--- /dev/null
+.. _using_help_panel:
+
+****************
+Using Help Panel
+****************
+
+.. contents:: Table of Contents
+
+In SALOME, each module can show introduction information and/or context help
+in the **Help panel**. This panel is shown in the right dock area of the
+SALOME GUI desktop.
+
+.. figure:: ../images/help_panel.png
+ :align: center
+ :alt: Help panel
+
+.. _hp_show_help_panel:
+
+Show help panel
+===============
+
+In order to show *Help panel*, the module must request it in the standard way, in
+the ``windows()`` method, for example:
+
+.. code-block:: c++
+ :emphasize-lines: 4
+
+ void GeometryGUI::windows(QMap<int, int>& map) const
+ {
+ map.insert(SalomeApp_Application::WT_ObjectBrowser, Qt::LeftDockWidgetArea);
+ map.insert(SalomeApp_Application::WT_InfoPanel, Qt::RightDockWidgetArea);
+ map.insert(SalomeApp_Application::WT_NoteBook, Qt::LeftDockWidgetArea);
+ map.insert(SalomeApp_Application::WT_PyConsole, Qt::BottomDockWidgetArea);
+ }
+
+.. note:: The dock area position flag is ignored for the *Help panel*.
+
+.. _hp_module_description:
+
+Module description
+==================
+
+To display short annotation of the module in the desktop in the application's
+*neutral point* (when there's no active module, see figure above),
+add the ``<description>`` parameter to the main module's section in the configuration
+file - ``LightApp.xml`` or ``SalomeApp.xml``, for example:
+
+.. code-block:: xml
+ :emphasize-lines: 6
+
+ <document>
+ <section name="SMESH">
+ <parameter name="name" value="Mesh"/>
+ <parameter name="icon" value="ModuleMesh.png"/>
+ <parameter name="version" value="9.6.0"/>
+ <parameter name="description" value="Generate mesh from CAD model or import mesh"/>
+ </section>
+ </document>
+
+Also, provide a translation of the module description to other languages in the
+corresponding translation files (``*.ts``).
+
+.. _hp_api:
+
+API of Help panel
+=================
+
+.. _hp_api_cpp:
+
+C++
+---
+
+Help panel is implemented in SALOME GUI module, via the ``QtxInfoPanel`` class.
+To obtain a reference to the Help panel, use method ``infoPanel()`` of the
+``LightApp_Application`` or ``SalomeApp_Application`` class:
+
+.. code-block:: c++
+
+ #include <QtxInfoPanel.h>
+ ...
+ SalomeApp_Application* app = dynamic_cast<SalomeApp_Application*>(application());
+ QtxInfoPanel* ip = app->infoPanel();
+
+The class ``QtxInfoPanel`` provides several methods which can be used to manage
+content of the *Help panel*. It is possible to add text labels and actions (these latter
+are presented as buttons). The items can be arranged into the logical blocks - groups;
+groups can contain other groups. All methods creating content items return unique
+identifier which can be later used to change item's visibility, enable/disable it
+(actions can be also enabled/disable directly), remove it or clear its contents
+(for groups). Top level container has identifier ``-1``.
+
+.. code-block:: c++
+
+ // Set panel's title (put empty string to hide title)
+ ip->setTitle("Welcome to my module");
+
+ // Create group box
+ int gb = ip->addGroup("General features");
+
+ // Add action to the group box
+ QAction* action = new QAction("My feature");
+ int id1 = ip->addAction(action, gb);
+
+ // Add informative label to the group box
+ int id2 = ip->addLabel("My cool feature", gb);
+
+ // Add another label, right-aligned, to the top-level container
+ int id3 = ip->addLabel("Some information", Qt::AlignRight);
+
+ // Change visibility of given item
+ ip->setVisible(id3, false);
+
+ // Enable/disable given item
+ ip->setEnabled(gb, false);
+
+ // Remove given item
+ ip->remove(id1);
+
+ // Remove all content of group
+ ip->clear(gb);
+
+ // Clear Help panel
+ ip->clear();
+
+.. _hp_api_python:
+
+Python
+------
+
+For Python modules, *Help panel* can be accessed via the ``SalomePyQt`` Python module.
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+ from PyQt5 import Qt as Q
+ from SalomePyQt import SalomePyQt as sg
+
+ # Set panel's title (put empty string to hide title)
+ sg.infoSetTitle("Welcome to my module")
+
+ # Create group box
+ gb = sg.infoAddGroup("General features")
+
+ # Add action to the group box
+ action = Q.QAction("My feature")
+ id1 = sg.infoAddAction(action, gb)
+
+ # Add informative label to the group box
+ id2 = sg.infoAddLabel("My cool feature", gb)
+
+ # Add another label, right-aligned, to the top-level container
+ # Note: -1 is used explicitly as group identifier
+ id3 = sg.infoAddLabel("Some information", Q.Qt.AlignRight, -1)
+
+ # Change visibility of given item
+ sg.infoSetVisible(id3, False)
+
+ # Enable/disable given item
+ sg.infoSetEnabled(gb, False)
+
+ # Remove given item
+ sg.infoRemove(id1)
+
+ # Remove all content of group
+ sg.infoClear(gb)
+
+ # Clear Help panel
+ sg.infoClear()
+
+.. _hp_update_panel
+
+Notifications
+=============
+
+Each time when *Help panel* is shown, currently active module is informed via
+the virtual method ``updateInfoPanel()``. This method can be used to properly
+update the contents of the *Help panel*, depending on the current context.
