Developer Reference / AOS API Document / HNS
VO Help Navigation System
Date: 5 Feb. 2001
Available: 4 Feb. 2001
Last revision: 10 April 2001
Status: Draft
Compliant to AOS API Version: AOS 2.0b1
Revision: 2
Web: http://www.afteroffice.com/dev/api/HNS.html
By fui@afteroffice.com
Description
This API covered online help system implementing in VO. Developer may creates help content based on HNS to offer an integrated help system throughout VO.
HNS is a universal online help system to provide consistent interface for VO users. It provides easy interface for developer to make use of it for the first time, plus automatic topic management and index for searching and reference. No maintenance required for future upgrade.
Revision
1 (9 April 2000) Added simple SSI to support more customizable appearance.
2 (10 April 2000) Added note on escape use of the the [].
Usage
To use HNS, the following JavaScript must be included in the HTML file Header:
<script language=“JavaScript” src=“http://aoimg.com/js/vohelp.js”></script>
For example:
<html>
<head>
<title></title>
<script language=“JavaScript” src=“http://aoimg.com/js/vohelp.js”></script>
</head>
To show the help link on your page, use the following code:
Link with icon:
<a href=“javascript:vohelp('[SID]','[the.help.file]')”><img src=“http://aoimg.com/menu/help14.gif” border=0 width=14 height=14></a>
Link without icon:
<a href=“javascript:vohelp('[SID]','[the.help.file]')”>Help</a>
Where [SID] = the VO unique session ID
Where [the.help.file] = the help file name (only alpha numeric allow, no spaces). Help file name has the following format:
<3 digit number - the module number><dot><3 digit number - the page number><dot><theHelpFile>
E.g.: 000.100.mainscrn or 000.001.optScreen
Each developer module has a unique module number. VO reserved 000 to 100.
Once you have constructed the help link, make sure you have access to the VO help system in-order to build your help content online.
Simple Flow
- Ordered List Itemobtain your module code from VO (if not listed on the table), and request for help content access on your VO account.
- insert the header JavaScript on your HTML file
- build the help link
- go online to build your content
Help module code
| VO Built-in | 000 to 100 | Reserved |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 110 | |
| Project | 120 | |
| Bulletin | 121 | |
| Others | 150 |
Simple SSI
You may write some simple tags in HNS help content where recognisable by VO.
For example:
The usual help content:
To send a email to yourself, click “Compose” and type
yourName@yourDomain.com
Can be written as:
To send a email to yourself, click “Compose” and type [name]@[host]
Where [name]@[host] will be presented as the user email.
Keys available:
| Tag | Note | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| [name] | The user login name, usually the front part of the email before “@” | myname |
| [host] | The user domain, usually the part of the email after “@” | company.com |
| [fullname] | The full name of the user | John King |
| [language] | The language the user login as | English |
| [ip] | The machine IP for the client | 202.190.99.191 |
| [ucarGroup] | The user UCAR group | User |
| [ucarLevel] | The user UCAR level | 10 |
To void the interpretion, where in the case that you wanted to show “[name]” exactly in the browser, you may write:
[name]
