[AccessD] Context sensitive help

[Anita Smith]

Paul

Yes, you got that exactly right. Sorry you had to read between the lines.

I also agree that help is more about company procedures. I do start off the topics on some of the forms that provide access to extensive/complicated data processing.

It takes me max an hour to set up using the system table to create a table of forms - drop a button on each form - job done.

The user can click the button on any form and read about the form functionality, office procedures and whatever they deem necessary.

Anita




-------- Original message --------
From: Paul Wolstenholme <Paul.W at industrialcontrol.co.nz>
Date: 26/10/21 8:09 am (GMT+10:00)
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Context sensitive help

Anita,

Attempting to read between the lines, I think you are saying that each of
your forms that has a help button will have its own help topic and that
certain users can create and edit the text of the topic - even if you
haven't provided the initial text.

I also find that the help often needs to be more about company procedures
than it does about operating the database tool we provide them.  That makes
us unqualified to invent all that they want to read and suggests that help
with user input should work better.

Paul Wolstenholme


On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 at 09:43, Anita Smith <anita at ddisolutions.com.au> wrote:

> Paul,
>
> Most of my database applications are self explanatory. I don't see any
> need for extensive help files explaining 'things' .
>
> Some forms however, require some explanation. Especially in relation to
> the office procedures for the users. Hence, I let them write their own
> topics where they deem necessary. This consist of a help button that when
> pressed, fires a function that opens the help form specific to the screen
> they are on. This 'Help' form is open to Admin or other nominated staff to
> edit as they see fit.
>
> This gets me off the hook when they ask for help files - I'm not doing
> help files - I've been there and done that and nobody reads them. An utter
> waste of my limited time on this planet.
>
> Anita
>
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Paul Wolstenholme <Paul.W at industrialcontrol.co.nz>
> Date: 26/10/21 6:35 am (GMT+10:00)
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving <
> accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] Context sensitive help
>
> Anita,
>
> I am interested.  Especially when you write "users can write their own ...
> help topic".  What is a topic and how does this relate to forms?
>
> Thanks,
> Paul Wolstenholme
>
>
> On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 at 11:21, Anita Smith <anita at ddisolutions.com.au>
> wrote:
>
> > As I'm simply too lazy to write extensive help files I've devised a
> system
> > where I have a help table of form names with a memo (help) field. I
> > populate this from the system objects when I've completed the
> application.
> >
> > I then dump a small help button on each screen that fires a function to
> > open a form displaying the help record for the current form.
> >
> > I start by writing help topics for the most complicated forms to kick it
> > off. I leave the help form open for edit so the users can write their own
> > notes/help topic as they go along. I also use rich text in the help field
> > to make it look more professional and allow them to highlight etc.
> >
> > Makes sense? If not I'll elaborate more if you are interested.
> >
> > Anita
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -------- Original message --------
> > From: John Colby <jwcolby at gmail.com>
> > Date: 20/10/21 3:17 am (GMT+10:00)
> > To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving <
> > accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
> > Subject: [AccessD] Context sensitive help
> >
> > ...In a galaxy far far away there was a help compiler which MS
> > discontinued.
> >
> > Is anyone building context sensitive help with the new HTML help system?
> > Does it actually respond to F1?  Discuss whatever control / form the
> cursor
> > is in?
> >
> > --
> > John W. Colby
> > Colby Consulting
> > --
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