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Problems with help organization [message #29599]

Tue, 02 November 2010 14:07

gprentice
Messages: 260
Registered: November 2005
Location: New Zealand

Experienced Member

I've commented about the organization of the U++ help before. Now I'm doing it again.

So I'm a sort of newbie regarding using widgets in U++. I think in most toolkits you can expect to find a topic discussing each widget and what you can do with it. In U++, what information there is, is difficult to find (if you're a newbie).

I've got the hello world example open. I want to find out about the "option" control so I click the ? button for help but there's no way to find out about widgets through the help. After a while I remember there's stuff on the website but it still takes me a while to notice that in CtrlLib there's a list of widgets including option. For some widgets the information is minimal - like e.g. toolbar - there's no description. So now I just happen to know that the "examples" packages show how to use widgets - but, I can't see one for toolbars. Now if I'm lucky I know that the reference packages also contain examples - but, nothing jumps out at me about toolbars.

I expect many people give up because of the diabolical organization of the help. Some probably don't even make it to the website. I personally dislike having to go to a website to find help information.

I think U++ would benefit from having a "getting started" document that explained how to find things in the documentation and a few other basic things that newcomers need to know to learn U++, including how to use theIde (as the Russian reviewer "yesint" pointed out a while ago, it's badly needed). The article by "yesint" was actually a better "getting started" guide than anything U++ currently has.

I might start a document for this if I can ever figure out how to use the help and theIde myself, however I'm not gonna do it unless it can be made available in a prominent place that newcomers will be sure to see and I'm convinced that it's worthwhile etc. and that other people might contribute or at least answer my questions.

So is there any support for this?

Can theIde main menu have a "help" button with an item "getting started with U++" as well as being listed on the main "theIde" help page and on the website. The current "getting started" topic on the website is more about the philosophy of U++ followed by a core values tutorial etc. It should start with some more basic information.

Note I didn't actually say I was gonna do anything, I'm just thinking about it. I dislike that fact that there's no overall help contents/ index in theIde or a dedicated help file etc.

Graeme

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