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Integrated Help System in a WPF Application

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20 Jun 2013CPOL6 min read 43.2K   2K   45  
Quick guideline to understand a workflow of screen without reading long and boring(!!) documentation guide
This is a quick guideline to get rid of reading long and boring documentation and give you very basic information about a screen.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Documents;
using System.Windows.Input;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Automation;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.ComponentModel;
using IntegratedHelpInWPF.Languages;

namespace IntegratedHelpInWPF.AttachProperties
{
    public class DynamicHelper
    {        
        public static event EventHandler<HelperPublishEventArgs> OnHelpMessagePublished;
        public static event EventHandler<HelperModeEventArgs> OnHelpModeSelection;

        private static bool HelpActive { get; set; }

        public static void SetDynamicHelp(UIElement element, bool value)
        {
            element.SetValue(DynamicHelpProperty, value);
        }
        public static bool GetDynamicHelp(UIElement element)
        {
            return (Boolean)element.GetValue(DynamicHelpProperty);
        }

        public static readonly DependencyProperty DynamicHelpProperty =
          DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("DynamicHelp", typeof(bool), typeof(UIElement),
                                              new PropertyMetadata(false, DynamicHelpChanged));

        private static readonly List<HelpGroup> HelpGroups = new List<HelpGroup>();

        public static HelpGroup Current
        {
            get
            {
                return HelpGroups.LastOrDefault();
            }
        }

        private static void DynamicHelpChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
        {
            var element = d as UIElement;

            if (null != element)
            {
                if (null != HelpGroups && !HelpGroups.Any(g => null != g.Element && g.Element.Equals(element)))
                {
                    UIElement window = null;
                    if (element is Window)
                        window = (Window)element;
                    else
                        window = Window.GetWindow(element);

                    //Note: Use below code if you have used any custom window class other than child of Window (for example WindowBase is base of your custom window)
                    //if (window == null)
                    //{
                    //    if (element is WindowBase)
                    //        window = (WindowBase)element;
                    //    else
                    //        window = element.TryFindParent<WindowBase>();
                    //}

                    if (null != window)
                    {
                        var currentGroup = new HelpGroup { Screen = window, Element = element, ScreenAdorner = new HelpTextAdorner(element) };
                        var newVal = (bool)e.NewValue;
                        var oldVal = (bool)e.OldValue;
                                              
                        // Register Events
                        if (newVal && !oldVal)
                        {
                            if (currentGroup.Screen != null)
                            {
                                if (!currentGroup.Screen.CommandBindings.OfType<CommandBinding>().Any(c => c.Command.Equals(ApplicationCommands.Help)))
                                {
                                    if (currentGroup._helpCommandBind == null)
                                    {
                                        currentGroup._helpCommandBind = new CommandBinding(ApplicationCommands.Help, HelpCommandExecute);
                                    }
                                    currentGroup.Screen.CommandBindings.Add(currentGroup._helpCommandBind);
                                }

                                if (currentGroup._helpHandler == null)
                                {
                                    currentGroup._helpHandler = new MouseButtonEventHandler(ElementMouse);
                                }
                                currentGroup.Screen.PreviewMouseLeftButtonDown += currentGroup._helpHandler;
                                if (window is Window)
                                {
                                    ((Window)currentGroup.Screen).Closing += WindowClosing;
                                    ((Window)currentGroup.Screen).LocationChanged += WindowLocationChanged;
                                    ((Window)currentGroup.Screen).StateChanged += WindowStateChanged;
                                }
                                //else
                                //    ((WindowBase)currentGroup.Screen).Closed += new EventHandler<WindowClosedEventArgs>(RadWindowClosed);
                            }
                        }
                        HelpGroups.Add(currentGroup);
                    }
                }
            }

        }

        static void WindowStateChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if (sender is Window)
            {
                var current = HelpGroups.Where(g => g.Screen.Equals(sender)).FirstOrDefault();

                if ((sender as Window).WindowState == WindowState.Normal
                    || (sender as Window).WindowState == WindowState.Maximized)
                {
                    if (null != OnHelpModeSelection)
                    {
                        OnHelpModeSelection(Current.Element, new HelperModeEventArgs() { IsHelpActive = HelpActive, Current = Current });
                    }
                    UpdateScreen(current);
                }
                else
                    DynamicHelperViewer.ToggoleDetailMode(true);
            }
        }

        static void WindowLocationChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            var current = HelpGroups.Where(g => g.Screen.Equals(sender)).FirstOrDefault();
            UpdateScreen(current, (sender is Window && (sender as Window).WindowState == WindowState.Minimized));
        }

        static void UpdateScreen(HelpGroup current, bool forceClose = false)
        {
            if (HelpActive)
            {
                if (current != null)
                {
                    foreach (var item in current._popUps.Values)
                    {
                        if (null != item && null != item.Data)
                        {
                            item.Data.IsVisible = false;
                            item.Data.IsVisible = forceClose? false : !current.IsDetailShown;
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        static void WindowClosing(object sender, CancelEventArgs e)
        {
            OnClosingScreen(sender);
        }

        private static void OnClosingScreen(object sender)
        {
            var group = HelpGroups.FirstOrDefault(g => g.Screen.Equals(sender));
            if (null != group)
            {
                HelpGroups.Remove(group);
                if (null != group._helpCommandBind)
                    group.Screen.CommandBindings.Remove(group._helpCommandBind);
                group.Screen.PreviewMouseLeftButtonDown -= group._helpHandler;
                if (group.Screen is Window)
                {
                    ((Window)group.Screen).Closing -= WindowClosing;
                    ((Window)group.Screen).LocationChanged -= WindowLocationChanged;
                    ((Window)group.Screen).StateChanged -= WindowStateChanged;
                }
                //Note: Use Below Code if you have used any custom window class other than child of Window (for example WindowBase is base of your custom window)
                //else
                //    ((WindowBase)group.Screen).Closed -= WindowBaseClosed;
                group._helpHandler = null;
                group._helpCommandBind = null;
                group.Screen = null;
                group.Element = null;
                group.HelpDO = null;
                group._popUps.Clear();
                group._cacheText.Clear();
            }
        }

        static void ElementMouse(object sender, System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs e)
        {
            if(e.ButtonState != MouseButtonState.Pressed
                || e.ClickCount != 1)
                return;

            var element = sender as DependencyObject;
            if (null != element)
            {
                UIElement window = null;
                if (element is Window)
                    window = (Window)element;
                else
                    window = Window.GetWindow(element);

                //Note:  Use bellow code if you have used any custom window class other than child of Window (for example WindowBase is base of your custom window)
                //if (window == null)
                //{
                //    if (element is WindowBase)
                //        window = (WindowBase) element;
                //    else
                //        window = element.TryFindParent<WindowBase>();
                //}

                if (null != window)
                {
                    // Walk up the tree in case a parent element has help defined
                    var hitElement = (DependencyObject)window.InputHitTest(e.GetPosition(window));

                    var checkHelpDo = hitElement;                    
                    string helpText = Current.FetchHelpText(checkHelpDo);
                    while ( string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(helpText) && checkHelpDo != null &&
                            !Equals(checkHelpDo, Current.Element) &&
                            !Equals(checkHelpDo, window))
                    {
                        checkHelpDo = (checkHelpDo is Visual)?  VisualTreeHelper.GetParent(checkHelpDo) : null;
                        helpText = Current.FetchHelpText(checkHelpDo);
                    }
                    if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(helpText))
                    {
                        Current.HelpDO = null;
                    }
                    else if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(helpText) && Current.HelpDO != checkHelpDo)
                    {
                        Current.HelpDO = checkHelpDo;
                    }

                    if (null != OnHelpMessagePublished)
                         OnHelpMessagePublished(checkHelpDo, new HelperPublishEventArgs() { HelpMessage = helpText, Sender = hitElement});
                    
                }
            }
        }

        static void HelpCommandExecute(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            e.Handled = true;
            ToggleHelp();
        }


        public static void ToggleHelp()
        {
            // Turn the current help off
            Current.HelpDO = null;
            // Toggle current state; add/remove mouse handler
            HelpActive = !HelpActive;

            if (null != OnHelpModeSelection)
            {
                OnHelpModeSelection(Current.Element, new HelperModeEventArgs() { IsHelpActive = HelpActive, Current = Current});
            }
        }

    }

    public class HelperPublishEventArgs : EventArgs
    {
        public string HelpMessage { get; set; }
        public DependencyObject Sender { get; set; }
    }

    public class HelperModeEventArgs : EventArgs
    {
        public bool IsHelpActive { get; set; }
        public HelpGroup Current { get; set; }
    }

    public class HelpModeViewData
    {
        public ControlTemplate Template { get; set; }
        public DynamicHelpModel Data { get; set; }
    }

    public class HelpGroup
    {
        public bool IsDetailShown { get; set; } 
        public HelpTextAdorner ScreenAdorner { get; set; } 
        public DependencyObject HelpDO { get; set; }
        public UIElement Screen { get; set; }
        public UIElement Element { get; set; }
        public MouseButtonEventHandler _helpHandler = null;
        public CommandBinding _helpCommandBind = null;

        public Dictionary<int, HelpModeViewData> _popUps = new Dictionary<int, HelpModeViewData>();
        public Dictionary<int, string> _cacheText = new Dictionary<int, string>();

        public string FetchHelpText(DependencyObject element)
        {
            if (null != element)
            {
                if (_cacheText.ContainsKey(element.GetHashCode()))
                {
                    return _cacheText[element.GetHashCode()];
                }
                else
                {
                    string helpText = AutomationProperties.GetHelpText(element);
                    if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(helpText))
                    {
                        _cacheText.Add(element.GetHashCode(), helpText);
                    }
                    return helpText;
                }
            }
            return null;
        }
    }

    public class HelpTextAdorner : Adorner
    {
        public HelpTextAdorner(UIElement adornedElement)
            : base(adornedElement)
        { }

        protected override int VisualChildrenCount
        {
            get
            {
                return 1;
            }
        }

        protected override Visual GetVisualChild(int index)
        {
            if (index != 0) throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException();
            return _child;
        }

        private Control _child;
        public Control Child
        {
            get { return _child; }
            set
            {
                if (_child != null)
                {
                    RemoveVisualChild(_child);
                }
                _child = value;
                if (_child != null)
                {
                    AddVisualChild(_child);
                }
            }
        }

        protected override Size MeasureOverride(Size constraint)
        {
            if(null !=Child)
            {
                _child.Measure(constraint);
                return _child.DesiredSize;
            }
            return base.MeasureOverride(constraint);
        }

        protected override Size ArrangeOverride(Size finalSize)
        {
            if (null != Child)
            {
                _child.Arrange(new Rect(new Point(0, 0), finalSize));
                return new Size(_child.ActualWidth, _child.ActualHeight);
            }
            return base.ArrangeOverride(finalSize);
        }

        //protected override void OnRender(DrawingContext drawingContext)
        //{
        //    var segment = (this.AdornedElement as UIElement);
        //    if (segment != null)
        //    {
        //        var adornedElementRect = new Rect(this.AdornedElement.DesiredSize);
        //        //Some arbitrary drawing implements.
        //        var renderBrush = new SolidColorBrush(Colors.WhiteSmoke) { Opacity = 0.1 };
        //        drawingContext.DrawRectangle(renderBrush, null, new Rect(RenderSize));
        //        var ft = new FormattedText(
        //            LanguageLoader.GetText("HelpTextMode"), Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture,
        //            System.Windows.FlowDirection.LeftToRight,
        //            new Typeface(new FontFamily("Arial"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Bold, FontStretches.Normal),
        //            25, Brushes.SlateGray);

        //        drawingContext.DrawText(ft, new Point(adornedElementRect.TopLeft.X + 20, adornedElementRect.TopLeft.Y + 20));
        //    }
        //}
    }
}

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License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


Written By
Team Leader PracticePRO Software Systems Inc
United States United States
In my childhood, my uncle has shown me how to see the cloud in a close look and I understand that one can draw some elements of the Earth in the sky-canvas if he/she wants to. After that the cloud becomes closer to me and It teaches me one thing that, a deeper-look to something will give you some clues to draw your imagination. You can able to see that one which you have build-up in your mind.

Years past, I have started my career as a software engineer and has been looking for passion in my coding and development which I should be to enjoy my profession and has started asking myself- 'am I doing any engineering here?!' Is my code becoming that thing which I have designed in my mind? So to find that answer I have tried that old solution here... I have decided to come closer to my code and start analyzing them. And it is really working for me and at least it gives me the confidence that I can build something that I really want to. I can draw my thinking there through my code and can build-up my vision that I have designed in my mind. It also helps me to think out of the box, solve each problems by making blocks and make me careful on each steps.

• Morshed's Technical Blog site: http://morshedanwar.wordpress.com/

• Morshed's Technical articles those are published in Codeproject site: http://www.codeproject.com/script/Articles/MemberArticles.aspx?amid=2992452

• Morshed's Linkedin profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/morshedanwar

• Morshed's Facebook Profile : http://www.facebook.com/morshed.pulok

Beside all these I like to do - photography and music. Here is my Flickr photos : http://www.flickr.com/photos/morshed_anwar/

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