Re: [Web-erp-developers] Help

[skaill <sk...@ro...>]

I understand except for the following...

Are you saying page the html file based on section for the online help?

I'm not sure that you can effectively combine a linear organization from =
online.  For instance, there could be certain parts of the manual that =
will be suited to 2 or more sections and some may be suited to none.  It =
is an idea but I think we need it expanded.

I think it may work better the other way.  In other words, have a manual =
and then specify which sections each part belongs in.

Steve
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Daintrees=20
  To: web...@li...=20
  Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 9:02 PM
  Subject: Re: [Web-erp-developers] Help


  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