Context sensitive help

[pachjo]

Hi, in order to use the HelpButton on a form you need to set MinimizeBox and MaximizeBox to False and ControlBox to True.

This displays on the right of the forms titlebar a question mark button and the forms close button.

However you rightly do not see the minimize and maximize butons. The options do appear in the controlbox but are disabled.

Question is if you supply a help button on your form is it the case you lose the ability to minimize your form?

I have coded a button to do the job, but I think it looks messy

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[JohnH]

The HelpButton is usually only used with dialogboxes that don't normally have minimize/maximize. If you needed those control buttons for the form it would probably be a better idea to provide a regular button on form that brought up a help document.

I found this article where you can see different help interface options: Help Authoring in .NET

 

[pachjo]

Hi, thanks for the tip! I shall amend my application accordingly.

I am all for free and easy, with emphasis on the easy....oh and the free to so I was happy to come across this on my search for how to create help files:

http://www.ibe-software.com/products/software/helpndoc/

It is extremely easy to use and is free too!

 

[JohnH]

That looks good, I will try it later. Thanks!

 

[pachjo]

You are welcome. I am well impressed with it as I have completed a third of the required help for my application already this morning

I like the idea of using apps like this that remove the need for me to learn HTML, XML or whatever distracting me from my main application development.

I will learn those topics when I really need them....

enjoy, hope you find it as good as I do