New User's Reference Guide

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admin
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Re: New User's Reference Guide

Post by admin »

SkyFrontier wrote:
admin said:
I assume that's what he wants, but he wants it without any need for scripting or reading the manual, which I can understand perfectly. I find it a good idea to offer a simple way to define an external viewer and an external editor app: It just takes two text boxes and a browse button for each, two menu commands, and done.
graham said:
A long time ago, prior to the realisation of scripting I thought there was a good case for an easy dialog type of approach to do common tasks and these 'wizard' type solutions are often very acceptable to those like me who struggle with scripts etc. but not liked by the clever people!
Ref:
http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4351
History.txt said:
v6.30.0006 - 2007-09-09 11:00 +++ Menu Help: Added "Tip of the Day" functionality (Shift+F1).
...This, of course, means you can have the tips in your language!
(as usual, I'm writing from the average-Joe-point-of-view)
Well, well - finally I've found something NEW USER friendly. Although I had to SEARCH for that after thinking a bit on a "Tour Guide" format (HTML, flash/video), then realized that "Tip of the Day" could save the day.

So my only point here is: why it's not ENABLED by default, at least in the main public releases so the visitor/new user can get a simple overview on demand? (and KNOWING that the feature sits there waiting, if he wants to disable it any given time?).

Playing a bit with TipOfTheDay.htm I've found the section

Code: Select all

    (currently unused:)  <<<NOTICE THIS!
    -           End of Tip Text, Start of Tip Properties
    keyword 1, keyword 2, keyword 3 ...
    [0/1/2]     Level: 0 (All), 1 (Beginner), 2 (Advanced)
Can it be easily enabled, so we could have a

Code: Select all

3 (Quick Setup Guide)
section?

Having that on mind, I made a custom TipOfTheDay.htm and now it contains a Quick Setup Guide. Want to use it? Replace current TipOfTheDay.htm in XYplorer's main folder with the TipOfTheDay.htm contained within the attached .rar, bring XYplorer to front, press SHIFT+F1 and follow the next ">" buttons. If you can't see the Guide, press the "All" button and choose "What is XY?" topic, then follow the next 11 tips.

Optionally I made a TipOfTheDay_QuickSetupLAST.htm version so one can choose to have the setup guide at the end of the official list.

OF COURSE this is an open project made by a new user, so please share your comments and "misepplings"/grammar/info corrections.

Hope this REALLY helps.

Next step, SCRIPTING Guide - or a deeper look on XY main features? Leave a comment on that matter please.
-I am looking after the new users, so I think a more accurate presentation on XY features could be pritority. BUT we already have XYwiki...
...-then a little close in Scripting, focusing the XY insiders at the same time being presented in a non-obscure language (OMG!) should be considered. What you think?

-to get the file, scroll to the first post of this topic and download "TipOfTheDay_QuickSetupForNewUsers.rar".
TipOfTheDay with keywords was originally planned but I was too optimistic about the time I could spend in working on this TipOfTheDay thing. It's just like my attempt to make some videos. It's just not realistic to develop an app of this size, support a growing number of users all day long (it's not only happening in the forum), and make videos and extra documentation at the same time.

But thanks for your ideas and your enthusiasm! :D

BTW, HTML is indeed a very good format for such a Reference Guide.

SkyFrontier
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Re: New User's Reference Guide

Post by SkyFrontier »

self quote:
...why it's not ENABLED by default, at least in the main public releases so the visitor/new user can get a simple overview on demand? (and KNOWING that the feature sits there waiting, if he wants to disable it any given time?).
admin said:
...support a growing number of users all day long (it's not only happening in the forum)
Well, if you think the format is ok, and checked out the contents of the Quick Setup guide (now incorporated in a custom TipOfTheDay), why not let the feature enabled by default in first-time running of the official stable release?

Page 1 now reads:

Code: Select all

"Tips of the Day" by keyboard
PageDown/Up = Next/Previous tip
Home/End    = First/Last tip
A           = All tips, titles only
Shift+A     = All tips, with texts
R           = Random tip
First time user? Use the Quick Setup Guide on next pages. 
The section

Code: Select all

    (currently unused:)  <<<NOTICE THIS!
    -           End of Tip Text, Start of Tip Properties
    keyword 1, keyword 2, keyword 3 ...
    [0/1/2]     Level: 0 (All), 1 (Beginner), 2 (Advanced)
...

Code: Select all

3 (Quick Setup Guide)
can wait a bit more, but I see that few commonly asked questions could be solved by a first run presentation - if not USED that time, users will at least KNOW that "...where is that annoying Tip of the Day when I need them? Oh, there MUST be a help section anywhere!"

If you take a closer look, I've designed that guide as a main features tour (waiting for official adds!), considering that we are dealing with NEW NON-GEEK USERS - so all they need to do is a little research on already available Help. (Note to self: put explicit ways on how to get more help on F1/Help, XYwiki and XYforums AFTER basic search!).
admin:
BTW, a manual for newbies should have LOTS of screenshots. Which is always a problem with XY because it develops so fast that updating screenshots gets a nuisance.
admin:
...It's just like my attempt to make some videos...
Next step will be organizing that raw info contained in History.txt, XYwiki (i hope) and XYforums (idem) in the same thinking as I did for the Quick Setup guide: gathering info spread all around, translating them to a friendly language for non-initiated and with some help having new content aiming daily tasks, pro or non-pro.

After that, we could think on the visual aids - "content" will lead my work, and as I'm not that image-guy, at that point we may have help from another skilled person. Also, "that point" will probably mean that we have a more stable app in ways of features, so screenshot/videoing will not be a useless nuisance. Example: XYplorer will probably have a dual tree feature, so when it got it, it will be common sense that *ANY* screenshot featuring a dual tree will be valid despite any improvements in other areas. Now we are having a complete icon set revision, so I bet that for the next months/years any screenshot of the current revision will still be valid. BUT while we are testing the new icon set/image engine etc., I'm focused on the basics of the app. Few hours ago I was reading a topic which considers abandoning VB. But I doubt XY will have to develop from scratch - it will for sure (I believe! lol) take a new body, the app will have the same core, so any WORDS describing what it does will still be valid. If not, few changes can easily be done.
New User's Ref. Guide and Quick Setup Guide can help a bit! Check XYplorer Resources Index for many useful links!
Want a new XYperience? XY MOD - surfYnXoard
-coz' the aim of computing is to free us to LIVE...

admin
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Re: New User's Reference Guide

Post by admin »

Wow, you seem to spend a lot of your time with this, and what you plan to do will even take more time. The change log currently has around 25,000 lines, and it's about change -- which means that older information might be (and often is) overwritten by newer one. You have to read 25,000 lines backwards. And the program is constantly evolving... good luck! :)

(And no, the app won't change when I change the language -- it'll change just for me, not for you.)

SkyFrontier
Posts: 2341
Joined: 04 Jan 2010 14:27
Location: Pasárgada (eu vou!)

Re: New User's Reference Guide

Post by SkyFrontier »

Code: Select all

Self quote:
If not, few changes can easily be done.

Code: Select all

admin:
(And no, the app won't change when I change the language -- it'll change just for me, not for you.)
I was referring changes in the documentation, help or any other related tool. My work is trying to get things easier for you. Of course a second tree would be of help, but that's a natural evolution step (I hope) and YOU are the guy who wrote 25000 lines plus the source code. I'm just a follower. Follower's work is follow and sometimes get some insights shared.
New User's Ref. Guide and Quick Setup Guide can help a bit! Check XYplorer Resources Index for many useful links!
Want a new XYperience? XY MOD - surfYnXoard
-coz' the aim of computing is to free us to LIVE...

SkyFrontier
Posts: 2341
Joined: 04 Jan 2010 14:27
Location: Pasárgada (eu vou!)

New User's Reference Guide - HTML test code

Post by SkyFrontier »

Test code for New User's Reference Guide.
C'mon, I don't know HTML! lol
Just made a CD interface for "The Thing" (Carpenter's) private backup using Frontpage, and a glimpse on coding thru a shell replacement software years ago. I even lost a job in Argentina for not knowing, so don't laugh at me! :P

I'm planning to split XY main features into categories and jump right out of them to the main topics using CSS. Anyone against it...?

The idea is to have a download-able comprehensive guide in ways of Quick Setup Guide (direct link to file!), meaning "new user oriented" (XYplorer for Dummies) but at the same time including advanced features for advanced users as a (guess?) reference guide, so broadband limited users (like me) could have an extra layer of help when required.

Comments are always welcome.
Attachments
XYplorerGuide_HTMLtestCode.zip
(2.7 KiB) Downloaded 263 times
New User's Ref. Guide and Quick Setup Guide can help a bit! Check XYplorer Resources Index for many useful links!
Want a new XYperience? XY MOD - surfYnXoard
-coz' the aim of computing is to free us to LIVE...

admin
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Re: New User's Reference Guide - HTML test code

Post by admin »

SkyFrontier wrote:Test code for New User's Reference Guide.
C'mon, I don't know HTML! lol
Just made a CD interface for "The Thing" (Carpenter's) private backup using Frontpage, and a glimpse on coding thru a shell replacement software years ago. I even lost a job in Argentina for not knowing, so don't laugh at me! :P

I'm planning to split XY main features into categories and jump right out of them to the main topics using CSS. Anyone against it...?

The idea is to have a download-able comprehensive guide in ways of Quick Setup Guide (direct link to file!), meaning "new user oriented" (XYplorer for Dummies) but at the same time including advanced features for advanced users as a (guess?) reference guide, so broadband limited users (like me) could have an extra layer of help when required.

Comments are always welcome.
Looks like mid-90s to me. :wink: But nothing's as sure as the next revival...

SkyFrontier
Posts: 2341
Joined: 04 Jan 2010 14:27
Location: Pasárgada (eu vou!)

Re: New User's Reference Guide

Post by SkyFrontier »

Don said:
Looks like mid-90s to me.
Well... I can't do much as I'm trying the code to be compatible as much as possible. Even the CSS part I was reluctant to use, but decided to do it since the List Inlay feature come to solve a potential presentation issue.

Any ideas on that field will be welcome, anyway.

-no, fellow countrymen, I *WON'T * use Flash. 8)
-and yes, groove IS in the heart. :mrgreen:
New User's Ref. Guide and Quick Setup Guide can help a bit! Check XYplorer Resources Index for many useful links!
Want a new XYperience? XY MOD - surfYnXoard
-coz' the aim of computing is to free us to LIVE...

admin
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Posts: 60357
Joined: 22 May 2004 16:48
Location: Win8.1 @100%, Win10 @100%
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Re: New User's Reference Guide

Post by admin »

SkyFrontier wrote:
Don said:
Looks like mid-90s to me.
Well... I can't do much as I'm trying the code to be compatible as much as possible. Even the CSS part I was reluctant to use, but decided to do it since the List Inlay feature come to solve a potential presentation issue.

Any ideas on that field will be welcome, anyway.

-no, fellow countrymen, I *WON'T * use Flash. 8)
-and yes, groove IS in the heart. :mrgreen:
I did not want to discourage you in any way, of course (I'm not mad). And if you use CSS consistently it's quite easy to change the looks.

I do have to be so fair to warn you though: our top fellow jacky has made the XYwiki (you know it of course) with the intention to make it a collborative enterprise among XY power users. Alas, it did not happen and he ended up in doing it all himself (well, around 99.999 % of it). So, do not expect too much -- it's just that everybody seems to have too much to do already...

SkyFrontier
Posts: 2341
Joined: 04 Jan 2010 14:27
Location: Pasárgada (eu vou!)

Re: New User's Reference Guide

Post by SkyFrontier »

Admin:
And if you use CSS consistently it's quite easy to change the looks.
That's the main reason why I choose CSS but in an opposite way: It would be easy to clean up the code out of CSS in case XYwiki could incorporate New User's Ref Guide. Regarding the looks... well, HTML is skinable by design. lol
Had an idea but probably will PM you and Jacky about it anytime soon - content matters, knowledge resources, nothing special.

On
"...jacky has made the XYwiki (...) with the intention to make it a collaborative enterprise among XY power users." But "he ended up in doing it all himself"
, I had the same feeling with my earlier companion project, Reference Guide - Script Tour, but (I guess) found a way to workaround this little issue while at the same stamping a priority tag on New User's Ref Guide. A note on this will also be part of the PM.
New User's Ref. Guide and Quick Setup Guide can help a bit! Check XYplorer Resources Index for many useful links!
Want a new XYperience? XY MOD - surfYnXoard
-coz' the aim of computing is to free us to LIVE...

SkyFrontier
Posts: 2341
Joined: 04 Jan 2010 14:27
Location: Pasárgada (eu vou!)

Re: New User's Reference Guide

Post by SkyFrontier »

First post updated to highlight content.
*I'll probably do an effort to bring those up to date, any time soon*, also under a new strategy which could be community based (I know, I know, here I go again). Open for suggestions.
Documenting Undocumented (sort of) was a first shot and I think this approach is enough as now there's a XYplorer Resources Index.
New User's Ref. Guide and Quick Setup Guide can help a bit! Check XYplorer Resources Index for many useful links!
Want a new XYperience? XY MOD - surfYnXoard
-coz' the aim of computing is to free us to LIVE...

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