---
title: "SQL-HELP-001: Retrieve help text for a screen field"
summary: Single-row retrieve of a help-text entry for a given application code and reference key.
status: draft
owner: SAIF documentation generator
last_reviewed: 2026-08-17
library: SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103
reference_type: package
---

# SQL-HELP-001: Retrieve help text for a screen field

This statement retrieves a single help-text record — the reference-key description and the help-text body — for a specific application code and reference key value. It is the retrieval query behind `clsHelpText.GetHelpText`, consumed by the `HoverHelp` control to render context-sensitive help for a screen field.

## Classification

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| **SQL ID** | SQL-HELP-001 |
| **Operation type** | Read |
| **Execution method** | Inline SQL |
| **Database** | Oracle* — inferred from colon-prefixed bind-variable syntax; not directly confirmed |
| **Schema** | `[unqualified]**` |
| **Command type** | Text |
| **Business object** | `clsHelpText` |
| **Criteria property** | `RetrieveSQL` |
| **Lifecycle method** | `BeforeRetrieve` / `AfterRetrieve` |

## Parameters

| Parameter | Direction | Type | Max length | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `:ApplicationCode` | Input | String | 5 | Application code identifying which application's help text to retrieve |
| `:ReferenceKeyValue` | Input | String | 40 | Reference key value identifying the specific screen field/entity help entry |

## Tables

| Table | Access | Columns used |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [APPLICATION_HELP_MASTER](../database-tables.md#applicationhelpmaster) | JOIN / SELECT | `APPLICATION_CODE`, `REFERENCE_KEY_DESCR`, `REFERENCE_KEY_VALUE` |
| [APPLICATION_HELP_DETAIL](../database-tables.md#applicationhelpdetail) | JOIN / SELECT | `HELP_TEXT`, `REFERENCE_KEY_VALUE` |

## Sample SQL

```sql
SELECT
  APPLICATION_HELP_MASTER.APPLICATION_CODE as ApplicationCode,
  APPLICATION_HELP_MASTER.REFERENCE_KEY_DESCR as ReferenceKeyDescription,
  APPLICATION_HELP_MASTER.REFERENCE_KEY_VALUE as ReferenceKeyValue,
  APPLICATION_HELP_DETAIL.HELP_TEXT as HelpText
FROM
  APPLICATION_HELP_MASTER,
  APPLICATION_HELP_DETAIL
WHERE
  APPLICATION_HELP_MASTER.REFERENCE_KEY_VALUE = APPLICATION_HELP_DETAIL.REFERENCE_KEY_VALUE
  AND APPLICATION_HELP_MASTER.APPLICATION_CODE = :ApplicationCode
  AND APPLICATION_HELP_MASTER.REFERENCE_KEY_VALUE = :ReferenceKeyValue
```

## Operations and processes
- [Retrieve help text for a screen field](../operations/retrieve-help-text-for-a-screen-field.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`