On August 24, 2018, at 2:11 PM, John Ralls <jra...@ceridwen.us> wrote:
> > >On Aug 24, 2018, at 10:49 AM, David T. <sunfis...@yahoo.com> wrote: > >On Aug 24, 2018, at 1:35 PM, John Ralls <jra...@ceridwen.us> wrote: > >On Aug 24, 2018, at 10:03 AM, David T. <sunfis...@yahoo.com> wrote: > >John, >On Aug 24, 2018, at 10:57 AM, John Ralls <jra...@ceridwen.us> wrote: >On Aug 24, 2018, at 5:51 AM, David T. via gnucash-devel ><gnucash-devel@gnucash.org> wrote: >Hello, >Today, I had the opportunity to examine the online Help text, where I saw >detailed information about the Transaction Report, which has recently changed >radically. The information provided on the online Help clearly references the >new version of this report, which I surmise because I am still running 2.6.21, >and I do not have this version of the report. >Here is the problem: there is no indication in the online resources (either in >the document itself, or on Gnucash.org <http://gnucash.org/>) the version of >GnuCash to which the documentation refers. This could lead to user confusion, >as they see help that refers to functionality that they do not have. >I am sure that the stock answer here will be: “GnuCash is currently on release >3.2, and therefore the documentation available at Gnucash.org ><http://gnucash.org/> reflects the current release.” I respect that. >However, at any given time, there will be people who choose for one reason or >another not to upgrade to the latest and greatest version—or more >problematically, are unaware that they are not running the latest version. >These users would benefit from being informed *somewhere* that the >documentation that they are consulting is for a particular version. Is there >some way to add the version number to the header of the documentation pages? >(The footer is also an option, but is less preferable online since the footer >is often well off screen, and may not be noticed by a distressed user trying >to figure out a problem). If the version covered were presented on screen on >every page, then the user would have a clear reminder of this. >David, >Sure there is. >On https://www.gnucash.org/docs.phtml there’s a huge header above each set of >document links: "GnuCash v3 (current stable release)”, “GnuCash v2.6 (old >stable release)”, >“Nightly Documentation Builds”, and “Older GnuCash Documentation”. >You overlook the large section above this which prominently proclaims the "two >major GnuCash documentation packages” and provides direct links to each of >these ***without making any statement of version***. Moreover, the structure >of the page would imply that the documents behind *these* links are somehow >different from the ones beneath the "current stable release” header. Perhaps >the ones at the top are newer and better? It’s difficult to tell. I’ll note >that the links behind these entries even differ, making it practically >speaking impossible for a user to know whether these two documents are in fact >the same. I would finally suggest that “current stable release” is not as >universal a term as many in this community think it is. I believe that many >users wouldn’t know what it signifies. >Once you’re browsing the document, go to “About this Document” from the table >of contents. After “Legal Notice” and “Feedback” you’ll find “History”, the >top entry of which indicates the exact release for which the documentation >applies. >The About this document appears only on the main TOC page. What about the rest >of the document? Users don’t always access our online help via the main TOC. >Of course it’s possible to add the version into the header. I suppose the >simplest would be to change the chapter titles e.g. “Chapter 4. GnuCash >Windows & Menus Overview” to “Chapter 4. GnuCash v3.2 Windows & Menus >Overview”, just change the chapter title from ><application>&app;</application> Windows & Menus Overview >to ><application>&app; &vers-stable;</application> Windows & Menus Overview >Chapter titles (“Getting Started”) that don’t include the application tag >would need to be reworded, e.g. “Getting Started with GnuCash 3.2”. >How hard would it be to have each header get a second line with &vers-stable >programmatically added during the generation process? >Chapter 4. GnuCash Windows & Menus Overview >v3.2 > >David, > >Good point about the top two links. I’ve modified them to be versioned. I’ll >add some clarifying text after I figure out how to not break the translations >in the process. > >The header line would be a third in most cases, the first being the section, >see e.g. https://www.gnucash.org/docs/v3/C/gnucash-help/acct-create.html. I >think that would be pretty ugly. Note that in light of your objection that >users don’t always access the online help via the main ToC that there are also >mid-page anchors; users going there (often via context help) won’t see either >the header or the footer. OTOH unless the packager has screwed up, the help >accessed via context help should be the version associated with the GnuCash >version being used. > >Regards, > >John Ralls > >John, > >I see your point about adding Yet Another Line to the header. What about >changing the title of each to include the version? I.e., “The Help Manual >(v3.2)” > >Just trying to find a fix! > >So the whole line would be “The Help Manual (v3.2) Chapter 5. Setting Up, >Editing & Working with New Accounts”? > >What about *not* echoing the section title in the header? It’s after all the >first line of the page as well so it’s a bit redundant. Then the document >title, including the version, could go first. I think “GnuCash v3.2 Help >Manual” and “GnuCash v3.2 Tutorial and Concepts Guide” would make a bit more >sense that “The Help Manual (v3.2)”. > >I suppose the PDF and ebook formats would have the document title on even >(left-hand) pages and the chapter title on odd pages; that seems to be a >common idiom in print media. > >Regards, > >John Ralls > That sounds like the right answer. Now, to consider renaming the documents themselves... ;) personally, I'd go with "Help" and "Concepts" or perhaps "Help Manual" and "Concepts Guide." David _______________________________________________ gnucash-devel mailing list gnucash-devel@gnucash.org https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-devel
