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The Oracle Help technologies provide the means for developing and displaying HTML-based help systems for Java applications and for web applications. Authors can create a single help system that can be displayed--without modification--both in a Java environment, using Oracle Help for Java (OHJ), and in a web environment, using Oracle Help for the Web (OHW). Alternatively, you can just use OHJ if you only need help in a Java environment, or you can just use OHW if you only need help in a web environment.
Throughout this Oracle Help Guide, "Oracle Help" is used when the comments apply to both Oracle Help for Java and Oracle Help for the Web. "OHJ" is used when the comments apply only to Oracle Help for Java. "OHW" is used when the comments apply only to Oracle Help for the Web.
This page contains the following sections:
Oracle Help for Java is a set of Java components, a Java API, and a file formats specification for developing and displaying HTML-based help content in a Java environment. OHJ is designed primarily for displaying help for Java applications, although it can also be implemented as a stand-alone document viewer for use in a Java environment.
The Oracle Help for Java Developer's Kit (OHJDK) includes the OHJ technology plus tools and documentation for developing context-sensitive help for Java applets and applications. This includes the following:
Java components: OHJ includes a set of default Java user interface components that together comprise a complete help system, with a table of contents, index, search, and topic windows.
API: The OHJ API includes features for implementing context-sensitive help, for programmatically controlling how help is displayed (size, position, etc.), and for customizing and extending the help system. For example, you can replace a default component with your own, create custom controls, or embed selected components in an application.
Documentation: Documentation includes this Guide, plus the API reference (provided as JavaDoc documentation).
Helpset Authoring Wizard: The Helpset Authoring Wizard helps you create Oracle Help control files without using a third-party authoring tool.
For more information about OHJ features, see the following:
Oracle Help for the Web is a Java servlet and a file formats specification for developing and delivering HTML-based help content in a web environment. OHW can be used to provide context-sensitive help for web applications or as means for processing and displaying structured views of independent HTML content on the web. With OHW, a user needs only a web browser to navigate and view help content. All the processing takes place on the server, via the OHW servlet. Because the help content is managed on a server and displayed in any number of web browsers, many users have access to a single installation of the help.
OHW includes the following:
The OHW user interface includes all the features available in OHJ's Java user interface, but they are rendered as HTML in users' browsers. Features include a table of contents, index, and text search.
All the help content files and control files (the same HTML and XML files that are used in OHJ) can be stored on the same server as the servlet or can be spread out over multiple servers in different locations.
Documentation: Documentation includes this Guide.
Besides being used for the internal JDeveloper help system itself, JDeveloper includes the Oracle Help for Java runtime library, so if you are developing Java applications with JDeveloper, it is easy to include OHJ as the Java help system technology. See About the Oracle Help for Java Developer's Kit.
JDeveloper does not currently include the Oracle Help for the Web bundle. However, you can obtain it, as well as the complete Oracle Help for Java development kit, from the Oracle Technology Network, at http://www.oracle.com/tech/java/help/content.html.
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