---
title: clsHelpText
summary: API reference for clsHelpText.
status: draft
owner: SAIF documentation generator
last_reviewed: 2026-08-17
library: SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103
reference_type: package
---

# clsHelpText

`clsHelpText` is the sole read-only, database-backed business object in this library. It represents a single help-text record joined from `APPLICATION_HELP_MASTER`/`APPLICATION_HELP_DETAIL`, retrieved via its `Criteria` object and the SAIF BOF data-portal pipeline, and consumed by `HoverHelp` to render context-sensitive help. See [Retrieve help text for a screen field](../../operations/retrieve-help-text-for-a-screen-field.md).

## Purpose
- Holds a single help-text entry's application code, reference-key description, reference-key value, and help-text body, populated exclusively via `GetHelpText`/`Load` from the database.
- Enforces retrieve-only semantics at the framework level: its `Criteria.CreateSQL`/`InsertSQL`/`UpdateSQL`/`DeleteSQL` properties all throw `ApplicationException(BOC.Messages.InvalidSQLProperty)` rather than defining executable SQL, so any attempt to `Save()`/`Delete()` an instance fails immediately.

## Context
- Namespace: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.V2.AJAX`
- Assembly/package: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103`

## Public members
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ApplicationCode | `ReadOnly Property ApplicationCode() As String` | Scopes this help entry to the owning application, used as the primary lookup key by `GetHelpText`/`GetHelpTexts` |
| ReferenceKeyDescription | `ReadOnly Property ReferenceKeyDescription() As String` | Human-readable label identifying which screen field/entity this help entry documents, for administrative display |
| ReferenceKeyValue | `ReadOnly Property ReferenceKeyValue() As String` | The lookup key `HoverHelp` and `clsHelpTextCollection` use to match a rendered control to its help entry |
| HelpText | `ReadOnly Property HelpText() As String` | The actual help content `HoverHelp` displays to the end user in its hover popup |
| GetHelpText | `Shared Function GetHelpText(inDataportal As IDataPortalInfo, inApplicationCode As String, inReferenceKeyValue As String) As clsHelpText` | Retrieves and returns a single populated help-text record via [SQL-HELP-001](../../sql/SQL-HELP-001-retrieve-help-text-for-a-screen-field.md) |
| Equals (Shared) | `Overloads Shared Function Equals(objA As Object, objB As Object) As Boolean` | Compares two `clsHelpText` instances for equality by delegating to the instance `Equals` overload |
| Equals (Object) | `Overloads Overrides Function Equals(inObject As Object) As Boolean` | Compares this instance against another object for equality |
| Equals (clsHelpText) | `Overloads Function Equals(inObject As clsHelpText) As Boolean` | Compares this instance against another `clsHelpText` by `ReferenceKeyValue` equality |
| GetHashCode | `Overrides Function GetHashCode() As Integer` | Returns a hash code derived from `ReferenceKeyValue` |
| ToString | `Overrides Function ToString() As String` | Returns the concatenation of `ApplicationCode` and `ReferenceKeyValue` |

## Inherited public members

Members in this section are inherited from `clsBusinessBase`, the SAIF BOF read-only business-object base class. They are available on this type through inheritance*.

| Member | Signature | Purpose | Origin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| IsNew | `ReadOnly Property IsNew() As Boolean` | Indicates whether the object represents a not-yet-persisted instance | `SAIF.BOF.Framework` — `clsBusinessBase`* |
| IsDirty | `ReadOnly Property IsDirty() As Boolean` | Indicates whether the object's fields have changed since last load/save | `SAIF.BOF.Framework` — `clsBusinessBase`* |
| IsValid | `ReadOnly Property IsValid() As Boolean` | Indicates whether the object currently satisfies its registered business-rule validations | `SAIF.BOF.Framework` — `clsBusinessBase`* |
| BrokenRulesCollection | `ReadOnly Property BrokenRulesCollection() As Object` | The set of currently broken validation rules for this object | `SAIF.BOF.Framework` — `clsBusinessBase`* |
| MarkOld | `Protected Sub MarkOld()` | Marks the object as no longer new/dirty after a successful retrieve or save | `SAIF.BOF.Framework` — `clsBusinessBase`* |

## Behavioral notes
- No `IsValid()`/`AddErrorMessage()` business-rule enforcement exists in this class — it is loaded read-only and immediately marked old (`MarkOld()`) after retrieval, with no validation rules registered beyond base class defaults.
- If the retrieval query returns no matching row, `AfterRetrieve` skips `Fill()` entirely and the returned object's fields remain at their default empty-string values rather than raising an error.

## Constraints and usage notes
- The `Criteria` class is `Friend`, so consuming code outside this library cannot construct it directly; retrieval must go through `GetHelpText`.
- Any attempt to `Save()`/`Delete()` this object raises `ApplicationException(BOC.Messages.InvalidSQLProperty)` because no create/update/delete SQL exists — see [database tables](../../database-tables.md).

> **Note:** Statements marked with * were inferred from code structure, naming conventions, or
> contextual evidence where direct confirmation was not available in source artifacts. Statements
> marked with ** could not be confirmed; treat as unknown until verified.

## Sources
- `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103\clsHelpText.vb`