---
name: "Prima::HelpViewer"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libprima-perl"
version: "1.28-1.3+b3"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Prima::HelpViewer"
---

# Prima::HelpViewer(3)

the built-in pod file browser

## NAME

Prima::HelpViewer - the built-in pod file browser

## USAGE

The module presents two packages, `"Prima::HelpViewer"` and `"Prima::PodViewWindow"`. Their sole purpose is to serve as a mediator between `"Prima::PodView"` package, the toolkit help interface and the user. `"Prima::PodViewWindow"` includes all the user functionality, including ( but not limited to :) text search, color and font setup, printing etc. `"Prima::HelpViewer"` provides two methods - `"open"` and `"close"`, used by `"Prima::Application"` for help viewer invocation.

## Help

The browser can be used to view and print POD ( plain old documentation ) files. See the command overview below for more detailed description:

- File

  - Open

    Presents a file selection dialog, when the user can select a file to browse in the viewer. The file must contain POD content, otherwise a warning is displayed.

  - Goto

    Asks for a manpage, that is searched in PATH and the installation directories.

  - New window

    Opens the new viewer window with the same context.

  - Run

    Commands in this group call external processes

    - p-class

      p-class is Prima utility for displaying the widget class hierachies. The command asks for Prima class to display the hierachy information  for.

  - Print

    Provides a dialog, when the user can select the appropriate  printer device and its options.

    Prints the current topic to the selected printer.

    If "Full text view" menu item is checked, prints the whole manpage.

  - Close window

    Closes the window.

  - Close all windows

    Closes all help viewer windows.

- View

  - Increase font

    Increases the currently selected font by 2 points.

  - Decrease font

    Decreases the currently selected font by 2 points.

  - Full text view

    If checked, the whole manpage is displayed. Otherwise, its content is presented as a set of topic, and only one topic is displayed.

  - Find

    Presents a find dialog, where the user can select the text to search and the search options - the search direction, scope, and others.

  - Find again

    Starts search for the text, entered in the last find dialog, with the same search options.

  - Fast find

    The following commands provide a simple vi-style text search functionality - character keys ?,/,n,N bound to the commands below:

    - Forward

      Presents an input line where a text can be entered; the text search is  performed parallel to the input.

    - Backward

      Same as Forward option, except that the serach direction is backwards.

    - Repeat forward

      Repeat the search in the same direction as the initial search was being invoked.

    - Repeat backward

      Repeat the search in the reverse direction as the initial search was being invoked.

  - Setup

    Presents a setup dialog, where the user can select appropriate fonts and colors.

- Go

  - Back

    Displays the previously visited manpage ( or topic )

  - Forward

    Displays the previously visited manpage ( or topic ), that was left via Back command.

  - Up

    Displays the upper level topic within a manpage.

  - Previous

    Moves to the previous topic within a manpage.

  - Next

    Moves to the next topic within a manpage.

- Help

  - About

    Displays the information about the help viewer.

  - Help

    Displays the information about the usage of the help viewer

## AUTHOR

Dmitry Karasik, \<dmitry@karasik.eu.org\>.

## COPYRIGHT

This program is distributed under the BSD License.