Creating Database Help Documents
The benefits of creating online help within your application are obvious. Integrating information that assists users in understanding and using your application increases its usability and value. You can use the About Database and the Using Database tools to provide online help to the users. The following sections discuss these tools in more detail, and provide information about creating or editing the About and Using databases.
The About Database
The About database describes the purpose of the database. Optionally, this document can open automatically when a user opens the database. This document is available by selecting Help, About Database from the drop-down menu. The About database should include
The purpose of the database/application
The intended audience
The name and telephone number of the database manager
The date the database was implemented
Guidelines for the databases use
Network requirements
The About database can be set to automatically open with the following options:
When Opened in the Notes Client: Open About Database Document
Launch First Attachment in About Database
Launch First doclink in About Database
Show About Database Document If Modified
Show About Database Document when Database Is Opened for the First Time
The Using Database
The Using database describes instructions for using the database/ application. This document is available when you select Help, Using This Database from the drop-down menu. The Using Database should include
An overview of the database/application
The purpose of each view and its organization
The purpose of each form and how to complete it
The purpose of each agent, when it runs, when it is triggered, and the anticipated results
The workflow process described in detail
Creating or Editing the About or Using Database
To create or edit the About database or Using database document, go to Other, Database Resources section in the Notes Designer.
 | You cannot add fields, subforms, or actions on the About database or Using database document. However, you can create links, buttons, hotspots, and attachments. |
Context-sensitive help is available from the F1 key or Help button within an application. You can associate a help document with a page, form, subform, view, or folder by writing a formula for the HelpRequest event.
When providing help for a specific element, that setting overrides help already associated with that element.
Use @Command([OpenHelpDocument]) to specify which help documents to open or @Command([OpenPage]) to open a page. The HelpRequest event is not triggered for Web applications. However, you can still use @Command([OpenHelpDocument]) or @Command([OpenPage]) within a button located on the Web form or Web page.
Use formulas in the HelpRequest event to specify help based upon various conditions (such as if the document is new, if the document is being edited, field values, and so on).
Field help provides information for each respective field. Field help is an optional property for editable fields (located on the Advanced tab) that appears at the bottom of the Notes window when a field gets focus. Fields help can contain up to 70 characters but should be kept under 55 characters for multi-lingual applications (to allow for translation). Optionally, you can also use pop-up text for a field label for each respective field.
A help view can organize and display custom help documents
Create a link to a separate help database, which can be opened in a separate window (similar to the Notes Client, Notes Designer, and Notes Admin help).