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.NET Framework 4
 HelpNavigator Enumeration
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This page is specific to
Microsoft Visual Studio 2010/.NET Framework 4

Other versions are also available for the following:
.NET Framework Class Library
HelpNavigator Enumeration

Specifies constants indicating which elements of the Help file to display.

Namespace:  System.Windows.Forms
Assembly:  System.Windows.Forms (in System.Windows.Forms.dll)
 Syntax
Visual Basic 
Public Enumeration HelpNavigator
C# 
public enum HelpNavigator
Visual C++ 
public enum class HelpNavigator
F# 
type HelpNavigator
 Members
Member nameDescription
TopicThe Help file opens to a specified topic, if the topic exists.
TableOfContentsThe Help file opens to the table of contents.
IndexThe Help file opens to the index.
FindThe Help file opens to the search page.
AssociateIndexThe Help file opens to the index entry for the first letter of a specified topic.
KeywordIndexThe Help file opens to the topic with the specified index entry, if one exists; otherwise, the index entry closest to the specified keyword is displayed.
TopicIdThe Help file opens to a topic indicated by a numeric topic identifier.
 Remarks

This enumeration is used by the Help and HelpProvider classes to provide access to specific elements of a Help file. For example, when used with the HelpProvider component that provides F1 Help, the TopicId or Topic value could be specified to open Help to a context-specific topic.
 Examples

The following code example displays a form with three buttons that can be used to interact with the mspaint.chm Help file. The Show Help Index button displays the Index tab for the Help file. The Show Help button displays content in the Help file based on the value selected in the Help Navigator list. The Show Keyword button displays content in the Help file based on the keyword specified in the Keyword text box.

For example, to show the Ovals Help page by the index value, select the HelpNavigator..::.KeywordIndex value in the Help Navigator drop-down list, type ovals in the Parameter text box, and then click the Show Help button. To show the "To paint with a brush" Help topic by the keyword, type mspaint.chm::/paint_brush.htm in the Keyword text box, and then click the Show Keyword button.

The example uses the ShowHelp method to display the different Help tabs and Help topics, and the ShowHelpIndex method to display the Help index.

Visual Basic 
Imports System
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Public Class Form1
    Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form
    Private helpfile As String = "mspaint.chm"
    Private WithEvents showIndex As System.Windows.Forms.Button
    Private WithEvents showHelp As System.Windows.Forms.Button
    Private WithEvents label1 As System.Windows.Forms.Label
    Private WithEvents navigatorCombo As System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox
    Private WithEvents showKeyword As System.Windows.Forms.Button
    Private WithEvents keyword As System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
    Private WithEvents label2 As System.Windows.Forms.Label
    Private WithEvents label3 As System.Windows.Forms.Label
    Private WithEvents parameterTextBox As System.Windows.Forms.TextBox

    <STAThread()> _
    Shared Sub Main()
        Application.Run(New Form1)
    End Sub 'Main

    Public Sub New()
        Me.showIndex = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
        Me.showHelp = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
        Me.navigatorCombo = New System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox
        Me.label1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label
        Me.showKeyword = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
        Me.keyword = New System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
        Me.label2 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label
        Me.label3 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label
        Me.parameterTextBox = New System.Windows.Forms.TextBox

        ' Help Navigator Label
        Me.label1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(112, 64)
        Me.label1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(168, 16)
        Me.label1.Text = "Help Navigator:"

        ' Keyword Label
        Me.label2.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(120, 184)
        Me.label2.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(100, 16)
        Me.label2.Text = "Keyword:"

        ' Parameter Label
        Me.label3.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(112, 120)
        Me.label3.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(168, 16)
        Me.label3.Text = "Parameter:"

        ' Show Index Button
        Me.showIndex.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(16, 16)
        Me.showIndex.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(264, 32)
        Me.showIndex.TabIndex = 0
        Me.showIndex.Text = "Show Help Index"

        ' Show Help Button
        Me.showHelp.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(16, 80)
        Me.showHelp.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(80, 80)
        Me.showHelp.TabIndex = 1
        Me.showHelp.Text = "Show Help"

        ' Show Keyword Button
        Me.showKeyword.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(16, 192)
        Me.showKeyword.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(88, 32)
        Me.showKeyword.TabIndex = 4
        Me.showKeyword.Text = "Show Keyword"

        ' Help Navigator Combo
        ' 
        Me.navigatorCombo.DropDownStyle = System.Windows.Forms.ComboBoxStyle.DropDownList
        Me.navigatorCombo.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(112, 80)
        Me.navigatorCombo.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(168, 21)
        Me.navigatorCombo.TabIndex = 2

        ' Keyword TextBox
        Me.keyword.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(120, 200)
        Me.keyword.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(160, 20)
        Me.keyword.TabIndex = 5
        Me.keyword.Text = ""
        ' 
        ' Parameter TextBox
        ' 
        Me.parameterTextBox.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(112, 136)
        Me.parameterTextBox.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(168, 20)
        Me.parameterTextBox.TabIndex = 8
        Me.parameterTextBox.Text = ""

        ' Set up how the form should be displayed and add the controls to the form.
        Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(292, 266)
        Me.Controls.AddRange(New System.Windows.Forms.Control() {Me.parameterTextBox, _
                                Me.label3, Me.label2, Me.keyword, Me.showKeyword, _
                                Me.label1, Me.navigatorCombo, Me.showHelp, Me.showIndex})
        Me.FormBorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FormBorderStyle.FixedDialog
        Me.Text = "Help App"

        ' Load the various values of the HelpNavigator enumeration
        ' into the combo box. 
        Dim converter As TypeConverter
        converter = TypeDescriptor.GetConverter(GetType(HelpNavigator))

        Dim value As Object
        For Each value In converter.GetStandardValues()
            navigatorCombo.Items.Add(value)
        Next value
    End Sub 'New

    Private Sub showIndex_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles showIndex.Click
        ' Display the index for the Help file.
        Help.ShowHelpIndex(Me, helpfile)
    End Sub 'showIndex_Click
    Private Sub showHelp_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles showHelp.Click
        ' Display Help using the Help navigator enumeration
        ' that is selected in the combo box. Some enumeration
        ' values make use of an extra parameter, which can
        ' be passed in through the Parameter text box.
        Dim navigator As HelpNavigator = HelpNavigator.TableOfContents
        If (navigatorCombo.SelectedItem IsNot Nothing) Then
            navigator = CType(navigatorCombo.SelectedItem, HelpNavigator)
        End If
        Help.ShowHelp(Me, helpfile, navigator, parameterTextBox.Text)
    End Sub 'showHelp_Click
    Private Sub showKeyword_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles showKeyword.Click
        ' Display Help using the provided keyword. 
        Help.ShowHelp(Me, helpfile, keyword.Text)
    End Sub 'showKeyword_Click
End Class 'Form1
C# 
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Windows.Forms;

public class Form1 : System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
    private const string helpfile = "mspaint.chm";
    private System.Windows.Forms.Button showIndex;
    private System.Windows.Forms.Button showHelp;
    private System.Windows.Forms.Label label1;
    private System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox navigatorCombo;
    private System.Windows.Forms.Button showKeyword;
    private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox keyword;
    private System.Windows.Forms.Label label2;
    private System.Windows.Forms.Label label3;
    private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox parameterTextBox;

    [STAThread]
    static void Main() 
    {
        Application.Run(new Form1());
    }

    public Form1()
    {
        this.showIndex = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
        this.showHelp = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
        this.navigatorCombo = new System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox();
        this.label1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
        this.showKeyword = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
        this.keyword = new System.Windows.Forms.TextBox();
        this.label2 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
        this.label3 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
        this.parameterTextBox = new System.Windows.Forms.TextBox();

        // Help Navigator Label
        this.label1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(112, 64);
        this.label1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(168, 16);
        this.label1.Text = "Help Navigator:";

        // Keyword Label
        this.label2.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(120, 184);
        this.label2.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(100, 16);
        this.label2.Text = "Keyword:";

        // Parameter Label
        this.label3.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(112, 120);
        this.label3.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(168, 16);
        this.label3.Text = "Parameter:";

        // Show Index Button
        this.showIndex.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(16, 16);
        this.showIndex.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(264, 32);
        this.showIndex.TabIndex = 0;
        this.showIndex.Text = "Show Help Index";
        this.showIndex.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.showIndex_Click);

        // Show Help Button
        this.showHelp.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(16, 80);
        this.showHelp.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(80, 80);
        this.showHelp.TabIndex = 1;
        this.showHelp.Text = "Show Help";
        this.showHelp.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.showHelp_Click);

        // Show Keyword Button
        this.showKeyword.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(16, 192);
        this.showKeyword.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(88, 32);
        this.showKeyword.TabIndex = 4;
        this.showKeyword.Text = "Show Keyword";
        this.showKeyword.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.showKeyword_Click);

        // Help Navigator ComboBox
        this.navigatorCombo.DropDownStyle = System.Windows.Forms.ComboBoxStyle.DropDownList;
        this.navigatorCombo.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(112, 80);
        this.navigatorCombo.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(168, 21);
        this.navigatorCombo.TabIndex = 2;

        // Keyword TextBox
        this.keyword.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(120, 200);
        this.keyword.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(160, 20);
        this.keyword.TabIndex = 5;
        this.keyword.Text = "";

        // Parameter TextBox
        this.parameterTextBox.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(112, 136);
        this.parameterTextBox.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(168, 20);
        this.parameterTextBox.TabIndex = 8;
        this.parameterTextBox.Text = "";

        // Set up how the form should be displayed and add the controls to the form.
        this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(292, 266);
        this.Controls.AddRange(new System.Windows.Forms.Control[] {
                                        this.parameterTextBox, this.label3,
                                        this.label2, this.keyword,
                                        this.showKeyword, this.label1,
                                        this.navigatorCombo, this.showHelp,
                                        this.showIndex});
        this.FormBorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FormBorderStyle.FixedDialog;
        this.Text = "Help App";

        // Load the various values of the HelpNavigator enumeration
        // into the combo box.
        TypeConverter converter;
        converter = TypeDescriptor.GetConverter(typeof(HelpNavigator));
        foreach(object value in converter.GetStandardValues()) 
        {
            navigatorCombo.Items.Add(value);
        }
    }

    private void showIndex_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
    {
        // Display the index for the help file.
        Help.ShowHelpIndex(this, helpfile);
    }
    private void showHelp_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
    {
        // Display Help using the Help navigator enumeration
        // that is selected in the combo box. Some enumeration
        // values make use of an extra parameter, which can
        // be passed in through the Parameter text box.
        HelpNavigator navigator = HelpNavigator.TableOfContents;
        if (navigatorCombo.SelectedItem != null)
        {
            navigator = (HelpNavigator)navigatorCombo.SelectedItem;
        }
        Help.ShowHelp(this, helpfile, navigator, parameterTextBox.Text);
    }
    private void showKeyword_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
    {
        // Display help using the provided keyword.
        Help.ShowHelp(this, helpfile, keyword.Text);
    }
}
Visual C++ 
#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Drawing.dll>
#using <System.Windows.Forms.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Drawing;
using namespace System::ComponentModel;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;
public ref class Form1: public System::Windows::Forms::Form
{
private:
   String^ helpfile;
   System::Windows::Forms::Button^ showIndex;
   System::Windows::Forms::Button^ showHelp;
   System::Windows::Forms::Label ^ label1;
   System::Windows::Forms::ComboBox^ navigatorCombo;
   System::Windows::Forms::Button^ showKeyword;
   System::Windows::Forms::TextBox^ keyword;
   System::Windows::Forms::Label ^ label2;
   System::Windows::Forms::Label ^ label3;
   System::Windows::Forms::TextBox^ parameterTextBox;

public:
   Form1()
   {
      helpfile = "mspaint.chm";
      this->showIndex = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::Button;
      this->showHelp = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::Button;
      this->navigatorCombo = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::ComboBox;
      this->label1 = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::Label;
      this->showKeyword = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::Button;
      this->keyword = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::TextBox;
      this->label2 = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::Label;
      this->label3 = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::Label;
      this->parameterTextBox = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::TextBox;

      // Help Navigator Label
      this->label1->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 112, 64 );
      this->label1->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 168, 16 );
      this->label1->Text = "Help Navigator:";

      // Keyword Label 
      this->label2->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 120, 184 );
      this->label2->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 100, 16 );
      this->label2->Text = "Keyword:";

      // Parameter Label
      this->label3->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 112, 120 );
      this->label3->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 168, 16 );
      this->label3->Text = "Parameter:";

      // Show Index Button
      this->showIndex->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 16, 16 );
      this->showIndex->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 264, 32 );
      this->showIndex->TabIndex = 0;
      this->showIndex->Text = "Show Help Index";
      this->showIndex->Click += gcnew System::EventHandler( this, &Form1::showIndex_Click );

      // Show Help Button
      this->showHelp->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 16, 80 );
      this->showHelp->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 80, 80 );
      this->showHelp->TabIndex = 1;
      this->showHelp->Text = "Show Help";
      this->showHelp->Click += gcnew System::EventHandler( this, &Form1::showHelp_Click );

      // Show Keyword Button
      this->showKeyword->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 16, 192 );
      this->showKeyword->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 88, 32 );
      this->showKeyword->TabIndex = 4;
      this->showKeyword->Text = "Show Keyword";
      this->showKeyword->Click += gcnew System::EventHandler( this, &Form1::showKeyword_Click );

      // Help Navigator ComboBox
      this->navigatorCombo->DropDownStyle = System::Windows::Forms::ComboBoxStyle::DropDownList;
      this->navigatorCombo->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 112, 80 );
      this->navigatorCombo->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 168, 21 );
      this->navigatorCombo->TabIndex = 2;

      // Keyword TextBox
      this->keyword->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 120, 200 );
      this->keyword->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 160, 20 );
      this->keyword->TabIndex = 5;
      this->keyword->Text = "";

      // Parameter TextBox
      this->parameterTextBox->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 112, 136 );
      this->parameterTextBox->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 168, 20 );
      this->parameterTextBox->TabIndex = 8;
      this->parameterTextBox->Text = "";

      // Set up how the form should be displayed and add the controls to the form.
      this->ClientSize = System::Drawing::Size( 292, 266 );
      array<System::Windows::Forms::Control^>^formControls = {this->parameterTextBox,this->label3,this->label2,this->keyword,this->showKeyword,this->label1,this->navigatorCombo,this->showHelp,this->showIndex};
      this->Controls->AddRange( formControls );
      this->FormBorderStyle = System::Windows::Forms::FormBorderStyle::FixedDialog;
      this->Text = "Help App";

      // Load the various values of the HelpNavigator enumeration
      // into the combo box.
      TypeConverter^ converter;
      converter = TypeDescriptor::GetConverter( HelpNavigator::typeid );
      System::Collections::IEnumerator^ myEnum = converter->GetStandardValues()->GetEnumerator();
      while ( myEnum->MoveNext() )
      {
         Object^ value = safe_cast<Object^>(myEnum->Current);
         navigatorCombo->Items->Add( value );
      }
   }

private:
   void showIndex_Click( Object^ /*sender*/, System::EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
   {

      // Display the index for the help file.
      Help::ShowHelpIndex( this, helpfile );
   }

   void showHelp_Click( Object^ /*sender*/, System::EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
   {

      // Display Help using the Help navigator enumeration
      // that is selected in the combo box. Some enumeration
      // values make use of an extra parameter, which can
      // be passed in through the Parameter text box.
      HelpNavigator navigator = HelpNavigator::TableOfContents;
      if ( navigatorCombo->SelectedItem != nullptr )
      {
         navigator =  *safe_cast<HelpNavigator^>(navigatorCombo->SelectedItem);
      }

      Help::ShowHelp( this, helpfile, navigator, parameterTextBox->Text );
   }

   void showKeyword_Click( Object^ /*sender*/, System::EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
   {

      // Display help using the provided keyword.
      Help::ShowHelp( this, helpfile, keyword->Text );
   }
};

[STAThread]
int main()
{
   Application::Run( gcnew Form1 );
}

 Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1
 Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
 See Also

Reference

System.Windows.Forms Namespace
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Help parms for MessageBox.Show will not work in form Load event code      j2associates   |   Edit   |   Show History
For testing purposes, the Help button options for MessageBox.Show will NOT work in the form Load event. They will, however, work in the form Shown event. As an example, the following line of code will pop up the Paint help file if run from the Shown event, but will do nothing if run from the Load event.

MessageBox.Show("Text", "Caption", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.None, MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button1, 0, "mspaint.chm")
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