Re: [Jabref-users] JabRef User manual (german)

[<jz...@us...>]

Dominik Wa=DFenhoven wrote:
> Hi all,
>=20
> I made a German JabRef Help file in PDF format, because I think it's
> nicer to read through a PDF than to browse the help files in the
> program (or online). It's mostly the Help pages and some additional
> stuff (like installation hints). I stored it temporarily under
> http://home.arcor.de/domwass/temp/JabRef-UserManual_de.pdf, but be
> aware that it will disappear from this location as soon as it is
> accessible from the JabRef-Homepage.

Hi Dominik,

this looks very good! I think it is helpful for users (personally I found=
=20
some stuff I didn't know yet :-) and it also makes the overall look&feel=20
of JabRef more professional.

Since it contains the help texts, I think we should find some way to not=20
have the same content stored twice. If someone changes the help files,=20
these changes should not require editing of the manual, and vice versa.=20
Otherwise it is my guess that the two will get out of sync sooner than la=
ter.

I am not sure how to achieve this. Does someone have an idea?

> If someone wants to improve it -- feel free! I stored the .lyx file,
> from which I created the .pdf, in the CVS repository under
> /jabref/src/help/de, there you can also find the corresponding (small)
> .bib file. If someone wants to have a .tex file instead, please let me
> know, I can provide it.

I used LyX once back in 1998, nice tool! Wasn't aware it's still being=20
developed. But I think we should rather have LaTeX files in the CVS (if w=
e=20
go ahead with the idea in the first place). Come to think of it: Could we=
=20
possibly have the manual structured in individual .tex files and use some=
=20
latex2html tool (configured to not show TOC links etc.) to generate the=20
.html help pages from each individual .tex file?

Hmm, this might entail some further work. Please don't get me wrong, IMHO=
=20
a good manual is a great thing to have. But we should be aware that doing=
=20
it properly is quite a feat.

...or maybe it's just me being overdramatic ;-)

-J=F6rg

--=20
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