[AccessD] Context sensitive help

Mon Oct 25 17:51:49 CDT 2021

There is very little code involved - here are 5 steps needed:

1. Table Help - table with one row for each form:
HelpID
FormName (Text)
HelpTopicHeader (Text)
HelpMemo (Memo)

2. Query to populate the help table with form names:
INSERT INTO Help ( FormName )
SELECT MSysObjects.Name
FROM MSysObjects
WHERE (((MSysObjects.Type)=-32768));

3. Help Form
Create a nice form to display the help topic "frmHelp"
I use a rich text field for the Help Text as it allows the users to format the topic with highlights, bold, font size etc.

5. In a Module create a Public Function that opens the help form and displays the help record for the current form:
Public Function OpenHelp()
Dim sFormName As String
    sFormName = Screen.ActiveForm.Name
    DoCmd.OpenForm "frmHelp", , , "FormName = '" & sFormName & "'"
End Function

5. Place a Help Button on each form - as there is no code in the event procedure, the button can be copied and pasted freely :
[On click] Event =OpenHelp()

You can expand on this as need be, by opening the Help Form read only and providing an edit button that unlocks the form with a password or manage it according to the permissions of the user logged on. You can of course add more fields in the help table if you need to split the instructions into sections.

Hope this explains it, otherwise I can provide a sample.

Anita 

-----Original Message-----
From: AccessD <accessd-bounces+anita=ddisolutions.com.au at databaseadvisors.com> On Behalf Of John Colby
Sent: Tuesday, 26 October 2021 09:20
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Context sensitive help

Do you have a class and table that you'd like to share?

On Mon, Oct 25, 2021 at 5:59 PM Anita Smith <anita at ddisolutions.com.au>
wrote:

> 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
> > > --
> > > AccessD mailing list
> > > AccessD at databaseadvisors.com
> > > https://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd
> > > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com
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> > > AccessD at databaseadvisors.com
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> > > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com
> > >
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> >
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--
John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
--
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