This chapter describes the components of the IPF user interface. As an author, you will use these components when developing an online document or online help. As a programmer, you should understand the IPF user interface before you enable your application to work with online help.
Online documents include reference or procedural information, such as converted printed material, tutorials, and organization charts. Online help includes information that users of online documents or application programs might want to access.
Because they have varying backgrounds, interests, motivations, and experiences, no two users of online information are exactly alike. To accommodate differences, IPF provides a flexible interface that can be customized according to personal preference. However, when an online document requires no special design considerations, the IPF compiler provides an automatic default design that includes: