Index: guiframe/local_perspectives/data_loader/data_loader.py
===================================================================
--- guiframe/local_perspectives/data_loader/data_loader.py	(revision e26d0db750e48c6007a701a55c50b1e267b72b86)
+++ guiframe/local_perspectives/data_loader/data_loader.py	(revision b2629b4bc8dfbeb70fce5bc637f63e6ea0e729ed)
@@ -49,4 +49,12 @@
         self._data_menu = None 
         
+    def help(self, evt):
+        """
+        Show a general help dialog. 
+        """
+        from help_panel import  HelpWindow
+        frame = HelpWindow(None, -1, 'HelpWindow')    
+        frame.Show(True)
+        
     def populate_file_menu(self):
         """
Index: guiframe/local_perspectives/data_loader/help_panel.py
===================================================================
--- guiframe/local_perspectives/data_loader/help_panel.py	(revision b2629b4bc8dfbeb70fce5bc637f63e6ea0e729ed)
+++ guiframe/local_perspectives/data_loader/help_panel.py	(revision b2629b4bc8dfbeb70fce5bc637f63e6ea0e729ed)
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+"""
+Help panel for data_loader plugins
+"""
+import os
+import wx
+import wx.html as html
+from wx.lib.splitter import MultiSplitterWindow
+from sans.guiframe import get_data_path
+
+class HelpWindow(wx.Frame):
+    """
+    """
+    def __init__(self, parent, title='Plotting Help', pageToOpen=None):
+        wx.Frame.__init__(self, parent, title, size=(700, 450))
+        """
+             contains help info
+        """
+        splitter = MultiSplitterWindow(self, style=wx.SP_LIVE_UPDATE)
+        rpanel = wx.Panel(splitter, -1)
+        lpanel = wx.Panel(splitter, -1, style=wx.BORDER_SUNKEN)
+        
+        vbox = wx.BoxSizer(wx.VERTICAL)
+        header = wx.Panel(rpanel, -1)
+        header.SetBackgroundColour('#6666FF')
+        header.SetForegroundColour('WHITE')
+        hbox = wx.BoxSizer(wx.HORIZONTAL)
+        st = wx.StaticText(header, -1, 'Contents', (5, 5))
+        font = st.GetFont()
+        font.SetPointSize(10)
+        st.SetFont(font)
+        hbox.Add(st, 1, wx.TOP | wx.BOTTOM | wx.LEFT, 5)
+        header.SetSizer(hbox)
+        vbox.Add(header, 0, wx.EXPAND)
+       
+        vboxl = wx.BoxSizer(wx.VERTICAL)
+        headerl = wx.Panel(lpanel, -1, size=(-1, 20))
+       
+        headerl.SetBackgroundColour('#6666FF')
+        headerl.SetForegroundColour('WHITE')
+        hboxl = wx.BoxSizer(wx.HORIZONTAL)
+        lst = wx.StaticText(headerl, -1, 'Menu', (5, 5))
+        fontl = lst.GetFont()
+        fontl.SetPointSize(10)
+        lst.SetFont(fontl)
+        hboxl.Add(lst, 1, wx.TOP | wx.BOTTOM | wx.LEFT, 5)
+        headerl.SetSizer(hboxl)
+        vboxl.Add(headerl, 0, wx.EXPAND)
+        self.lhelp = html.HtmlWindow(lpanel, -1, style=wx.NO_BORDER)
+        self.rhelp = html.HtmlWindow(rpanel, -1, style=wx.NO_BORDER, 
+                                     size=(500,-1))
+        
+        self.path = get_data_path(media='media')
+        page1 = """<html>
+            <body>
+             <p>Select topic on Menu</p>
+            </body>
+            </html>"""
+        self.rhelp.SetPage(page1)
+        page = """<html>
+            <body>
+            <ul>
+            <li><a href ="data_explorer_help.html" 
+            target ="showframe">Data Explorer</a><br></li>
+            </ul>
+            </body>
+            </html>"""
+
+        self.lhelp.SetPage(page)
+        self.lhelp.Bind(wx.html.EVT_HTML_LINK_CLICKED, self.OnLinkClicked)
+        
+        vbox.Add(self.rhelp, 1, wx.EXPAND)
+        vboxl.Add(self.lhelp, 1, wx.EXPAND)
+        rpanel.SetSizer(vbox)
+        lpanel.SetSizer(vboxl)
+        lpanel.SetFocus()
+        
+        vbox1 = wx.BoxSizer(wx.HORIZONTAL)
+        vbox1.Add(splitter, 1, wx.EXPAND)
+        splitter.AppendWindow(lpanel, 200)
+        splitter.AppendWindow(rpanel)
+        self.SetSizer(vbox1)
+       
+        self.Centre()
+        self.Show(True)
+        
+    def OnLinkClicked(self, event):
+        """
+            Function to diplay html page related to the hyperlinktext selected
+        """
+        link = event.GetLinkInfo().GetHref()
+        link = os.path.join(self.path, link)
+        self.rhelp.LoadPage(link)
+        
+        
+class ViewApp(wx.App):
+    def OnInit(self):
+        frame = HelpWindow(None, -1, 'HelpWindow')    
+        frame.Show(True)
+        self.SetTopWindow(frame)
+        return True
+        
+if __name__ == "__main__": 
+    app = ViewApp(0)
+    app.MainLoop()     
