org.eclipse.help/Eclipse Help/org/eclipse/help/IHelp.java

package org.eclipse.help;

/*
 * Licensed Materials - Property of IBM,
 * WebSphere Studio Workbench
 * (c) Copyright IBM Corp 2000
 */

import java.lang.*;

/**
 * Interface to the help system UI.
 * <p>
 * The Eclipse platform defines an extension point 
 * (<code>"org.eclipse.help.support"</code>) for plugging in a help system UI.
 * The help system UI is entirely optional.
 * Clients may provide a UI for presenting help to the user by implementing this
 * interface and including the name of their class in the 
 * <code>&LT;config&GT;</code> element in an extension to the platform's help 
 * support extension point (<code>"org.eclipse.help.support"</code>).
 * </p>
 * <p>
 * Note that an implementation of the help system UI is provided by the 
 * <code>"org.eclipse.help.ui"</code> plug-in (This plug-in is not 
 * mandatory, and can be removed). Since the platform can only make use of a 
 * single help system UI implementation, make sure that the platform is not 
 * configured with more than one plug-in trying to extend this extension point.
 * </p>
 */
public interface IHelp {

	/**
	 * Displays context-sensitive help for contexts with the given context ids.
	 * <p>
	 * (x,y) coordinates specify the location where the context sensitive
	 * help UI will be presented. These coordinates are screen-relative 
	 * (ie: (0,0) is the top left-most screen corner).
	 * The platform is responsible for calling this method and supplying the 
	 * appropriate location.
	 * </p> 
	 * 
	 * @param contextIds a list of help context ids
	 * @param x horizontal position
	 * @param y verifical position
	 * @see #findContext
	 */
	public void displayHelp(String[] contextIds, int x, int y);
	/**
	 * Displays context-sensitive help for the given contexts.
	 * <p>
	 * (x,y) coordinates specify the location where the context sensitive 
	 * help UI will be presented. These coordinates are screen-relative 
	 * (ie: (0,0) is the top left-most screen corner).
	 * The platform is responsible for calling this method and supplying the 
	 * appropriate location.
	 * </p>
	 * 
	 * 
	 * @param contexts a list of help contexts
	 * @param x horizontal position
	 * @param y verifical position
	 */
	public void displayHelp(IContext[] contexts, int x, int y);
	/**
	 * Displays help content for the information set with the given id.
	 * <p>
	 * This method is called by the platform to launch the help system UI, displaying
	 * the documentation identified by the <code>infoSet</code> parameter.
	 * </p> 
	 * <p>
	 * In the current implementation of the Help system, valid information sets are 
	 * contributed through the <code>infoSet</code> element of the 
	 * <code>"org.eclipse.help.contributions"</code> extension point.   
	 * </p> 
	 *
	 * @param infoSet the information set id
	 */
	public void displayHelp(String infoSet);
	/**
	 * Computes and returns context information for the given context id.
	 * 
	 * @param contextId the context id
	 * @return the context, or <code>null</code> if none
	 */
	public IContext findContext(String contextId);
}