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Customizing the Maximo user assistance

Technical Blog Post


Abstract

Customizing the Maximo user assistance

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You have probably noticed more embedded user assistance in recent releases of the product. User assistance in the product helps you complete tasks where you are working. We also provide an extensive library of technical topics in the information center and lots of great interactive blog and forum content here in Service Management Connect!

Did you know that you can add your own embedded content? You can even link from any content (ours or yours) to information center topics! Here's how to make these changes with Application Designer. Your changes modify the presentation XML.

Adding text and a "More Information" link to a help grid control

A help grid control can contain HTML text for the user interface, typically to provide brief instructions about how to enter data and perform tasks. For complex information, help grids can include hyperlinks to additional information in an information center topic.

You can place help grid controls within Section, Section Column, Tab, and Dialog controls.

  1. In Application Designer, select the help grid control to modify. Modify the HTML Content attribute to add display text.
  2. Optionally, link from that text to an information center topic by specifying the URL for the topic in the morehelp attribute. The URL is in this format: <documentation plugin name>,<path and filename.extension>. For example, a link from an assets tab to an overview topic about assets could take this form: com.ibm.mam.doc,asset/c_asset_overview.html.

Adding a "More information" button and link to field help

A more information button and link in field help can provide technical or contextual details that do not fit in field help.

  1. In Application Designer, select the control that you want to modify, such as a field or check box. 
  2. In the More information property, specify the URL to the help topic. The URL is in this format: <documentation plugin name>,<path and filename.extension>. For example, a link from an asset check box to a topic about classifying assets could take this form: com.ibm.mbs.doc,assetcat/c_classify_item_desc.html.

Learn more about customizing user assistance and about embedded and progressively disclosed information here

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UID

ibm11133763