatic Help menu items, if a helpContextId or helpKeyword property is specified on the Help menu Index automatic menu item, the destination of the help is based on the value of the helpContextId or helpKeyword property. In addition, the click event method is not executed.

For more details, see "Creating Context Links to Your Own Application Help File", in Chapter 2 of the JADE Development Environment User’s Guide.