Updating Help

[Xyzzy]

Hello!

So 1.82 around the corner and help is still about 1.70. Numbering hasn't changed much, but options and features had.

Maybe we should refresh help a bit and prepare it for constant updates in the future?

I can create description for all options in Options window (much work already done here: http://newsgroup.xnview.com/viewtopic.php?t=4086).
Then I can update fe. menu items descriptions or create descriptions for dialog boxes' options and fields.

X.

[helmut]

Hello!

So 1.82 around the corner and help is still about 1.70. Numbering hasn't changed much, but options and features had.

Maybe we should refresh help a bit and prepare it for constant updates in the future?

I can create description for all options in Options window (much work already done here: http://newsgroup.xnview.com/viewtopic.php?t=4086).
Then I can update fe. menu items descriptions or create descriptions for dialog boxes' options and fields.

X.

Thank you for mentioning the Online help. Currently, Torsten is about updating it. So there should be an updated English version in not too far future.

Having a chapter with options would be good. But I wonder whether really all the options should go into the Online help. Perhaps it might be more helpful to have the most important options listed and explained.

First, we should have an updated English Online help (which is the master for other languages) without options as basis for translations into other languages (Polish, German, French, and Korean). Then we can add options to the English online help and translate, again.

[Xyzzy]

Having a chapter with options would be good. But I wonder whether really all the options should go into the Online help. Perhaps it might be more helpful to have the most important options listed and explained.

Name a single reason why help should NOT contain descriptions of all options. Guessing 'what this option does' is REALLY annoying, especially if option not works as you expect. Or if it non-obviously depends on other option. Or the names of options are not quite descriptive. All three happened to me many times with XnView. Description of options is required condition to call a program user-friendly.

First, we should have an updated English Online help (which is the master for other languages) without options as basis for translations into other languages (Polish, German, French, and Korean). Then we can add options to the English online help and translate, again.

Yes, I mean English online help. I can submit texts to person responsible for help management and redaction.

X.

[Clo]

Xyzzy

Hello L. !

¤ I have updated my own Manual for a while, and began a new chapter dedicated to the most important options and to the nicest new ones…
like you can see HERE

You contributed to this chapter (unvoluntarily !)…

- I guess it'll take fat when updating for 1.82.

Kind regards,
Claude
Clo

[Ty]

Gentlemen,

What's the current status of (English) help? I have the latest version of XnView, and my Help file is quite a bit out of date. Is there another, more recent version available?

If not, I'd like to help write one. I generate help files (CHM mostly) for my regular job, and know a little--not a lot--about it. But I would be happy to help, if you need somebody to pull the project together or to get the CHM updated. Please let me know how or if I can help in this regard.

I don't use XnView a lot, but I've been using it for a year or so and am very happy with it. A great product.

Ty Griffin
San Luis Obispo, California
<Mail address has been removed by moderator - please see Rules and Guidelines>

[helmut]

Hello Ty,

the XnView help file is pretty much out of date, that's very correct and true. Your offer to update the current help file is much appreciated and that definetly would help. I'll contact you via e-mail on Thursday or Friday evening (I won't find the time earlier than that.).

Greetings,

Helmut

[Ty]

Hello Helmut,

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to be out of touch on Thursday and Friday, but will answer on Saturday.

From looking at the existing help file, and comments on the forum, and the menu layout of today's XnView, I have a big question for you: If I invest many hours to make the help file match the software, what process do we set up (or can we set up) so that future changes to the software get into the help file? I would like some agreement, in other words, that you or Pierre or somebody will feed me release notes or change notes so I can keep the Help file updated. This is a problem and challenge with all software and all software developers, and I think it would be great if we could at least be aware of it--and maybe even solve it--up front.

Just something to think about...