Built-in help

Module help shows Markdown documentation from the root directory help/ in the AVE.cms control panel. The source materials remain regular files: they can be edited in the repository, viewed without a database, and delivered separately from the module code.

Installation and access

The module is located in modules/help and is controlled through the “Modules” section. After installation, it adds a separate “Help” item and the right view_help. Uninstallation removes the right and the interface, but does not delete the directory help/.

The user sees the section only if he has the view_help right. Editing there are no files from the panel: the directory intentionally works in read-only mode.

Material structure

Each Markdown file becomes a separate material. README.md sets directory page, the remaining files become child items:

help/
├── README.md               # обзор справки
└── example/
    ├── README.md           # страница раздела
    ├── installation.md
    └── settings.md

The title is taken from the first # H1. If not present, the file name is used. Folders and materials are sorted naturally, and the current document section automatically expands in the left tree.

Help for installed modules

The help/ directory contains the complete documentation set, including guides for optional modules. This is useful for development and for distributing the documentation as a self-contained package, but it does not overload the control panel: navigation and search show a module-specific guide only when that module is installed.

A disabled but installed module remains available in Help. After uninstalling the module, its page automatically disappears from navigation and search. General guides covering module development, ZIP installation, repositories, hooks, and interface extensions are always available.

Links between materials

Relative Markdown links are written as usual:

[Настройки](settings.md)
[Назад к разделу](README.md)
[Другой раздел](../core/auth.md)

When outputting, the module converts them to the addresses of the current directory of the control panel. Therefore, renaming adminx/ does not require changing the documentation. External HTTP links open in a new tab.

Supported markup

The renderer supports headings, paragraphs, links, images, highlighting, line code, fenced code blocks, lists, quotes, delimiters and tables. For code blocks, the language and copy button are shown.

Raw HTML is escaped and not executed. This protects the panel from accidental inserting a script into documentation. For a complex interactive page you should create a regular modular Twig template rather than putting HTML into Markdown.

Search and cache

The search takes into account the title, subtitles and full text. Everything must match query words; matches in titles receive more weight. Live results appear only after entering two characters.

The index is stored in the standard AVE.cms file cache. On request, the module compares paths, modification time and size of .md files. After changing the document index it is rebuilt automatically; there is no need to manually clear the cache.

Security restrictions

only regular .md files inside help/ are indexed;
symlinks and hidden paths are skipped;
the user selects a document only from a ready-made index;
../ and any path outside help/ return 404;
permission is checked for both the page and the JSON search.

3.5 KiB Raw Blame History