Patent ID: 7024658
Filing Date: 2006-04-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of providing a help facility for a computer software application stored on a computer readable medium and executable on a computer, the method comprising: enabling an author to generate one or more help files that specify content to be displayed and at least one interactive link, the content associated with at least one user-activated step to take in connection with a help topic, wherein the interactive link when activated invokes an operation in the computer software application via an application programming interface of the computer software application to effect the at least one user-activated step associated with the specified content if a state of the computer software application is compatible with the at least one user-activated step; and enabling the help facility, while executing, to access the generated one or more help files upon detecting that the one or more help files exist in a predetermined location within a local file structure accessible to the help facility.