# com.bea.ide.ui.help
HelpSvc.I Interface

public static interface HelpSvc.I

The interface that must be implemented by a help service provider. Default implementation is `workshop.shell.help.HelpSvcImpl`. Please see `HelpSvc``` for a full description of the WebLogic Workshop help system.

Enclosing class
  `HelpSvc`

## Method Summary

`public void` | `displayHelp`(`String` topicPath) Obsolete method for displaying a help topic in the browser.
`public void` | `displayHelp`(`URL` url) Display a help topic in a browser.
`public `ArrayList`` | `getCoreHelpPaths`() Get the set of help paths that were defined in extension.xml files.
`public `String`` | `getHelpSummary`(`URL` url) Obtain a string representing a summary of the help topic specified by the URL; currently does nothing.
`public `String`` | `getHelpSummary`(`String` relativePath) Obtain a string representing a summary of the help topic specified by the relative path; currently does nothing.
`public void` | `indexHelp`() Force help content indexing and table of contents merge of all help on current help path.
`public `URL`` | `resolveContext`(`URI`[] aContextURNs) Resolve the given opaque URIs to a URL for a help topic.
`public void` | `resolveContextAsync`(`URI`[] aContextURNs) Attempt to resolve the given context URNs, in order, against the current entries in the help path.
`public void` | `resolveHelpTopicFromPath`(`String` topicPath) Attempt to resolve `topicPath` against the current help path.

## Method Detail

### displayHelp(String) Method

DEPRECATED

    public void displayHelp(String topicPath)

Obsolete method for displaying a help topic in the browser. Use `HelpSvc.I.resolveHelpTopicFromPath(String)``` or `HelpSvc.I.resolveContextAsync(URI[])``` instead.

#### Parameters

topicPath
  path to a help topic, relative to a `$locale` directory. For an explanation of the `$locale` placeholder, see Locales and Internationalization

### displayHelp(URL) Method

    public void displayHelp(URL url)

Display a help topic in a browser. Currently uses BrowserSvc.invokeBrowser().

#### Parameters

url
  URL of the help topic

### getCoreHelpPaths() Method

    public ArrayList getCoreHelpPaths()

Get the set of help paths that were defined in extension.xml files. These are considered the "core" help path entries.

### getHelpSummary(URL) Method

    public String getHelpSummary(URL url)

Obtain a string representing a summary of the help topic specified by the URL; currently does nothing.

#### Parameters

url
  URL of the help topic

#### Returns

string that contains a summary of the help topic (ex. First sentence of Javadoc)

### getHelpSummary(String) Method

    public String getHelpSummary(String relativePath)

Obtain a string representing a summary of the help topic specified by the relative path; currently does nothing.

#### Parameters

relativePath
  path to the help topic, relative to `$WL_HOME/workshop/help/doc/$locale`. For an explanation of the `$locale` placeholder, see Locales and Internationalization

#### Returns

string that contains a summary of the help topic (ex. First sentence of Javadoc)

### indexHelp() Method

    public void indexHelp()

Force help content indexing and table of contents merge of all help on current help path. This includes "core" help (workshop, integration, portal, wls) as well as external component (third-party control) help and any directories the user has added to the help path.

### resolveContext(URI[]) Method

    public URL resolveContext(URI[] aContextURNs)

Resolve the given opaque URIs to a URL for a help topic. May return null if the opaque URIs cannot be interpreted. Note: you should not call this method directly, as attempting resolution against multiple http: help path entries can perform very poorly. Call `HelpSvc.I.resolveContextAsync(URI[])``` instead, which will attempt resolution on a separate thread.

#### Parameters

aContextURNs
  An array of help context URNs.

#### Returns

A URL that may be passed to displayHelp() or getHelpSummary()

### resolveContextAsync(URI[]) Method

    public void resolveContextAsync(URI[] aContextURNs)

Attempt to resolve the given context URNs, in order, against the current entries in the help path. If a URN resolves to a topic, that topic is displayed in the user's default browser. If no URI resolves to a topic or `aContextURNs` is null or empty, the fallback help topic is displayed. Help topic resolution is performed on a non-AWT thread.

#### Parameters

aContextURNs
  An ordered array of help context URNs. Resolution will be attempted in order. The array may contain, for example, URNs representing a hierarchy of classes in decreasing order of specificity.

### resolveHelpTopicFromPath(String) Method

    public void resolveHelpTopicFromPath(String topicPath)

Attempt to resolve `topicPath` against the current help path. This is really a shortcut for creating a URI from topicPath and passing it to `HelpSvc.I.resolveContextAsync(URI[])```. If `topicPath` does not resolve against any entry in the help path, the fallback help topic will be displayed.

#### Parameters

topicPath
  relative path to a help topic, relative to an entry on the current help path. Do not include `$locale` or the help path entry's "directory" in `topicPath`. For example, to display the topic .../en/workshop/guide/Foo.html, the value of topicPath should be `guide/Foo.html`.