PROVIDING ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY IN AN INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC TECHNICAL MANUAL

1 . A method for displaying textual information for a topic found in technical documentation for an item via an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to the technical documentation for the item via an IETM viewer, the method comprising:

receiving input of a selection of the topic to view the textual information for the topic made by a user signed into the IETM, wherein the selection of the topic is performed by the user via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the topic:

identifying a plurality of tags within the textual information in which each tag is associated with a specific element type for the textual information;

generating a window to display the textual information for the topic by, for each tag of the plurality of tags identified within the textual information:

configuring one or more interactive features provided with respect to a portion of the textual information associated with the tag as unavailable to the user on the window; and

providing a mechanism on the window for the portion of the textual information, the mechanism configured as selectable by the user; and

providing the window for display via the IETM viewer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more interactive features comprise at least one of visibility of the portion of the textual information, scrolling capability through the portion of the textual information, and hyperlinks found within the portion of the textual information.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is displayed on the window in conjunction with the specific element type.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the specific element type comprises at least one of a warning, a caution, and a note.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving input of a selection of the mechanism for the portion of the textual information associated with a particular tag, wherein the selection of the mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the mechanism for the portion of the textual information associated with the particular tag, configuring the one or more interactive features provided in the portion of the textual information associated with the particular tag as available on the window to the user.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the textual information is configured in a sequential manner and the portion of the textual information associated with a first tag of the plurality of tags is displayed on the window as positioned between the mechanism for the portion of the textual information and a second mechanism for a second portion of the textual information associated with a second tag of the plurality of tags that sequentially follows the portion of the textual information.

7 . An apparatus for displaying textual information for a topic found in technical documentation for an item via an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to the technical documentation for the item via an IETM viewer, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive input of a selection of the topic to view the textual information for the topic made by a user signed into the IETM, wherein the selection of the topic is performed by the user via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the topic:

identify a plurality of tags within the textual information in which each tag is associated with a specific element type for the textual information;

generate a window to display the textual information for the topic by, for each tag of the plurality of tags identified within the textual information:

configure one or more interactive features provided with respect to a portion of the textual information associated with the tag as unavailable to the user on the window; and

provide a mechanism on the window for the portion of the textual information, the mechanism configured as selectable by the user; and

providing the window for display via the IETM viewer.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the one or more interactive features comprise at least one of visibility of the portion of the textual information, scrolling capability through the portion of the textual information, and hyperlinks found within the portion of the textual information.

9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the mechanism is displayed on the window in conjunction with the specific element type.

10 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the specific element type comprises at least one of a warning, a caution, and a note.

11 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive input of a selection of the mechanism for the portion of the textual information associated with a particular tag, wherein the selection of the mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the mechanism for the portion of the textual information associated with the particular tag, configure the one or more interactive features provided in the portion of the textual information associated with the particular tag as available on the window to the user.

12 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the textual information is configured in a sequential manner and the portion of the textual information associated with a first tag of the plurality of tags is displayed on the window as positioned between the mechanism for the portion of the textual information and a second mechanism for a second portion of the textual information associated with a second tag of the plurality of tags that sequentially follows the portion of the textual information.

13 . A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions for displaying textual information for a topic found in technical documentation for an item via an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to the technical documentation for the item via an IETM viewer, the instructions being configured to cause one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to:

receive input of a selection of the topic to view the textual information for the topic made by a user signed into the IETM, wherein the selection of the topic is performed by the user via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the topic:

identify a plurality of tags within the textual information in which each tag is associated with a specific element type for the textual information;

generate a window to display the textual information for the topic by, for each tag of the plurality of tags identified within the textual information:

configure one or more interactive features provided with respect to a portion of the textual information associated with the tag as unavailable to the user on the window; and

provide a mechanism on the window for the portion of the textual information, the mechanism configured as selectable by the user; and

providing the window for display via the IETM viewer.

14 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the one or more interactive features comprise at least one of visibility of the portion of the textual information, scrolling capability through the portion of the textual information, and hyperlinks found within the portion of the textual information.

15 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the mechanism is displayed on the window in conjunction with the specific element type.

16 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the specific element type comprises at least one of a warning, a caution, and a note.

17 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to:

receive input of a selection of the mechanism for the portion of the textual information associated with a particular tag, wherein the selection of the mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the mechanism for the portion of the textual information associated with the particular tag, configure the one or more interactive features provided in the portion of the textual information associated with the particular tag as available on the window to the user.

18 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the textual information is configured in a sequential manner and the portion of the textual information associated with a first tag of the plurality of tags is displayed on the window as positioned between the mechanism for the portion of the textual information and a second mechanism for a second portion of the textual information associated with a second tag of the plurality of tags that sequentially follows the portion of the textual information.