B4A Class DOHelp 1.3 - simple help system using webview and HTML pages

Hi all,

I created a simple help system for my apps and have packaged it into a free class (DOHelp) and demo app.

It lets you open a help dialog showing your content as standard HTML pages (local or hosted on a web server). The content is shown in a webview, with basic browser controls in its titlebar. The user can then browse your interlinked help pages.



To use this class:
  1. Add the DOHelp class (DOHelp.bas) to your B4A project.
  2. Add the DOHelp.bal layout file to your Files folder.
  3. Tick these internal libraries in your project:
    - Archiver (to expand your zip file of HTML/CSS/JS files to a folder on the device)
    - WebViewExtras2 (to set up the webview properly)
    - XUI (to get a proper URI for the web pages)
  4. Prepare your help files in a folder and zip them up (without their parent folder), then put that zip file in your Files folder.
  5. In your app, create a DOHelp instance and call its Show method.
    - You can set the specific page to start on.
    - You can also set a light or dark theme if you wish (handled by your CSS).
    - It shows a dialog with basic browser controls and your specified help page.
Included in this demo are a few sample web pages (interlinked), basic CSS, and a JavaScript file that handles switching between light and dark themes.

Feedback much appreciated. Thanks!

Updated to version 1.3
 

Attachments

  • DOHelp13.zip
    13.1 KB · Views: 87
Last edited:

Dave O

Well-Known Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
I've updated this to version 1.1, adding another argument to the Initialize method to specify a home page.

This lets you open a help window to any starting page in your help system, but still have the Home button go back to the root page.
 

Theera

Expert
Licensed User
Longtime User
Nice works
 
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