Abstract: A system for presentation of help files on a computer with an operating system and a display is provided. Presentation-independent information associated with an application is stored on the computer. A help application is adapted to access the presentation-independent information based on user interactions and automatically to select between available rendering applications at runtime for displaying the presentation-independent information on the display.

Abstract: Computer assistance content related to a plurality of software entities is combined into a single assistance content corpus. The corpus may be organized hierarchically. The hierarchical organization can be done using content sets that relate assistance content with associated metadata. Content sets can be related to each other in parent-child relationships. The relationship definitions can be separate from the content set definitions. Scope and bias information can be used to constrain assistance content searching over the corpus and to bias search results based on one or more state variables of the user's computer. A remote assistance server can be used to provide updated or newer assistance content to the user. When the remote assistance server is used, an assistance request from the user is supplemented with scope information.

Abstract: A URI is received and includes an indication of an item of content. A determination is made as to whether there is access to a help server. If there is access, then a version of the item of content is retrieved from the help server. If there is no access, then a version of the item of content is retrieved from a local client content store.

Abstract: Computer assistance content related to a plurality of software entities is combined into a single assistance content corpus. The corpus may be organized hierarchically. The hierarchical organization can be done using content sets that relate assistance content with associated metadata. Content sets can be related to each other in parent-child relationships. The relationship definitions can be separate from the content set definitions. Scope and bias information can be used to constrain assistance content searching over the corpus and to bias search results based on one or more state variables of the user's computer. A remote assistance server can be used to provide updated or newer assistance content to the user. When the remote assistance server is used, an assistance request from the user is supplemented with scope information.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of providing security in a help system includes receiving a call from a calling application to access active content. A determination is made, based on predetermined criteria, which execution mode to use to access the active content. The active content is then accessed in the determined execution mode.

Abstract: Flexible information appearance and behavior can be achieved with an extensible multi-phase transform engine. The transform engine can apply a series of transforms to markup language content. In a help service embodiment, application creators can specify a Uniform Resource Indicator (URI) for help content, and a collection of transforms and/or executable code for formatting and presenting the help content. The transforms may be custom transforms registered with the help service, or may be selected from a set of stock pre-registered transforms. The transforms can be applied by the engine to the help content. Custom transforms and transform selection may be used to control content appearance and engine output format. Transform operation may also trigger custom executable code to accomplish desired help behaviors.

Abstract: A system for presentation of help files on a computer with an operating system and a display is provided. Presentation-independent information associated with an application is stored on the computer. A help application is adapted to access the presentation-independent information based on user interactions and automatically to select between available rendering applications at runtime for displaying the presentation-independent information on the display.

Abstract: Periodic updating of content and metadata on a client computer is enabled through the transmission of a patch, rather than redeployment of the entire content and metadata. The patch contains difference information detailing the differences between the client's version of the content and metadata and a current version. The content and metadata are updated consistent with the patch. Any associated information with the content and metadata, such as a full text index or a data store, will then also be updated or recreated. Because the patch is smaller than information needed to redeploy the content, metadata, and associated information, it can be sent with greater frequency and security. Additionally, because the patch is based on the client's version of the content and metadata and a current version, where a number of current versions exist (e.g. for localization) the correct patch may be sent out without requiring the transmission of extraneous content or metadata.

Abstract: A content author marks content semantically, rather than providing presentational indications in the content. The markings conform to a semantic schema, which define different semantic elements which may occur in the content. The resulting semantically-marked content is optionally combined with other semantically-marked content to form combined semantically-marked content. The final presentationally-marked content is transformed with a presentation transform indicating how semantic content should be displayed. The result is presentation data. The presentation data contains the content with presentational indications, including presentational markings or code references or fragments. These presentational indications indicate how content should be displayed. In this way, uniformity in presenting data authored by different content authors or at different times can be achieved.

Abstract: Content including links to behaviors (code which can be executed and return supplemental content for insertion, or can modify existing content) is stored, and at run-time, the links to behaviors are followed and the supplemental content or the modifications to existing comment are used to create a final version of content which will be presented to the user. Security enhancements including a security check ensure that only behaviors which are secure will be run. Default content may be provided, which may be inserted if the security check is not passed, or if the content returned from the behavior is unusable for some reason.

Abstract: A content author provides content to be displayed, including some content elements for which display is conditional on the state of the machine in which the content will be viewed. The conditional statements controlling the display of these content elements, in one embodiment refer to states provided by a state monitor. The state may refer to the state of any aspect of the viewing environment, including hardware, software, firmware, user preferences, software operating modes, and any other detectable state. The resulting content is optionally combined with other similar content via a structural transform. This content is transformed with a presentation transform. One of the transforms checks the states and resolves the conditional statements included by the content author. The result of the transforms is presentation data. A display of this presentation data includes the content which, according to the conditional statements and the state of the viewing environment is appropriate for display.