Re: [Tads3] Eric Eve's Getting Started guide

[Doeadeer3@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 9/15/2003 12:12:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time, mjr_@hotmail.com writes:


> Doe, since you're a fan of WinHelp, do you think I should consider that as 
> an additional target format?  I'm not sure that I'll have enough bandwidth 
> to do that - but maybe there's a bigger constituency for WinHelp than for 
> HTML or PDF and I just don't know about it, and if so, I should consider it. 
>   My personal feeling about WinHelp is that it doesn't really bring anything 
> to the table that HTML doesn't, but maybe I'm missing something.
>
> --Mike


The searchable function adds a great deal. To my way of thinking. To be truthful -- but with something you may not want to hear :-) -- I am not sure how many times I have gone to the Windows Help File for Inform over any other method. Once I KNEW Inform somewhat, and the file was available I just about always went there first to search for things and look them up. Like Before/After verbs or the math precedence, things like that. Thing I knew generally, but would tend to forget between uses of Inform. Things I needed to refresh my memory on (and this happens when one programs in any language, especially if one knows more than one language -- one forgets the exact syntax or the parameters for specific routines, etc.) In other words, it was and is my first stop electronic resource. 

Originally I had DM3 split into three files that I could search electronically (a regular text file) that I could bring up with a text editor and search. And over time that got tedious (I had to split it into three so it would fit in my text editor), so I ended up just using the Windows Help File.

So, yeah, I think it is the most helpful format around. However, I can't truly see how you could generate base files that would work for both HTML and a Windows Help File. Adding all those hot spots requires a great deal of time. So I would not ask it. :-) The post production tweaking that you mention.

I think if all routines (or major routines) could be cross-referenced in HTML format (you know link to another page where it is discussed in more detail), that could be very helpful. Even that requires a lot of work.

In other words, I am not volunteering YOU for anything. :-) But, yes, I think a Windows Help File or something similar is the most useful format I have used to date. I won't lie about that. But as far as HTML, a crosslinked HTML file is to me more useable than a PDF file. And apparently I am not the only one to feel this way. PDF prints out well, but the reader is so bloated and slow (at least in Windows) that it's hard to page quickly to the area one wants. So I much prefer HTML over PDF. I also like clickable links.

It is possible to make a text file or HTML pages more searchable by a text editor or browser if one tries. Some kind of formatting that lets one know this is the major discussion of a routine or something. And some kind of formatting that lets one know this is only when it is mentioned in another context. If you follow me.

HTH, Doe