Context Help Window

The Context Help window displays basic information about LabVIEW objects when you move the cursor over each object. Objects with context help information include VIs, functions, constants, structures, palettes, properties, methods, events, dialog box components, and items in the Project Explorer window. You also can use the Context Help window to determine exactly where to connect wires to a VI or function.

Select Help»Show Context Help to display the Context Help window. You also can display the Context Help window by clicking the Show Context Help Window button on the toolbar, shown as follows.

(Windows) You also can display the window by pressing the <Ctrl-H> keys. (Mac OS) Press the <Command-Shift-H> keys. (Linux) Press the <Alt-H> keys.

The Context Help window resizes to accommodate each object description. You also can resize the Context Help window to set its maximum size. LabVIEW retains the Context Help window position and size so when you restart LabVIEW, the window appears in the same position and has the same maximum size. If you resize the Context Help window, LabVIEW word wraps text in the Context Help window, shortens wires on the connector pane, and lists inputs and outputs in a table if the window is too narrow to display all the content.

You can lock the current contents of the Context Help window so the contents of the window do not change when you move the cursor over different objects. Select Help»Lock Context Help to lock or unlock the current contents of the Context Help window. You also can lock or unlock the contents of the window by clicking the Lock button in the Context Help window, shown as follows.

(Windows) You also can lock or unlock the contents of the window by pressing the <Ctrl-Shift-L> keys. (Mac OS) Press the <Command-Shift-L> keys. (Linux) Press the <Alt-Shift-L> keys.

Click the Show Optional Terminals and Full Path button in the Context Help window, shown as follows, to display the optional terminals of a connector pane and to display the full path to a VI.

If a corresponding LabVIEW Help topic exists for an object the Context Help window describes, a blue Detailed help link appears in the Context Help window. Also, the Detailed help button in the Context Help window, shown as follows, is enabled. Click the link or the button to display more information about the object.