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echo 'help file content. Will appear on screen if F1 is pressed' > some-helpfile

dialog --help-button --hline 'press <F1> to read help'  --hfile some-helpfile --menu  'Choose something' 20 40 15  'tag entry one' 'item1' 'second tag entry' 'item2' 2> result_file

rc=$?
echo
echo rc is $rc
printf 'result_file content: '
cat result_file
echo

rm result_file
rm some-helpfile

#!/bin/bash
echo 'help file content. Will appear on screen if F1 is pressed' > some-helpfile

dialog --hline 'press <F1> to read help'  --hfile some-helpfile --menu  \
'Choose something' 20 40 15  'tag entry one' 'item1' 'second tag entry' 'item2' 2> result_file

rc=$?
echo
echo rc is $rc
printf 'result_file content: '
cat result_file
echo

rm result_file
rm some-helpfile

echo 'some help' > myhelp

while true; do
    # display the dialog
    dialog --help-button --hline 'press <F1> to read help'  --hfile zugang-sparkasse --menu  'Choose something' 20 40 15  'tag entry one' 'item1' 'second tag entry' 'item2' 2> result_file
   
    # save return code   
    rc=$?
   
    # check value
    case "$rc" in
        2  ) # we are in help case
             # do whatever needs to be done here
             echo we got return code: $rc
             echo this is the output of help command
             read # wait for any key pressed to see what's going on
             ;;
        0  ) # user has choosen somthing
             # just leave the loop
             echo we got return code: $rc
             printf "user has choosen: "
             cat result_file
             read # wait for any key pressed to see what's going on
             break
             ;;
        1  ) # user has choosen cancel
             # do whatever needs to be done if user cancels dialog
             echo "you don't want me something to do?"
             echo we got return code: $rc
             read # wait for any key pressed to see what's going on
             exit # we just stop the script
             ;;
        *  ) # all other return codes are somewhat strange
             # bail out and redo the dialog
             echo something strange happend
             echo we got return code: $rc
             echo redoing dialog
             echo very unlikely that you will ever see this
             read # wait for any key pressed to see what's going on
             ;;
    esac
done

echo
rm result_file
rm myhelp

#!/bin/bash
echo 'This is the Help text that displayed when <F1> pressed.' > F1helpText
echo 'This is the Help text for item1.\nIt is displayed when the <Help> button pressed while item1 selected.' > helptext_1
echo 'This is the Help text for item2.\nIt is displayed when the <Help> button pressed while item2 selected.' > helptext_2

while true; do
    # display the dialog
    dialog --help-button --hfile F1helpText \
    --menu  'Choose something' 20 40 15  'tag entry one' 'item1' 'second tag entry' 'item2' 'Quit' 'Quit' 2> result_file

    # Which button was pressed?
    # in case <OK> the value of $rc is 0
    # in case <Cancel> the value of $rc is 1
    # in case <Help> the value of $rc is 2
    rc=$?

    # The value of the $rc variable is examined.
    case "$rc" in
        2  ) # We are in help case when <Help> pressed.
             # Do whatever needs to be done here.
                case $(cat result_file) in
                    "HELP tag entry one" )
                       dialog --msgbox "`cat helptext_1`" 10 50
                       ;;
                    "HELP second tag entry" )
                       dialog --msgbox "`cat helptext_2`" 10 50
                       ;;
                esac
             ;;
        0  ) # The user selected the menu with the <OK> button.
             # We just leave the menu, but before we tell you what happened.
             dialog --msgbox "We got return code: `echo $rc`.\
             \nUser has choosen: `cat result_file`." 10 50
                 case $(cat result_file) in
                     "Quit" )
                     dialog --msgbox "Exit follows." 10 50
                     break
                     ;;
                 esac
             ;;
        1  ) # The user pressed the <Cancel> button.
             # Do whatever needs to be done here.
             dialog --msgbox "You don't want me something to do?\
             \nWe got return code: `echo $rc`.\
             \nUser has choosen: `cat result_file`.\
             \nExit follows." 10 50
             exit # We just stop the script.
             ;;
        *  ) # All other return codes are somewhat strange, eg. <Esc> pressed
             # Bail out and redo the dialog.
             echo "Something strange happend."
             echo "We got return code:" $rc
             echo "Redoing dialog."
             echo -e "\nPress Enter!"
             read # Wait for any key pressed to see what's going on.
             ;;
    esac
done

rm F1helpText
rm result_file
rm helptext_1
rm helptext_2