Re: [Web-erp-developers] Help

[Daintrees <p.d...@pa...>]

Maybe we could look at this from another angle. What about this ....

The existing manual converted to html - I will do this tonight.
Steve cut an paste the html into appropriate help pages.

Perhaps we classify paged as belonging to certain modules and perhaps an =
order for the help page in the manual, then all future manuals could be =
created by a query to return the help stored in the db - slam dunk into =
a text/html file one big manual all linked based on our data in the db =
about pages and where they belong. The help in the db is thus the one =
source of information about webERP.

Any thoughts guys?

Phil


  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Danie Brink=20
  To: Phil Daintree=20
  Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 12:03 PM
  Subject: Re: [Web-erp-developers] Help


  Hi Steve

  No I'm suggesting we write it in some combination of XML/ Wiki markup =
that can easily be converted to either HTML or Latex or whatever just =
using a tool. For instance I use a simple php wiki on my website which =
saves me from checking all the HTML but there should be no difficulty in =
taking those wiki pages (manual) and converting them to latex to create =
a professional looking manual, also it would then be fairly easy to =
maintain the manual in plain text. see phpWiki - =
http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpwiki/ I am fairly sure that it would =
require less work to convert the manual to plain text and to maintain it =
in that form. To generate Latex or should be fairly simple it would just =
require the wiki to generate Latex rather than html and passing that =
through a Latex parser using popen with say pdflatex would generate a =
pdf document etc.

  An additional benefit is that the client/customer/user could add his =
own noted to the help as he require. These could then be passed back to =
us in the form of a contribution, and as it is text even the =
client/customer/user will be able to work on the betterment of the =
manuals without having to know html.

  Kind Regards
  Danie Brink

  On Tue, 2004-08-10 at 22:11, skaill wrote:=20
    =EF=BB=BF=20
    I think I'm a bit confused.  I think it will be clearer when I get =
the example.  It sounds like you're suggesting the manual would be best =
written in Latex (whatever that is) and then Latex will be easily able =
to parse the manual into those sections.  Am I understanding?
    =20
    Steve=20
      ----- Original Message -----=20
      From: Danie Brink
      To: Phil Daintree
      Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 1:01 PM
      Subject: Re: [Web-erp-developers] Help

      Hi Steve ,

      I have gained some experience recently with Latex writing my =
reporting framework, and I know already that it is hard to do and keep =
maintained, however, there is converters which will convert latex to =
HTML, pdf and other formats as well. It will also look a lot more =
professional.

      I have included an example of what Latex can do in one of my =
reports generated through my report system in PDF format.=20

      I am prepared to convert the manual as I have to do it any way. I =
could do it in the next few days if you want me to. I will just have to =
put the tax system on hold for those few days.

      Just some thoughts.=20

      P.S.  Latex Parsers/Converters is also available for both windows =
and UNIX.

      Kind Regards
      Danie Brink

      On Tue, 2004-08-10 at 14:50, skaill wrote:=20
        I've been thinking about the best way to not only get the manual =
into the online help for various scripts but also how to best maintain =
it in the future as the system evolves.  I'm thinking the best way would =
be to convert the manual to html since the online help needs to be =
formatted in html also.
        =20
        Unfortunately if I try saving the manual to html in Word the =
document saved ends up xml plus it has all kinds of css.  None of this =
is needed.  From what I see only fonts (size mainly), bold, underline, =
returns, lists and tables are needed for the entire manual so a help css =
is overkill.
        =20
        Now, I can sit and copy/format those 70 pages of manual into =
html manually and don't mind doing it but at the end I need to know that =
we can stick to the html version and not the .doc version of the manual. =
 Keeping up two versions as well as the online will be too much and the =
html version, I believe, is the one that makes sense.
        =20
        Once I have the entire manual manually converted to html then =
copy and pasting to the online help will be simple.  It will continue to =
be much simpler in the future as well when the manual ends up being =
modified.
        =20
        Note that going with html means we can also readily supply =
another link called something like Online Manual that will display the =
entire manual.
        =20
        Any comments/suggestions from anyone?  Phil, please let me know =
if this is a good way to proceed.
        =20
        Steve