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Help & Info Panel Guide

The Help & Info panel provides access to documentation, terminology definitions, and contextual help throughout the workspace. This guide covers how to navigate and find information using the search bar, glossary, and cross-reference links.

Screenshot: Help & Info panel showing all navigation areasCaption: The Help & Info panel with search bar, glossary, and article display


Quick Start

  1. Open the panel — Click the help icon (?) in the workspace info section or any inline help icon
  2. Search for topics — Type in the search bar to find articles by title, tag, or category
  3. Browse the glossary — Click "Glossary" to expand alphabetical term listings
  4. Follow cross-references — Click "See Also" links at the bottom of articles to explore related topics

Detailed Guide

Opening the Help Panel

There are two ways to access the Help & Info panel:

Screenshot: Help icon locations in the workspaceHelp icon locations in the sidebar and inline with parameters

Workspace Help Icon

Click the help icon (?) in the Workspace Info section of the sidebar to open the panel. Click again to collapse it.

StatePanel WidthContent
Collapsed48pxIcon only visible
Expanded280pxFull panel with search, glossary, and articles

Context-Sensitive Help Icons

Throughout the workspace, you'll find small help icons next to parameters, settings, and features. These icons have a ? symbol and appear inline with labels.

  • Hover over an icon to see a tooltip
  • Click the icon to open the help panel directly to that topic's article

Tip: Context-sensitive help icons are the fastest way to get information about a specific parameter or feature while you're working.


The search bar is the primary way to find information in the help system.

Screenshot: Search bar with results dropdownSearch bar with results dropdown showing matching articles

  1. Click in the search input field (placeholder: "Search topics...")
  2. Type at least 2 characters
  3. Results appear automatically after a brief delay
  4. Click any result to view the article

What Gets Searched

Search TargetExample QueryWhat It Finds
Article titlespatch sizeArticles with "patch" or "size" in the title
TagstrainingArticles tagged with "training"
CategoriesparameterArticles categorized as parameters

Note: The search looks at article metadata (titles, tags, categories), not the full text content of articles.

Search Results

  • Up to 15 results are displayed
  • Results show the article title and category badge
  • Your search query is highlighted in the results
  • Results are sorted by relevance
  • Click the × button to clear your search
  • Click outside the results dropdown to close it
  • Results automatically close when you select an article

Browsing the Glossary

The glossary provides an alphabetical listing of all terms and concepts in the help system.

Screenshot: Expanded glossary showing alphabetical termsExpanded glossary with alphabetically organized terms

Opening the Glossary

  1. Locate the "Glossary" header below the search bar
  2. Click to expand (smooth animation reveals the term list)
  3. Click again to collapse

Terms are organized alphabetically by first letter:

  • Letter sections (A, B, C, etc.) group related terms
  • Scroll through the list to browse (max height with scrollbar)
  • Hover over a term to highlight it
  • Click a term to view its associated article

What's in the Glossary

Each glossary entry includes:

ElementDescription
TermThe name of the concept (e.g., "Batch Size")
DefinitionBrief explanation (shown in some entries)
Linked ArticleClick to read the full article

Tip: Use the glossary when you encounter an unfamiliar term and want to understand its meaning in the context of image processing.


Reading Articles

When you select a topic from search, glossary, or a help icon, the article displays in the main content area.

Screenshot: Article display with all sections labeledArticle view showing title, category badge, summary, and body sections

Article Structure

SectionDescription
TitleArticle name (may include module for disambiguation)
Category BadgeType of content (guide, parameter, concept, etc.)
SummaryBrief overview paragraph
BodyDetailed explanation with lists and sections
Parameter Impact(If applicable) How this setting affects results
See AlsoLinks to related articles

Scrolling Long Articles

The article area is scrollable. If an article is longer than the visible area:

  • Use your mouse wheel or trackpad to scroll
  • The scroll position resets when you navigate to a new article

At the bottom of each article, you'll find a "See Also" section with links to related content.

Screenshot: See Also section with related article linksSee Also section with curated and auto-generated related links

How See Also Works

Links come from two sources:

  1. Curated links — Hand-picked related articles (shown first)
  2. Auto-generated links — Articles sharing common tags (added automatically)

Using See Also for Exploration

  • Click any link to navigate directly to that article
  • The panel stays open, replacing the current article
  • Follow multiple links to explore connected topics
  • Use search or glossary to start a new exploration path

Tip: The "See Also" section is great for learning—follow the links to build a deeper understanding of related concepts.


Here are common ways to navigate the help system:

Quick Lookup (Know What You Need)

  1. Type in the search bar
  2. Click the matching result
  3. Read the article

Learning a New Concept (Exploratory)

  1. Start with glossary or search
  2. Read the initial article
  3. Follow "See Also" links to related topics
  4. Continue exploring until satisfied

In-Context Help (While Working)

  1. Click the help icon (?) next to a parameter
  2. Read the article that opens
  3. Optionally follow "See Also" for more depth
  4. Collapse the panel to continue working

Panel Behavior

Expanding and Collapsing

  • Click the panel toggle or any help icon to expand
  • Click the toggle again to collapse
  • Panel remembers its state during your session

Mobile Behavior

On smaller screens (< 768px):

  • The panel slides in as an overlay from the right
  • Covers the main content when open
  • Slide out to close

Troubleshooting

IssueCauseSolution
No search resultsQuery too short or no matchesType at least 2 characters; try different keywords
Can't find a termTerm may use different wordingTry synonyms or browse the glossary
Article not loadingNetwork issue or missing fileRefresh the page and try again
Panel won't openJavaScript errorCheck browser console; refresh the page
Help icon not workingMissing data-info-idReport as a bug—the icon should link to an article

Part of DFG Priority Programme SPP2332 "Physics of Parasitism"