Help Viewer Shortcuts

See Also

The IDE uses the JavaHelpTM system help viewer to display the online help. Most of the features in the help viewer are accessible from the keyboard. Help viewer shortcuts are not configurable in the IDE.

When you first open the help viewer, keyboard focus is on the Previous button. The traversal order goes from the toolbar to the selected tab to the left content pane and then to the right pane.

The following table lists the keystrokes needed to navigate the help viewer.

Keys Action
Ctrl-Tab Shifts focus to the next component.
Ctrl-Shift-Tab Shifts focus to the previous component.
Up arrow Selects the previous item in the TOC or the index.

Moves the splitter bar.

Down arrow Selects the next item in the TOC or the index.

Moves the splitter bar.

Left arrow Shifts focus to the previous tab or the previous button.

Closes a folder in the TOC or the index.

Moves the splitter bar left.

Right arrow Shifts focus to the next tab or the next button.

Opens a folder in the TOC or the index.

Moves the splitter bar right.

Ctrl-left arrow Scrolls to the left.
Ctrl-right arrow Scrolls to the right.
Home Selects the first item in the TOC or the index.
End Selects the last item in the TOC or the index.
Page Up Scrolls up one page.
Page Down Scrolls down one page.
Ctrl-T Shifts focus to the next link in a topic.
Ctrl-Shift-T Shifts focus to the previous link in a topic.
Ctrl-spacebar Follows a link in a topic.
Spacebar Activates a toolbar button (Back, Forward, Print, or Page Setup) that has focus.
Ctrl-F1 Displays alternate text for a toolbar button.
F6 Shifts focus between left and right panes.
F8 Selects the splitter bar if focus is in the content pane or in the navigation pane.
See Also
Setting Keyboard Shortcuts
Menu Shortcuts
Window Navigation Shortcuts
Editor Shortcuts

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