Class HelpTexts 

java.lang.Object
   |
   +----HelpTexts
class HelpTexts
extends Object
A store for keeping the help texts. The help texts are referenced using a String called the `subject'. With a subject, you can retrieve the corresponding help text. This class contains the mapping from subjects to help text files. This class also buffers the help texts in a Hashtable.

Version:
$Revision: 1.2 $

Variable Index

o helpDirectory
The name of the directory where the help text files are sought.
o loadedString
A String containing the result of the last call to loadFile().
o texts
The Hashtable containing the texts that have been retrieved using getHelpText().

Constructor Index

o HelpTexts()

Method Index

o getFilename(String)
Maps a subject string to the name of a help text file.
o getHelpText(String)
Returns the help text corresponding to a specified subject.
o loadFile(String)
Loads a file with a specified name.

Variables

o loadedString 
 private String loadedString
A String containing the result of the last call to loadFile().

See Also:
loadFile
o texts 
 private Hashtable texts
The Hashtable containing the texts that have been retrieved using getHelpText().

See Also:
getHelpText
o helpDirectory 
 private String helpDirectory
The name of the directory where the help text files are sought. Before any help text file is sought, this variable is set with a value from the Framework property "HelpDirectory". If this Framework property does not exist, the value set here is used.

Constructors

o HelpTexts 
 HelpTexts()

Methods

o getHelpText 
 String getHelpText(String subject)
Returns the help text corresponding to a specified subject. In case of an error (subject unknown, help text file not found or error while reading help text file), it returns an appropriate message.

Parameters:
subject - the subject for which the help text is needed.
Returns:
the help text or an error message in case of an error.
o loadFile 
 private boolean loadFile(String name)
Loads a file with a specified name. The contents of the file are put in a string which is then put in the instance variable loadedString. In case of an error (help text file not found or error while reading help text file) an appropriate message is put in loadedString.

Parameters:
name - the name of the file to load.
Returns:
a boolean indicating wether an error occurred or not. If no error occurred, instance variable loadedString contains the contents of the file, otherwise it contains an appropriate message.
See Also:
loadedString
o getFilename 
 private String getFilename(String subject)
Maps a subject string to the name of a help text file. Currently, the name of the file is the same as the name of the subject. The name of the directory is taken from the instance variable helpDirectory.

Parameters:
subject - the subject to find the help text filename for.
Returns:
the filename or null if no name could be found.
See Also:
getProperties, helpDirectory