Method and system for embedding user assistance in documents utilizing markup languages
AssigneeEncomia, L.P.
InventorAndrew Dubinsky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A document creation application, compound document format, and method for providing user assistance in a compound document are described. The compound documents are formed using a markup language and include both non-volatile text and user selected and/or input data. The compound documents also include embedded user assistance triggers, or links, at specific terms, concepts or user input areas which dynamically link a user to appropriate user assistance information in the document creation application. The method describes embedding user assistance links in compound documents to allow users to dynamically link to topic specific user assistance information.
Claims20
A document using a markup language comprising:
- a primary, non-volatile layer containing text required for the document;
- a first secondary layer containing variable document data provided by a user;
- and
- a second secondary layer containing embedded user assistance instructions, the user assistance instructions making an icon visible to the user in the document at items in the document that have available user assistance information, and providing a link to the user assistance information.
A method of providing user assistance in a compound document comprising:
- creating a primary layer of non-volatile text;
- creating variable input fields to accept user specified data;
- and
- embedding user assistance links in the compound document, the links located at items with available user assistance information.
A document creation application comprising:
- at least one form document displayable in a window, the form document including non-volatile text, user selected text and user inputted data, the form document further including embedded links to user assistance information;
- and
- an help file, wherein the help file is callable by the embedded links and contains user assistance information specific to each of the embedded links.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.