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When a user presses either the HELP key or the function key assigned to SAA/CUA help facility (usually F1) a window will appear that overlays the lower portion of the current panel as in this example:

 SAATEST               Example SAA/CUA test process                    

                                                                       

 Enter number of function required or place cursor on same line        

                                                                       

 _  1. Display workstation messages                                    

    2. Work with customers                                             

    3. Work with orders                                                

    4. Work with communication links                                   

      __________________________________________________________

     |                                                          |

     |  IIIIIIIIII         TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT        |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |  uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu   |

     |                                                          |

     |  F2=Ex help F3=Exit F11=Index F12=Cancel F14=Messages    |

     |__________________________________________________________|

                                                                       

 MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Some points to notice about this HELP menu are:

The panel identifier (IIIIIIIIII) is the name of the LANSA process, function or field that was used when the HELP facility was invoked. In the case of a process the process name is shown as the panel identifier. In the case of a function the function name is shown in the format fffffffHLP. Any imbedded blanks in the name are filled with "_" (underscore) characters. In the case of a field the field name is shown.
The panel title (TTTTT.....TTTTT) is the description of the LANSA process, function or field being used at the time the HELP facility was invoked. It is automatically centred, and may be optionally automatically converted to uppercase (uppercase conversion requirement is defined at the partition level).
The time and date is not shown in any HELP window. The overlayed process or function panel will show the date and time if it is enabled within the partition.
Messages always on line 24. The IBM i operating system does not allow a message subfile to be successfully placed within a window – at the current time.
Function keys appear on lines 21 and 22. They relate to the HELP facility window, not to the process or function that was in use at the time the HELP facility was invoked. Where only one line of function keys apply, they will be displayed on line 22. This creates a visual separation between the HELP text and the function key area.
The following color and attribute table applies to HELP text windows. Since HELP text windows are "interpretive", these colors and attributes will always apply, no matter how color and attribute defaults for panel elements have been modified within the current partition:

Panel Component	Default Color	Other Attributes on Color Device	Attributes On Mono Device
Identifier	Blue	None	None
Title	Blue	None	None
Text	Green	None	None
Window border	Blue	None	None
Messages	White	None	High intensity
Function keys	Blue	None	None

When using a bi-directional language, within a multilingual partition, help details are "reversed" as if they were reflected in a mirror.
When using a DBCS language, within a multilingual partition, all textual details can be made to appear as ideographic characters.
Function key 2 is for "Extended HELP" and is enabled only when reviewing the HELP text associated with a FIELD. Using this function key causes any extended HELP text to be displayed. Typically, extended HELP text is the HELP text associated with the FUNCTION that is currently in use.

For example, a user may be running a customer maintenance function, and uses HELP or F1 when the cursor is positioned in the customer number field. Initially the HELP text associated with the field customer number will be displayed. If the user then uses F2, the help text associated with function (maintain customers) will be displayed.

If Function key 11 (or the partition defined equivalent) is used to request that the HELP index be displayed, a new window will overlay the current window like one of the following examples:

When "Number" Style Menus Are Specified for the Partition

 SAATEST               Example SAA/CUA test process                    
                                                                       
 Enter number of function required or place cursor on same line        
                                                                       
 _  1. Display workstation messages                                    
    2. Work with customers                                             
    3. Work with orders                                                
    4. Work with communication links                                   
  ______________________________________________________________
 |                                                              |
 | HELP_INDEX                   HELP Index                      |
 | Enter number of desired topic or put cursor on same line     |
 | and press enter                                              |
 |                                                   More:  +   |
 |  __ 1  Process - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   |
 |     2  Function - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   |
 |     3  Function - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   |
 |     4  Field - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   |
 |     5  Field - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   |
 |     6  Field - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   |
 |     7  Field - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   |
 |                                                              |
 |    F2=Ex help   F3=Exit  F12=Cancel  F14=Messages            |
 |______________________________________________________________| 

 MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

When "Cursor" Style Menus Are Specified for the Partition

 SAATEST        Example SAA/CUA test process      03/03/89 12:00:00 

                                                                       

 Place cursor on same line as required function and press enter        

                                                                       

  Display workstation messages                                         

  Work with customers                                                  

  Work with orders                                                     

  Work with communication links                                        

 _______________________________________________________________

|                                                               |

|  HELP_INDEX                   HELP Index                      |

|  Place cursor on same line as desired topic and press enter   |

|                                                 More:  +      |

|   Process - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         |

|   Function - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         |

|   Function - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         |

|   Field - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         |

|   Field - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         |

|   Field - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         |

|   Field - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         |

|                                                               |

|  F2=Ex help  F3=Exit  F12=Cancel  F14=Messages                |

|_______________________________________________________________|

                                                                       

 MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM