An answer wizard drop-down menu for providing users quick and efficient access
to help utilities, including help files and wizards provided by a software application,
is provided. An answer wizard drop-down edit control and interface is located in
a conspicuous, but non-obstructive location on a software application graphical
interface. An edit control allows a user to enter a question regarding some desired
functionality of the application. In response to the user's question, the user
is presented with a list of potential answers to the question in a drop-down menu.
If the user finds an acceptable answer to her question in the list of potential
answers, the user selects the acceptable answer, and an appropriate help file application
is launched to provide the user assistance with the functionality about which the
user has questions. Each question so asked by the user is saved in a list of most
recently used items. The next time the user needs assistance, the user may open
the list of most recently used items to obtain a list of the most recent questions
previously asked by the user. The user may then, if desired, select one of the
previously asked questions and initiate another search on the selected question
to obtain the list of potential answers. The user may then select a new or previously
viewed answer to return to the help file application.