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From: carr@apple.com (Randy Carr)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Standards for Balloon Help?
Message-ID: <14069@goofy.Apple.COM>
Date: 14 Jun 91 15:57:25 GMT
References: <1991Jun12.155432.13822@Think.COM> <14057@goofy.Apple.COM> <1991Jun13.203051.7210@Think.COM>
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 28

In article <1991Jun13.203051.7210@Think.COM>, ejb@think.com (Erik Bailey) writes:
> 
	- Stuff Deleted -
> 
> True enough.  Someone last week asked a question of whether the "hot spots"
> can be determined (ie highlighted); I'm not sure if it was answered.  Is
> this kind of information buried in the code of the application, or is it
> available so an init (perhaps an FKey) could show you where help is
> available?
> 

Well, once again, since the running program is responsible for what balloons
are to be displayed for its windows, this just always isn't possible.
However, for programs that use 'hrct' or 'hdlg' resources, especially 'hrct'
resources, it would be fairly simple to write an 'fkey' to do the rect 
analysis.  On activation, the fkey code would examine the frontmost window,
see if the active and visible flags are set and then try doing what the 
help mgr basically does. I.E. map any available 'hwin' resource to matching
'hrct' resources.  There is a call in the Help Mgr to walk any of the Help 
Mgr resources, HMGetIndHelpMsg(), which allows you to get info about any 
record within the resource, including rectangles.  The code could then display
gray rects or what ever for 'hrct's and compare rects against 'DITL' items
for 'hdlg' records.  Go to it.

Randy Carr
System Software (I wrote the Help Mgr)
Apple Computer, Inc.
Internet: carr@apple.com