Does PTE need a better Help system?

[fh1805]

For some time now I have been of the opinion that PTE is getting too complicated for the new user. One aspect that could be changed to benefit the new user is the system of Help.

I envisage a Help system that works as follows:

Every icon on a Tool Bar, the text on every button and the labels beside every radio button, every tick box and every field would all have a "Tool Tip" associated with them. By this I mean a little pop-up box with just a few words describing what that item is. The text of that Tool Tip would serve as a hyperlink into the relevant section of the Help manual/User Guide manual. This is known as "context-sensitive help".

I have opened this topic to solicit the views of the forum members. I would be especially interested in the views of those who do the language translation. I realise that such a change would possibly mean a massive increase in the workload of the translators.

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

My first thought is yes, we do need a better help system, however, if the mouse hovering system is adopted it should be user activated, having a load of pop ups popping up could be an annoyance to those who know what they are doing. I like the idea of a pop up that directs you to the relevent part of the user manual, however, the manual would need updating & expanding regularly. I don't see this method having a disavantage to the non English speakers as the majority have their own version of the manual?

Yachtsman1.

[Ken Cox]

good idea Peter

but was there not some discussion couple years back re tool tips?

in conjunction with your idea would be a better and more accurate means of searching the forum - if it worked better more people might look up the answer themselves

for example

ijust did a search for tool tips

this was one of the pages that came up

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/8213-picturestoexe-deluxe-55-release-candidate-5/page__view__findpost__p__53685

and i did a search for tool tips on the last page which is the one that came up - tool tips = 0

searched the whole forum for tooltips = 0

ken

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Ken is that because of the minmum letters rule in search?

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[CorVdK]

Hello to all,

Since 2004 I'm occupied with the Dutch translation of PicturesToExe.

I do this, with pleasure, in the little spare time I have, because I still have a full-time job.

The program has evolved rapidly in recent years.

Not only the functions expanded in a short period of time, but also the layout and user interface of the program underwent a certain transformation.

So there is a need to give the functions a proper name, allowing users to quickly master the program.

However there are still some imperfections, which are situated in the complex world of interpretation and translation

(see the recent debate on "tiled image" which I translated into "Achtergrondmotief", literally "Background pattern").

Beyond the issue of word choice is also the interpretation of the functions.

As a translator, of course, one must try all the features of the program, otherwise you can never find the right words for these functions.

A literal translation of a word (such as translation machines do) is easy, but finding a correct interpretation of a word is not so easy.

At the start of PicturesToExe we were in the era of innovation from analogue to digital.

The program was originally intended for digital photographers to make shows or business presentations, such as an alternative to PowerPoint.

Similar capabilities are still there but unfortunately also the designations of the past remained.

We have for some time passed "the age of the slide" but still use the term in PicturesToExe, ex. slide(s), slide show, slide list, customize slide, etc.

We do not use real slides anymore in PicturesToExe, except as scanned digital images.

The significance of a slide in PicturesToExe is a container that can contain any object ... So name it that way, slide is not the correct word for that.

PicturesToExe also provides many more options than just making "slide shows".

The suggestion to have "Tool Tips" in the program is a very good idea.

Currently it is only partially implemented.

I do not know why Igor and team have, so far, not fully applied it, because a lot of "Tool Tips" are already present in the language files and therefore already translated.

Programmers should only use the tool tips.

Regarding the current official English language manual, my opinion is:

- The manual is not complete and in many cases too brief (for newcomers not always clear what is meant).

- The wording of the functions in the manual does not always match the wording of the functions in the program.

- The manual is not very commercial, it starts with enumerating "problems".

Please indicate possible solutions at the end of the manual, talk about some guidelines to follow, but do not talk about "problems", most people don't like "problems".

The best manual for PicturesToExe, in my opinion, currently up to version 7.01, is the French book by Mr. Jean-Charles Pizolatto, avatar "Aginum".

That book can be used as a perfect and complete manual.

Have a nice day.

Cor

[Ken Cox]

Ken is that because of the minmum letters rule in search?

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

no the min letters did not seem to affect the search

ken

[nobeefstu]

Peter,

As a start :

I believe the first step forward is that when the User Guide is downloaded and copied/placed in the PTE program directory ... clicking the menu Help | User Guide or F1 Key should open the PDF file if the file exists. Giving users the quick and easy access/opening of the User Guide should be the fundamental beginning to help them to start using it.

Right now the PTE menu access or F1 Key always resorts to the link page to download it.

[CorVdK]

I have opened this topic to solicit the views of the forum members.

Does PTE need a better Help system?

Peter,

Apparently not, because so far there is not much interest.

People apparently prefer to ask 10 to 15 times the same question about the basics of PTE on the forum.

Most of the time the questioner receive his answer in a few minutes.

So don't worry be happy!

Cor

[fh1805]

...People apparently prefer to ask 10 to 15 times the same question about the basics of PTE on the forum. Most of the time the questioner receive his answer in a few minutes.

Cor,

I've recently joined the Audacity forum and see the same thing happening there: the same question several times each day, the same answer given. The Audacity moderators have the patience of saints! Most of these repeating questions have already been answered in either the very comprehensive user manual, or in the equally comprehensive wiki of tips and tutorials.

Thanks for your initial response and for your recent words of encouragement. Don't worry, I am happy!

regards,

Peter