[StrongED] Instructions

["Richard Torrens (lists)" <Lists@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

In article <8b954f4873f2b7f52ec3831ee4456772@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
   Jeremy Nicoll - ml sed <jn.ml.sed45@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I had a quick look at these, ending up on

Thanks - that is what is needed.

>    http://diy.torrens.org/RO/StrongED/man/autoload.html

> It struck me that, to a new user, looking at screenshots like the one
> here (of one page of the Global Choices dialogue) that it's not all
> that obvious which lines on the pane are the relevant ones.

True. But on this page that .png is referred to several times. To have the
same .pmg several times with very slight change seemed too repetitive and
somewhat "talking down" to the reader.

This is in the yellow section - so assumes some level of knowledge. There
needs to be, in the green section, an introduction to the choices.

I started to write the intro section - but I think maximum return will
initially be by writing up fully some of the features. 

> I don't know if there's a way to use css (?) to overlay an arrow or
> shaded area or something that would show (over any screenshot) what
> the pertinent parts are.  Otherwise, it might be better also to show
> a smaller 'extrac' screnshot highlighting the right bits.  Even
> saying eg "the third option down in these general Edit options"
> might help, but does mean that there's far more to change when a
> new version of SE causes a new dialogue pane.

The way I would do it is to screenshot the dialogue. Import into
OpenVectore and add annotated or coloured arrows. Then screenshot the
drawing to .png.

I am finding that almost all I want to write - and more - is already in
the StrongHelp. I am trying to make a manual that is readable and will
encourage readers to read on out of interest. Talking down would be
counter-productive.

I'm currently agonising over 
http://diy.torrens.org/RO/StrongED/man/search.html.
How to put in the HotKeys. These change (but not greatly) with various
searches. Easy way would to put in one list for each type of search - as
does the StrongHelp. But this duplication on a single page would cause the
level of reader I'm aiming at to skip the section and miss the changes.

It is a difficult balance. Time will hopefully tell if I've got it right -
which is why I need feedback.

-- 
Richard Torrens.
http://www.Torrens.org for genealogy, natural history, wild food, walks, cats
and more!

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