[Overview][Constants][Types][Classes][Procedures and functions][Variables][Index] | Reference for unit 'Controls' (#lcl)

# TControl.ShowHelp

Displays the help associated with the control.

## Declaration

Source position: controls.pp line 1747

`public procedure TControl.ShowHelp; virtual;`

## Description

ShowHelp is a method used to display help for the control. Values in HelpType, HelpContext, and HelpKeyword are used to determine which method is called in the Application singleton to display the help content.

HelpType
  When set to htContext, the HelpContext method is called for the value in the HelpContext property.
HelpKeyword
  A non-empty value causes the HelpKeyword method to be called using the value in the HelpKeyword property.
Default Action
  Calls the ShowHelp method in the Parent control when none of the other conditions are satisfied.

ShowHelp is called from methods in the TApplication instance. It occurs when the F1 key is pressed when the control has focus, or when its ShowHelpForObject method is called for a specific control instance.

Use the HelpFile property, found on the parent form or in a TApplicationProperties instance, to set the help file with the content displayed in the method.

## See also

TControl.HelpType |  | Indicates whether context-sensitive Help is selected by numeric ID or keyword.
TControl.HelpContext |  | The numeric context-sensitive Help identifier for the control.
TControl.HelpKeyword |  | The context-sensitive Help keyword for the control.
TApplication.HelpContext |  | Shows context-sensitive help for the application.
TApplication.HelpKeyword |  | Shows help for the specified keyword.
TApplication.ShowHelpForObject |  | When Sender is a TControl, invoke its ShowHelp method.
TApplicationProperties.HelpFile |  | Contains the name for the help file in an application.
TCustomForm.HelpFile |  | The name of the help file for the form.