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Definition

hook_help($path, $arg)
drupal/modules/help/help.api.php, line 48

Description

Provide online user help.

By implementing hook_help(), a module can make documentation available to the user for the module as a whole, or for specific paths. Help for developers should usually be provided via function header comments in the code, or in special API example files.

For a detailed usage example, see page_example.module.

Parameters

$path The router menu path, as defined in hook_menu(), for the help that is being requested; e.g., 'admin/node' or 'user/edit'. If the router path includes a % wildcard, then this will appear in $path; for example, node pages would have $path equal to 'node/%' or 'node/%/view'. Your hook implementation may also be called with special descriptors after a "#" sign. Some examples:

  • admin/help#modulename The main module help text, displayed on the admin/help/modulename page and linked to from the admin/help page.
  • user/help#modulename The help for a distributed authorization module (if applicable).
$arg An array that corresponds to the return value of the arg() function, for modules that want to provide help that is specific to certain values of wildcards in $path. For example, you could provide help for the path 'user/1' by looking for the path 'user/%' and $arg[1] == '1'. This array should always be used rather than directly invoking arg(), because your hook implementation may be called for other purposes besides building the current page's help. Note that depending on which module is invoking hook_help, $arg may contain only empty strings. Regardless, $arg[0] to $arg[11] will always be set.

Return value

A localized string containing the help text.

Related topics

Namesort iconDescription
HooksAllow modules to interact with the Drupal core.

Code

function hook_help($path, $arg) {
  switch ($path) {
    // Main module help for the block module
    case 'admin/help#block':
      return '<p>' . t('Blocks are boxes of content rendered into an area, or region, of a web page. The default theme Garland, for example, implements the regions "left sidebar", "right sidebar", "content", "header", and "footer", and a block may appear in any one of these areas. The <a href="@blocks">blocks administration page</a> provides a drag-and-drop interface for assigning a block to a region, and for controlling the order of blocks within regions.', array('@blocks' => url('admin/structure/block'))) . '</p>';

    // Help for another path in the block module
    case 'admin/structure/block':
      return '<p>' . t('This page provides a drag-and-drop interface for assigning a block to a region, and for controlling the order of blocks within regions. Since not all themes implement the same regions, or display regions in the same way, blocks are positioned on a per-theme basis. Remember that your changes will not be saved until you click the <em>Save blocks</em> button at the bottom of the page.') . '</p>';
  }
}