nThe topic title of the topic displayed in the Help window when the user chooses the History button appears first in the history list.Choosing the History button displays a window that shows the topics (a maximum of 40) you have viewed during the current session. You can select any topic from the list to view it again (Figure 1.29).
The purpose of the History button is to give users a visual representation of the topics that they have viewed during a session and let them return easily to any of those topics. Because the space that users navigate in hypertext systems is abstract and nonlinear, they often suffer from disorientation. As users move through the information, however, they create a linear path. The history list records this linear movement and lets users visualize the path they have taken through the information and return quickly to a particular place. In this sense, History is similar to Back in that they both are “backtracking” devices. But because the History window presents this path visually and stays open while users interact with it, History offers advantages to the browsing user.
Windows Help uses the following guidelines to build the history list:
nThe topic title of the topic displayed in the Help window when the user chooses the History button appears first in the history list.
nThe second item in the history list is selected when the user chooses the History button so that the user can just press ENTER to return to the previous topic. This gives History the same functionality as Back.
nEach entry in the history list occupies one line. If the topic title does not fit in the History window, it is truncated rather than wrapped.
nThe history list records the user’s location within a topic as well as the topic title, even though only the title appears in the list. When users choose an item from the history list, Help returns them to the exact place in the topic where they were when they left it (scrolled half-way down, for example).
nThe history list records only topics that are displayed in the main Help window. Topics displayed in secondary windows or pop-up windows do not appear in the history list.
nThe history list records only jump-type movements in Help. Hot-spot events such as launching an application or a tutorial are not recorded. Movements caused by using the Back button or requesting How To Use Help are recorded, however.
nHelp does not remove duplicate entries from the history list. If a user views a topic several times, each instance appears in the history list.
nHelp maintains the history list across Help files. If the user chooses an interfile jump, the history list prefixes the root name of the Help file before the topic title.
When a user chooses a topic from the history list, the History window does not close, but it loses the focus. To switch back to the History window, the user can click inside the window, choose the History button, or press ALT+F6. To cancel the History window without choosing a topic, the user can choose the Close command from the Control menu or press ALT+F4. If the user minimizes the main Help window, the History window closes, and restoring the Help window does not restore the History window. The user must choose the History button again to restore the History window.
The default size of the History window is approximately one-third the height and width of the screen. The default position is centered. Once displayed, the History window can be moved and resized. If the user changes the size or location of the History window, it will retain those changes the next time it appears. Changes to the window’s size or location are recorded in the [Windows Help] section of the WIN.INI file.
To use the History button to return to a topic
1.1.Choose the History button.
The History window appears (Figure 1.30).
2.2.Double-click the topic to which you want to return.
Or select the topic and press ENTER.
If necessary, use the scroll bar to see more topics.