John, Your point is well made.
Having found similar issues with the Help search function in other software I am inclined to think this may be more of a problem with the Microsoft help function than with Legacy. Maybe someone with expertise in this area will respond. Larry Lee hwedhlor <hwedh...@cox.net> wrote: >My apologies to all. The two lists I attempted to include >with my previous e-mail did not display well, even though I >kept to plain text and spaces, rather than tabs to separate >them. Here are those two lists one above the other in hopes >that they will be easier to read. I have included the >content of my original post to make it easier for everyone >to associate the lists with the text of my e-mail. Sorry >about any inconvenience. > >John Zimmerman >Mesa, AZ > >============================ > >Pat and Marnie, > >I am in complete accord with you on Legacy Help screens, and >to a great extent on the Legacy 7 manual as well.Entries >tend to present the user with a multitude of exceptions >rather than on the most simple, straight forward procedures >that are liable to be sought after by first time Legacy >novices.The Legacy Help System Keyword Search presents >information in a convoluted, and non-intuitive fashion that >can be daunting to use by even a seasoned Legacy enthusiast. > > >Let's examine "Sources" as an example.This mailing list >probably discusses sources more than any other subject. >Partly because we all tend to enter sources differently from >person to person, so much verbiage is expended on this list >diagramming, justifying and rebutting one-another’s source >citing philosophies. However at least as much energy is >expended explaining things that new Legacy users should be >able to find using the Help System. Unfortunately they >cannot find those explanations because the Help System is >not very well organized. > >If I click on “Help/Show Help Index” then key in “Sources” I >am presented with a list of 32 sub-headings under the word >"Sources".With "Sources" highlighted in the resulting >Keyword List I am invited to click on a "Display" button at >the bottom right of the list, and if I click on that button >in hopes that the large screen area to the right of the >Keyword List will fill with information about Sources I am >sorely disappointed, for instead I am presented with yet >another list! The "Topics Found List" is only 23 items, but >surprisingly four of them duplicate entries on the Keyword >List of sub-headings (see the two lists below). The oddities >of capitalization in the lists are taken directly from the >Help System. >Keyword List > >Sources >Adding when exporting GEDCOMs >Advanced source citations >Assignment when importing >Author >Citation report >Citations >citations (advance) >citations to groups >Clipboard >Clipboard loading >Comments >Definition >Description >Detail >Detail Comments >Detail options >Details >Entry system >in Notes >Marriage information >Name >Name options >on Reports >Options >Options for books >Search for missing >SourceWriter >Tab on name list >Templates >Text >Type >which system to use > > >Topics Found List > >Adding Source Types >Advanced Source Citations >AutoSource - Export >Book Source Options >Citing the Sources of Your Information >Define or Edit a Master Source >Defining Master Sources >How to Document Your Information >Importing a GEDCOM File >Information Screen >Marriage Information >Master Source List >Master Source Type List >Missing Sources Search >Name List >Report Options >Source Citation Report >Source Clipboard >Source Detail >Source Detail Comments >Sources Tab >SourceWriter >Which Source System to Use > > > >To my way of thinking when a user highlights “Sources” in >the Keyword List, then clicks on “Display,” they should be >presented with some text in the right window that explains >the fundamentals of citing sources as well as explaining >that there are two systems in Legacy (Basic and >SourceWriter) for citing sources. If the user is a little >savvy about genealogy they will be able to figure out that >“Citing the Sources of Your Information” will probably >provide some basic information, and indeed it does, but I’d >like to know why “Citing the Sources of Your Information” is >not one of the items on the Keyword List and why clicking >"Display" while "Sources" is highlighted on the original >list the user does not trigger that same information about >citing sources instead of getting another list? > >If the organization of the Keyword List is not confusing >enough, throughout the Help system the text refers to icons >by their name. A new user is not going to be familiar with >what those icons look like. The Help system should show >pictures of those icons when they are referenced. > >To sum up, the Legacy Help system is full of information, >but it is presented in such a convoluted, non-intuitive >fashion as to put off the user, rather than lead them down >the path to knowledge. > > >John Zimmerman >Mesa, AZ > > > >Legacy User Group guidelines: >http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp >Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: >http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyusers.com/ >Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: >http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyfamilytree.com/ >Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp >Follow Legacy on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree) and on >our blog (http://news.LegacyFamilyTree.com). >To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp > > Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyusers.com/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyfamilytree.com/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp Follow Legacy on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree) and on our blog (http://news.LegacyFamilyTree.com). 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