INTEGRATION OF CASE-BASED SEARCH ENGINE INTO HELP DATABASE

A system in which a case-based search engine is integrated into a "help" database. The help database may be organized in a predetermined manner and converted by a computer program into a case-based format. An operator of a "help" program (e.g., a user who desires on-line help) may request a case-based search of the case-base using case-based methods. The case-based search provides a set of likely cases, i.e., help topics, from among which the operator may select the next help topic to view. The system may also present matched objects in response to the query, may respond to iterative refinement of the query (in similar manner to known iterative case-based methods) and may order matched objects by quality of match.