Android Question How to make a simple help page

[marcick]

looks like it isn't so simple ....
I want to show in a scrollview a simple text document with titles in bold that describe the functioning of the various commands of the app.
Something like

Button1: do this and that
Button2: delete bla bla bla and come back to bla bla bla
Etc ....

or better like this

1. Button1: do this and that
2. Button2: delete bla bla bla and come back to bla bla bla

With TextView I have a fixed font for all the text. Which workaround to obtain this ?

 

[mcqueccu]

Please Try https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...t-engine-bbcode-parser-rich-text-view.106207/

 

[AnandGupta]

I am using Webview for such help file.

 

[marcick]

Please Try https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...t-engine-bbcode-parser-rich-text-view.106207/

looks great, thank you !

 

[marcick]

I am using Webview for such help file.

The HTM file generated from Microsoft Word is not recognized by WebView.LoadHtml and I get a blank panel.
How did you write your helpfile and converted in HTML ? Did you use directly HTML language ?

 

[AnandGupta]

The HTM file generated from Microsoft Word is not recognized by WebView.LoadHtml and I get a blank panel.
How did you write your helpfile and converted in HTML ? Did you use directly HTML language ?

Yeah. Keep it simple.
Use any text editor, even VS Code, and write the html, <b>, <li> etc., as you want.
Webview will be your slave.

It is another story if you use MS Word. It makes you slave.

 

[aeric]

I am using Webview for such help file.

WebView is good choice.

I also use panels.

 

[marcick]

WebView is good choice.

I also use panels.

View attachment 139593 View attachment 139594

very, very nice, but a lot of job if you have many "hints" and different layout ....

 

[DonManfred]

but a lot of job if you have many "hints" and different layout ....

you can build the html by code ;-)

 

[marcick]

you can build the html by code ;-)

Yes. I was meaning the solution not with html but with panel of the picture above. Very nice look but a lot of job if you have a lot of controls to describe and different layouts (portrait, landscape, Ipad ...)

 

[aeric]

Yes. I was meaning the solution not with html but with panel of the picture above. Very nice look but a lot of job if you have a lot of controls to describe and different layouts (portrait, landscape, Ipad ...)

Ya. Just an idea. If you have more to explain then better use a html based help.

 

[marcick]

Ya. Just an idea. If you have more to explain then better use a html based help.

I'm thinking a way to automatize. Cycle throught all the view in the panel, then if the tag satisfy some requirements catch from a file the help text to show. Also basing on the position of the view, calculate the better position and size of the panel. Continuing to tap an help button, the user can see in sequence the help panels.

 

[William Lancee]

Have you seen this library. Using MarkDown scripts to create a Html file, and then using Webview might be a good combination.
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/webapp-a-markdown-engine.146112/

However, personally I would create a simple txt file with the information you want convey.
Then I would convert that text file to BBCode and use BBCodeView to display it.
I really like BBCodeViews and they are scrollable.

 

[RichardN]

+1 From me for using WebView.

You can write your help file in text. Add a subject listing at the top of the file and maybe a word index at the end. When you are done with that import the text into your WYSIWYG HTML editor and define the chapter bookmarks. Apply settings for colour, fonts, background and the links to the bookmarks. There is little you cannot do from HTML.

 

[marcick]

Have you seen this library. Using MarkDown scripts to create a Html file, and then using Webview might be a good combination.
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/webapp-a-markdown-engine.146112/

However, personally I would create a simple txt file with the information you want convey.
Then I would convert that text file to BBCode and use BBCodeView to display it.
I really like BBCodeViews and they are scrollable.

BBCodeViews looks powerful. But seems to me it is only for B4Xpages project. I tryed to enable the library in my standard project but can't see the customview in the designer.

 

[Mahares]

I tryed to enable the library in my standard project but can't see the customview in the designer.

You need to put a check in BCTextEngine library in the library pane

 

[marcick]

You need to put a check in BCTextEngine library in the library pane

I did it but the customview appears only starting from a B4A or B4xPages project. I'm working now in B4i (the question was good for this forum that is more populated I think). I'll ask in the appropriate section.

 

[marcick]

It didn't matter when I posted the question because it was not a B4i question.
Also I have the same app for both platform.
When I saw that the view was available in B4x and not in B4i I though It was only for B4x, didn't see it was present in B4A also, sorry.

 

[marcick]

After considering all the valid options suggested, I have implemented the help in this way:
The user click a help button on the bottombar and enter in Help-Mode. The main panel become more transparent and with a red border.
A msgbox suggest to click any part of the screen to get help on that item.
In the click_event of the various view, I catch from a map the help title and text and show in a msgbox.
Very basic solution but I like it. The box is autosized and the title is in bold. I have enough space to describe that help part without having a long page to scroll.
I wrote tons of manuals. Customers doesn't read them ....
Here is more interactive, the user can play touching around the screen and get a precise help.

Just to share ideas with you.
Thanks everybody for the contribute.

 

[aeric]

Another option is to create an onboarding page to explain how to use your app.

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