On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 12:14 PM, Markus Weimar
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I think we can find a common denominator that brings advantages from both 
> views.

Agreed. I like your proposal below...

> When I first saw the help system I was disappointed. I expected
> something like a formulary but what I found was a source code browser.
> I said to myself this must be intended to be used when you have no
> access to the code and you need to look something up. This is okay
> then but of little interest to me as I have access to the code and a
> text editor.

I've found that true myself. I don't use it much at all. I just keep
my code open all the time, and dive in whenever I want to...

> Then I saw that more or less hidden page with the title "Editing
> Notes". A markup table with preview only two clicks away! Very, very
> nice and much potential.

Note, if you are not an admin, the markup screen comes up first. Not
second. I also designed it to be extensible. Can't remember the
details--but we should be able to put in as many help pages as we
want. I was kind of thinking people would create help plugins--to keep
the core lean. But I can see the advantage of having 4-5 pages of very
basic help information...

> Partition the page in two sections: quick reference and code browser.
> The code browser stays as it is. The quick reference would be that
> API-like structure we have been talking about. Markups are there. Why
> not add the same for variables, functions, conditions and commands?

Better yet, why not just have the lay help information come up first,
and then put links to the help system beside each. Example:

Breadcrumbs: brief description..... Parameters.....  [[see code]]
[[more info (at BoltWire)]]
Counter: ..........  [[see code]]  [[more info (at BoltWire)]]

If we did this, we could even consider moving the help lines out of
the code. I suspect they might be more useful in a nice display...

> No verbose documentation, just a quick reference list. The extended
> docs will be on BoltWire.com. And as the quick reference would be part
> of BoltWire, it would automatically be on BoltWire.com, too.

Great--more stuff online...  For the help section we might use this
simple hierarchy:

site.help:  where to get help (mailing list, help system, BoltWire
website. links to subpages)
site.help.markups: ...
site.help.functions: ...
site.help.conditionals: ...
site.help.commands: ...
site.help.engine: ...

> I would love this. And I could much better use BoltWire when sitting
> in the sun without net access. It would make the system more complete
> and less dependent on the website.

Agreed. It would be useful. I don't always remember every parameter
myself... Would be nice to get some normal help files in BoltWire. I
think generating the text could be a nice goal for 4.xx

Cheers,
Dan

P.S. Lino, thanks for the offer to help. If we can setup some pages on
BoltWire, we will need lot's of help filling in the information.  :)

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