org.netbeans.api.javahelp
Class Help

java.lang.Object
  org.netbeans.api.javahelp.Help

public abstract class Help
extends Object

An implementation of the JavaHelp system. Get the concrete instance using lookup.

Constructor Summary

protected

Help() constructor for subclasses

Method Summary

abstract void	addChangeListener(ChangeListener l) Add a change listener for when help sets change.
abstract Boolean	isValidID(String id, boolean force) Test whether a given ID is valid in some known helpset.
abstract void	removeChangeListener(ChangeListener l) Remove a change listener.
void	showHelp(HelpCtx ctx) Shows help.
abstract void	showHelp(HelpCtx ctx, boolean showmaster) Shows help.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

Help

protected Help()

constructor for subclasses

Method Detail

isValidID

public abstract Boolean isValidID(String id,
                                  boolean force)

Test whether a given ID is valid in some known helpset. In lazy mode, should be a fast operation; if in doubt say you do not know.

Parameters:

id - the ID to check for validity

force - if false, do not do too much work (be lazy) and if necessary return null; if true, must return non-null (meaning the call may block loading helpsets)

Returns:

whether it is valid, if this is known; else may be null (only permitted when force is false)

showHelp

public void showHelp(HelpCtx ctx)

Shows help.

Note that for basic usage it may suffice to call HelpCtx.display(), avoiding any direct dependency on this module.

Parameters:

ctx - help context

showHelp

public abstract void showHelp(HelpCtx ctx,
                              boolean showmaster)

Shows help.

Parameters:

ctx - help context

showmaster - whether to force the master helpset to be shown (full navigators) even though the supplied ID only applies to one subhelpset

addChangeListener

public abstract void addChangeListener(ChangeListener l)

Add a change listener for when help sets change.

Parameters:

l - the listener to add

removeChangeListener

public abstract void removeChangeListener(ChangeListener l)

Remove a change listener.

Parameters:

l - the listener to remove