NAME

DtInfoShowTopic — provide the user access to a local information corpus at a specific location

SYNOPSIS

#include <Dt/Info.h>
DtIfnoShowStatus DtInfoShowTopic(
const char *info_lib,
const char *locator);

DESCRIPTION

By invoking DtInfoShowTopic, a client application requests that dtinfo display a particular section of data, or topic. DtInfoShowTopic sends a ToolTalk message to any active dtinfo process that can access the requested information in the current locale. The browser is started if it is not already running. This corresponds to invoking the dtinfo command with the -sect option from the command line.

The locator parameter must be a valid, resolvable location in the specified or default infolib for dtinfo to display the location. Unfortunately, there is no way to determine this from the calling application as DtInfoShowTopic will return an ok status as long as the message has been delivered to dtinfo. In the case of an invalid locator, dtinfo will still map to the current workspace of the invoking application and display an error dialog.

This API is implemented in the Desktop Services library, DtSvc. To access the DtShowInfoTopic API, include the header file Dt/Info.h and link with -lDtSvc.

ARGUMENTS

*info_lib: Specifies a file path, relative or absolute, to an information library. If info_lib is NULL, the browser displays the default information library(s).
*locator: Specifies the information library section in generalized locator format.

RETURN VALUE

DtINFO_SHOW_OK: ToolTalk request successfully sent.
DtINFO_SHOW_BAD_LOCATOR: The locator argument is NULL.
DtINFO_SHOW_TT_OPEN_FAIL: Call to tt_open() failed.
DtINFO_SHOW_MSG_CREATE_FAIL: Call to tt_message_create() failed.
DtINFO_SHOW_MSG_SEND_FAIL: Call to tt_message_send() failed.

ENVIRONMENT

DTINFOLIBSEARCHPATH: Search path environment variable for locating information libraries on local and remote mounted systems.
DTINFOLIBDEFAULT: Specifies the name of the default information library(s) to load if the locator argument is NULL. Multiple information libraries can be specified by a comma separated list.