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__Topics Found List_ Sources Adding when exporting GEDCOMsAdding Source Types _Advanced source citations__Advanced Source Citations_ Assignment when importingAutoSource - Export AuthorBook Source Options Citation reportCiting the Sources of Your Information CitationsDefine or Edit a Master Source citations (advanced)Defining Master Sources citations to groupsHow to Document Your Information ClipboardImporting a GEDCOM File Clipboard loadingInformation Screen Comments_Marriage Information_ DefinitionMaster Source List DescriptionMaster Source Type List DetailMissing Sources Search Detail CommentsName List Detail optionsReport Options DetailsSource Citation Report Entry systemSource Clipboard in NotesSource Detail _Marriage information_Source Detail Comments NameSources Tab Name options_SourceWriter_ on Reports_Which Source System to Use_ Options Options for books Search for missing _SourceWriter_ Tab on name list Templates Text Type _which 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 On 8/30/2012 8:58 PM, Pat Hickin wrote: > Brian, > > That's it -- that's precisely the problem! I expect Legacy > to give me instructions/directions in the order in which I > must do them -- not in more or less reverse order. I get > discouraged when I cannot even understand the very first > sentence. > > If that last paragraph "Ancestor Options help" was placed > immediately after the first paragraph, then the > explanation that follows would be easy to understand. > > Does Legacy ever have (or has Legacy ever had) someone who > is new to Legacy help with the editing of your "Help" > explanations? > > I think that could help make Legacy "Help" more helpful!! :-) > > Thanks for your explanation! > > I think that will prove useful when I encounter similar > problems in the future!! > > Pat > > > On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 3:27 PM, Brian/Support > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > > Look at the last line of that Ancestor Options help > screen. It tells you > how to get to the screen that is discussed in this topic. > > Once you are on the correct screen for the help topic > the topic should > make more sense. > > Brian > Customer Support > Millennia Corporation > [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com > > On 30/08/2012 13:54, Pat Hickin wrote: > > I have such a problem with Legacy Help! > > I wish that some of you who are apparently able to > understand their > > instructions will read the following and tell me > what I am doing wrong!! > > > > For example, I want to tag the ancestors of a > particular individual (Susan > > Berry McChesney). > > > > > Legacy User Group guidelines: > http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp > Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > 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/[email protected]/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ 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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