How to open custom help file for an add-in tile

Nate Zapotocky

how do I show a help file using the AddInClient?

https://www.npmjs.com/package/@blackbaud/sky-addin-client/v/1.0.11#opening-the-blackbaud-help-flyout


vm.client = new BBSkyAddinClient.AddinClient({

    callbacks: {

        init: function (args) {

        

        },

        helpClick: function () {

            vm.client.openHelp({ helpKey: 'my_help_file.html' });

        },

        settingsClick: function () {

            

        }

    },

});

Michael Tims

Hello Nate,


The `openHelp` method which takes a `helpKey` is intended to open a Blackbaud help topic, but I suspect that's not what you want to do here.  If you'd like to open your own custom help html page, I would suggest handling the `helpClick` callback like you already are... but instead of trying to open the help widget for a BB help topic, open your own help page in a separate browser tab.


helpClick: function () {

    window.open('http://<url_path>/my_help_file.html', '_blank');

}

Ben Lambert

Nate,


Michael Tims is correct, and the option of showing your own help page is a good approach (another could be to use the showModal() or showFlyout() methods and render your help file content within the modal dialog or flyout pane).


We built the openHelp() method in the client library to support a future scenario where "custom" help files could be opened in help widget.  It's not something we support yet, just an idea we're still discussing internally.  If Michael's suggestion satisfies your use case, let us know.  But if not, we'd definitely be interested in knowing more about the experience you'd ultimately like to deliver around showing your own help file as it will help inform our internal discussions..

Jeff Armstrong

Hi, Ben, 


Thank you for the prompt response. Nate works for me here at NPact. I've got him developing the first of what we hope will be many SKY Add-Ins to put into the Marketplace. We were expecting that our users would have a seamless Online Help experience. Regardless of whether they're in a Blackbaud modal editor or our Add-In modal, we would expect that the Help slider would be available and would deliver the relevant content. If we were able to deliver our Help content to the slider in our custom modals, we wouldn't be too concerned about exactly how the plumbing works (as long as it's well documented). 


For now we are going to try using showFlyout() and rendering our content, and we'll post back here to let you know if it works. But we love the idea of you letting us manage our own content on your server and then passing our helpKey into the openHelp() function. 


I'm also curious about how other ISV Partners are handling Online Help in their SKY Add-Ins. If you've got any examples they would be appreciated. 


Thanks,

Jeff Armstrong

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