# Helpful hint for using help

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/helpful-hint-for-using-help/112579>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [August 21, 2007, 2:32am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/helpful-hint-for-using-help/112579 "2007-08-21T02:32:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pedz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/839c29/32.png) [@pedz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pedz)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 2:32am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/helpful-hint-for-using-help/112579/1 "2007-08-21T02:32:30Z")

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Maybe everyone knows this but me. But, lets say I want to understand  
“layout”.

I do “ri layout” and it gives me a very short paragraph.

The module that layout is in is ActionController::Layout::ClassMethods  
(ri tells you this at the top of the screen).

Doing “ri ActionController::Layout::ClassMethods” provides a boatload of  
information.

Before, I tried “ri ActionController::Layout” but I never thought to add  
ClassMethods to it.

HTH  
Perry