Setting How the Help System Displays

The Eclipse Help System displays in your default Web Browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

Note: For optimal display, we recommend that you view the help system in Internet Explorer.

The system uses the display settings you have set in your browser to determine how to display the help system, as well as how to display additional help topics when you press F11 from more than one screen in the application. For example, if Internet Explorer 7.0 is your default browser and you have it set to always open a new link in a new window, then each time you press F11, the system opens a new Internet Explorer window to display the topic for the window from which you pressed F11. However, you can set how links from other programs display in your browser: using a new window, a new tab in the current window, or the current tab or window.

Note: If you are running a browser version that does not have tab functionality, the system launches a new browser window each time you press F11 to display the help system.

To change Internet Explorer 7.0 tab display settings:

Important: Changes you make to tab settings in Internet Explorer apply to all applications that need to launch a browser, not just the Eclipse Help System.

From Internet Explorer 7.0, select Tools > Internet Options to display the Internet Options window.
In the Tabs section of the General tab, click Settings to display the Tabbed Browsing Settings window.

Ensure that the Enable Tabbed Browsing check box at the top of the window is selected.

In the Open links from other programs in section, select one of the following options:
A new window – Launches a new window each time you press F11 from Eclipse to display the help system.
A new tab in the current window – Opens a new tab in the Internet Explorer window each time you press F11 from Eclipse to display the help system. Other tab settings in the Tabbed Browsing Settings window determine where the tab displays. Using this option allows you to have more than one help topic open, but to only have one browser window open.
The current tab or window – Opens the help topic for the screen from which you pressed F11 in the currently selected tab in the browser replacing the information that you have displayed. Use the browser's back and forward buttons to navigate through topics you have opened using this option.

Click OK to save your changes and return to the Internet Options window and click OK again to return to the main web browser page.

To change Firefox 2.0 tab display settings:

Important: Changes you make to tab settings in Firefox apply to all applications that need to launch a browser, not just the Eclipse Help System.

From Firefox 2.0, select Tools > Options to display the Options window.
Click Tabs at the top of the window.

In the New pages should be opened in field, select one of the following options:
A new window – Launches a new window each time you press F11 from Eclipse to display the help system.
A new tab – Opens a new tab in the Firefox window each time you press F11 from Eclipse to display the help system.

Click OK to save your changes and return to the main web browser page.