nUse color in the nonscrolling region only if the color supports a distinction between the information in the nonscrolling region and the rest of the topic.In Help 3.1, you can set aside part of a topic as a nonscrolling region, which is a fixed area at the top of a window with a scrolling region below it. The nonscrolling region lets users keep in view information that has an important bearing on the main topic. You can include nonscrolling regions in both the main Help window and in secondary windows.
nUse color in the nonscrolling region only if the color supports a distinction between the information in the nonscrolling region and the rest of the topic.
nBe consistent when using nonscrolling regions in topics. Don’t use the nonscrolling region for one topic but not for a topic at the same level.
nLimit the nonscrolling region to less than one-half the height of a standard Help window. Less than one-third is even better.
nAvoid using nonwrapping text in the nonscrolling region.
A Help window does not display a horizontal scroll bar for the nonscrolling region. A user must enlarge the Help window if the nonwrapping text does not fit. There are certain exceptions to this principle—for example, when meaning is affected by wrapping text. Syntax lines often fall into this category.
nTry using the nonscrolling region to display topic titles if the topic is lengthy. That way users don’t have to remember what topic they are reading when scrolling.
nKeep one kind of information anchored at the beginning of the topic in the nonscrolling region. For example, you can display syntax statements in the nonscrolling region so that users can refer to them when reading parameter descriptions (Figure 4.x).
nThe nonscrolling region is convenient for displaying custom controls (navigational buttons, CBT launch buttons, macros executed by buttons) that change with the content of each topic. Because the nonscrolling region is part of each topic, the controls you place in it can be specific to the information in the current topic.
nTry creating a graphic of the alphabet in the nonscrolling region for navigation through an index. Each letter can serve as a jump to a point within the scrolling region. In some cases, you will have no topics that fall under a letter. You can handle this situation in two ways: (1) gray out all letters not active but keep integrity of the alphabet, or (2) create a range of letters, for instance, A through F. Your material should determine your choice. But avoid mixing these two approaches in a graphic.
nThe nonscrolling region can contain entire topics, especially if you want to use all the available window space without having scroll bars cover up part of the information. For example, you can create a topic that just displays a graphic in the nonscrolling region so that the window is the same size as the graphic (Figure 4.x).
nPut a Close button in the nonscrolling region of a secondary window. This reminds users that they must dismiss the window. A Close button in the nonscrolling region is always visible and accessible (Figure 4.x).