Configuring SAP Portal for Use with Context-Sensitive Help

SAP EP is a web-based platform for delivering information from various sources to end users. Using the URL to Help Topic setting, the SAP EP can display the correct content for each iView/Portal Page in a browser window that displays on top of the SAP EP application.

Context-Sensitive Help allows you to provide end users with quick and convenient access to help via an online performance support system. End users request help from the Server via a direct link in the SAP EP application.

When creating custom Help links in an application that will be hosted in an iView, consider using an approach similar to that used in the context-sensitive solution for the iView itself.

1. Assign a unique identifier to each Help link. Recall that each iView in an SAP EP system has a unique alphanumeric identifier (for example, "com.sap.portal.createNewUser") that can be used as a reliable link between an iView and its related help content. Each custom Help link should also have a unique identifier that can be included in the properties of applicable documents.
2. Include the unique Help link identifier in documents. The application allows the author to specify the iView ID(s) to which the document applies. The Help link unique identifier should also be specified in the document.

Enabling the Required iView/Portal Page Options

To enable end users to access context-sensitive help for an iView/portal page, the Help option must be enabled. Each iView/portal page Help option is disabled by default; however, an SAP EP user with the appropriate permission to edit an iView/portal page can enable the Help option via the Property Editor.

Each iView and portal page in a portal system can be contained in a tray. The tray includes the name of the iView/portal page and a drop-down menu of options such as Refresh, Open in New Window, Personalize, Details, and Help.

1. Log into SAP Enterprise Portal with Content Administrator permission.
2. Right-click on the desired iView/portal page in the Portal Catalog, and select Open > Object.

   NOTE:

   An iView or portal page may display in several different contexts based on your role within the SAP EP. For example, the "Create User" iView may be configured differently for Super Administrators than it is for Content Administrators. In addition, note the specific role(s) in which an iView/portal page is to be modified. If more than one role applies, the iView/portal page must be edited for all roles.

3. Select the Property Editor panel located to the right of the editing area.
4. Select Show All in the Property Category list.
5. Click Yes for the Show 'Details' option property.
6. Click Yes for the Show 'Help' option property.
7. Click Yes for the Show Tray option property.
8. Click Save.

Locating the iView/Portal Page ID

Each iView and portal page in SAP EP has a unique alphanumeric identifier, which is registered in the portal content directory (PCD). The identifier is assigned when a new iView/portal page is created in the Portal Content Studio. Because identifiers are unique, they can be used as reliable links between an iView/portal page and its related help content.

To link an iView or portal page to help content, the iView/portal page ID must be included in the properties of the applicable document(s). To allow authors to easily locate an iView/portal page’s ID, the Details option must be enabled. An author can determine the iView/portal page ID via its details window by selecting the Details option within SAP EP. This will display a new browser window containing the Portal Component and Object ID.

The Object ID is a string of alphanumeric characters. You may choose to use the entire Object ID as the iView/portal page ID, or simply use the segment of the Object ID that follows the last "/" divider.

Including the iView/Portal Page ID in Documents

An author is able to populate properties within the document. The Server uses these properties to produce search results. For transaction-based SAP procedures, the author can specify the SAP transaction code(s) to which the document applies. The author can specify an iView/portal page ID, instead of a transaction code. The Properties window is where the Transaction Code(s) property is populated within the document.

Setting the Help URL for an iView/Portal Page

The URL to Help Topic property was introduced in EP6 SP17 and EP7 SP10 as a simple way to direct end users to the correct help URL; however, if you wish to configure the help URL for iViews or portal pages for which the URL to Help Topic property is not available, you may do so by using the PCD Inspector. The procedure for determining which procedure to use for setting the help URL depends on the following criteria.

1. The version and service pack (SP) of your SAP EP system
2. Whether you wish to enable the Help option on an iView or portal page

Setting the Help URL Using Portal Content Administration

If you are setting the URL to Help Topic property for an iView/portal page, you may do so using Portal Content Administration.

To set an iView/portal page URL to Help Topic property using Portal Content Administration:

1. Log into SAP Enterprise Portal with Content Administrator permission.
2. Right-click on the desired iView/portal page in the Portal Catalog, and select Open > Object.

   NOTE:

   An iView or portal page may display in several different contexts based on role within the SAP EP. For example, the "Create User" iView may be configured differently for Super Administrators and Content Administrators. Therefore, it is important to note the specific role(s) in which an iView/portal page is to be modified. If more than one role applies, then the iView/portal page must be edited for all roles.

3. Locate the Property Editor panel to the right of the editing area.
4. Select Show All in the Property Category list.
5. Scroll to the URL to Help Topic property in the list of properties.
6. Copy the URL field from the connection profile you specified in Managing Connection Profiles to the Server.
7. Paste the URL into the URL to Help Topic property.
8. Click Save.

Setting the Help URL Using the PCD Inspector

1. Log into SAP Enterprise Portal with Content Administrator permission.
2. Click System Administration from the Portal's top menu.
3. Click Support from the System Administration page.
4. Click Portal Content Directory from the Support page Top Level Areas list.
5. Click PCD Inspector in the Test and Configuration Tools list.

   NOTE:

   You may see warnings at this point; confirm these warnings and continue.

6. Check the box next to portal_content in the PCD Inspector browser.
7. Click Browse Into.
8. Repeat Step 6-7 as necessary until you reach the desired iView/portal page.
9. Select the checkbox next to the desired portal page, and click PropEditor.

   NOTE:

   This will open a new browser window for the PCD Generic Layer Property Editor.

10. Click Switch to PCM.
11. Choose com.sap.portal.iview.HelpURL in the List of All Properties list.
12. Click Edit.
13. Build the help call URL by appending the Object ID copied in the Locating the iView/Portal Page ID to the URL generated when you specified a connection to the Server as described in Managing Connection Profiles to the Server.
14. Paste the URL into the Property Value field.
15. Click Save.

Modifying the Help Link in the Portal Masthead

By default, the Help link in the SAP EP masthead launches the SAP Help Portal; however, the Portal Content Administrator can change the URL that is displayed by this Help link. For example, you may wish to have this Help link display the home page of your custom or application-generated website or display a specific page on your corporate intranet.

1. Go to Portal Users > Standard Portal Users in the Portal Catalog.
2. Right-click on the Default Framework page and select Open > Object.
3. Select the Masthead iView checkbox.
4. Click Properties.
5. Select Navigation from the Property Category drop-down list in the Property Editor.
6. Locate the URL of Help Link property in the Property Editor.
7. Enter the URL of the site you want to display in the URL of Help Link property.
8. Click Save.

Continue to the next article Creating A Template.