Using Help


Overview

Tasks

Included with

Tivoli Service Desk

Overview

Tivoli Service Desk Help

The Tivoli Service Desk Help system consists of HTML Help topics that are organized like an Internet web site. You display these Help topics in the default Internet browser installed on your workstation. This default browser is typically Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. For more information, see Using TSD Help.

Help menu

The Tivoli Service Desk Help menu contains the following menu commands.

Menu command Description
Contents Access the main Tivoli Service Desk Help table of contents. See Using TSD Help tables of contents.
Search

Locate a specific Help topic by searching for words or phrases included in the topic you need. See Searching TSD Help.

Using Help The Help topic you are currently reading, "Using Help," explains how to use the Tivoli Service Desk Help system.
Your System Profile Determine which profile you are using, which system actions are available to you, and how to access these system actions. See Using your system profile.
About Use the About Tivoli Service Desk dialog box to verify which version of Tivoli Service Desk and Tivoli Developer's Toolkit are installed on your workstation. See Checking your version numbers.
Contacting Tivoli For support inside the United States, for Tivoli Service Desk or any other Tivoli product, contact Tivoli Customer Support. See Contacting Tivoli Customer Support.

Tasks

Using TSD Help

Context-sensitive Help
  • To access Help on a currently displayed TSD dialog box or window, press F1.
    Result: A Help topic that explains the task or tasks you can perform in this dialog box or window, appears.

Internet browsers and TSD Help

Because TSD Help appears in the default Internet browser installed on your computer, display settings and navigation are under the control of your Internet browser. Consult your Internet browser documentation for details on using its features.

Here are some tips:

  • Use the Close command in your Internet browser to close Tivoli Service Desk Help topics and glossary windows when you are finished with them.
    Note: Tivoli Service Desk Help topics and glossary definitions remain open until you close them. You can display as many Help topics simultaneously in independent browser windows as the limits of your workstation allow.
  • Activate hypertext links between Help topics by clicking on them.
  • Use the Forward and Back commands in your Internet browser navigate Help topics displayed in current browser window.
  • Use your Internet browser to print any displayed Help topic.
  • Depending on the version of your Internet browser, you can change the default fonts and colors used to display Tivoli Service Desk Help. Use your Internet browser to change these settings.
    Note: In some versions of Netscape Navigator, default font settings have no effect on the appearance of Tivoli Service Desk Help topics.
  • The size and position of the browser window default to the settings used when the browser window was last opened, regardless of whether it was used to access TSD Help, an intranet, or the Internet.

Using TSD Help tables of contents

The Help table of contents are arranged in a hierarchy. The main table of contents, Tivoli Service Desk Help Table of Contents, contains hyperlinks to tables of contents for user, administrative, and developer Help for each of the Tivoli Service Desk.

Follow the hyperlinks until you reach the table of contents that is most relevant to your needs, then choose a hyperlink that takes you directly to a specific Help topic.

To access the Tivoli Service Desk Help Table of Contents, do one of the following:

  • If you are using the any of the system-defined profiles included in Tivoli Service Desk, from the Help menu, choose Contents.
  • From the Help menu, choose Your System Profile and follow the instructions under Request Help Contents.

Note: You can access a table of contents for any Tivoli Service Desk product, regardless of which ones are installed on your system.

Searching TSD Help

You can locate a specific Help topic by searching for words or phrases included in the topic you need. Your search results include only the Help topics for Tivoli Service Desk products you have installed.

To search TSD Help:

  1. Do one of the following:
    • If you are using the any of the system-defined profiles included in Tivoli Service Desk, from the Help menu, choose Search.
    • From the Help menu, choose Your System Profile and follow the instructions under Request Help Search.
  2. In the Searching TSD Online Help Help topic, follow the instructions for typing the words or phrases you expect to find in the desired Help topic.
  3. Choose Search.

Note: For more information, see Searching TSD Online Help.

Using your system profile

The Tivoli Service Desk administrator can create custom menus and toolbars for users based on their role in the organization. When you log in, Tivoli Service Desk creates a custom Help topic called Your System Profile. This Help topic lists all of the system actions included in your profile and provides instructions for accessing them from your menu and toolbar.

To view your system profile, do one of the following:

  • If you are using the any of the system-defined profiles included in Tivoli Service Desk, from the Help menu, choose Your System Profile.
  • Ask your system administrator where the Request Your System Profile system action is available in your profile.

Checking your version numbers

When you contact Tivoli Customer Support, be prepared to provide the version numbers of the Tivoli software installed on your workstation. The About Tivoli Service Desk dialog box displays the version numbers for Tivoli Service Desk and Tivoli Developer's Toolkit.

To access the About Tivoli Service Desk dialog box, do one of the following:

  • If you are using the any of the system-defined profiles included in Tivoli Service Desk, from the Help menu, choose About.
  • From the Help menu, choose Your System Profile and follow the instructions under Request Help About.

    Result: The About Tivoli Service Desk dialog box appears.

Contacting Tivoli Customer Support

You can contact Tivoli Customer Support for questions about using Tivoli Service Desk. The Tivoli Customer Support e-mail address, telephone number, and web site address are provided online for easy access.

To contact Tivoli Customer Support:

  • If you are using the any of the system-defined profiles included in Tivoli Service Desk, from the Help menu, choose Contacting Tivoli.
  • From the Help menu, choose Your System Profile and follow the instructions under Request Help Contacting Tivoli.