Answer wizard drop-down control

Abstract

An answer wizard drop-down menu for providing users quick and efficient access to help utilities, including help files and wizards provided by a software application, is provided. An answer wizard drop-down edit control and interface is located in a conspicuous, but non-obstructive location on a software application graphical interface. An edit control allows a user to enter a question regarding some desired functionality of the application. In response to the user's question, the user is presented with a list of potential answers to the question in a drop-down menu. If the user finds an acceptable answer to her question in the list of potential answers, the user selects the acceptable answer, and an appropriate help file application is launched to provide the user assistance with the functionality about which the user has questions. Each question so asked by the user is saved in a list of most recently used items. The next time the user needs assistance, the user may open the list of most recently used items to obtain a list of the most recent questions previously asked by the user. The user may then, if desired, select one of the previously asked questions and initiate another search on the selected question to obtain the list of potential answers. The user may then select a new or previously viewed answer to return to the help file application.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 880,424, filed Jun. 13, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention generally relates to an interactive help utility. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for efficiently interacting with the help utility functionality. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Since the advent of computers, a large and growing number of computer software applications have been developed to assist users in all aspects of business, education, entertainment and personal development. As an ever-increasing number of software applications are developed, the amount of and complexity of functionality provided to users by those software applications have increased dramatically. [0004] Often users become bogged down in the complexity and quantity of functionality offered by their software applications. They often have difficu...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

As an ever-increasing number of software applications are developed, the amount of and complexity of functionality provided to users by those software applications have increased dramatically.

Often users become bogged down in the complexity and quantity of functionality offered by their software applications.

They often have difficulty locating the desired functionality; when they are able to locate desired functionality, often they do not understand how to use the functionality to its fullest benefit.

And, unfortunately, the user may be just as unfamiliar with the steps required to launch the help file functionality as he / she is with executing the task at hand.

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