For Silvia and Frank

hresquivelo · Post by **hresquivelo** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:10 pm

Hi Silvia Mazzoni and Frank McKenna;

I advice you to rewrite the OpenSees Command Language Manual (PDF format) from the current poor quality document to a coherent format document. I think using the high-quality typesetting system LaTeX, the current document could look better and get the coherent format wished. If you don't know anything about LaTeX, I recommend you go first to the LaTeX main page:
http://www.latex-project.org/
for a description of what is LaTeX.

Thanks for your attention.

I hope an answer.

silvia · Post by **silvia** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:34 pm

I highly discourage users to use the PDF version, the on-line version of the manual is the best and most reliable one.

Also, a Tex version does not work for a document with various contributors!

hresquivelo · Post by **hresquivelo** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:19 pm

Ok, I understand you. But note that sometimes one needs a printed copy of the user's manual. I think the manual compiled in PDF format is the best choice, because the both chapters and sections in the on-line version are by parts and for that the on-line user's manual turns difficult to print.

I'm still supporting the idea of making a coherent format manual. This might be gotten using LaTeX. And LaTeX is very easy to learn! So when you say:

silvia wrote: Also, a Tex version does not work for a document with various contributors!

this cannot be considered like a handicap.

Thanks for your answer.

Have a good day,
Hugo Esquivel

rjaeger · Post by **rjaeger** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:40 am

Hello,

I certainly agree with Hugo on this issue - LaTeX would be a great choice for the user manual. For collaboration, there are 3 choices for TeX:

-Use LyX which has change tracking and a check in/out system
-Use a source code repository such as CVS, SVN, etc. (I'm sure you could use the existing OpenSees CVS repository)
-Lastly, Monkey TeX which is the Google Docs of TeX (until Google Docs adds TeX)

Thanks,
Robbie Jaeger

silvia · Post by **silvia** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:27 pm

all,
i appreciate your comments, but i need a software that is able to produce a web document fist, and a text document second! all from the same source.
We made the choice on what to use when we started this, the original manual was, indeed, in TeX.
I have already produced the majority of the document. again, I highly discourage the use of the text document.
Also, we are in the midst of starting a wiki, and this will be the next form of contributed documentation. Go ahead and voice your opinion on this, i will appreciate it.

hresquivelo · Post by **hresquivelo** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:17 am

silvia wrote: i appreciate your comments, but i need a software that is able to produce a web document fist, and a text document second! all from the same source.

Obviously LaTeX can make web documents using the same source!
Go to: ftp://ctan.tug.org/tex-archive/info/web ... guide.html
(see the introduction)

I don't understand yet why you are highly disagree that we use a PDF user's manual. It's the best way to get what you want. What's the problem? Could you explain us your point of view, please?

Thanks in advance. Have a good day.

rjaeger · Post by **rjaeger** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:49 am

silvia wrote:all,
i appreciate your comments, but i need a software that is able to produce a web document fist, and a text document second! all from the same source.
We made the choice on what to use when we started this, the original manual was, indeed, in TeX.
I have already produced the majority of the document. again, I highly discourage the use of the text document.
Also, we are in the midst of starting a wiki, and this will be the next form of contributed documentation. Go ahead and voice your opinion on this, i will appreciate it.

Hi Silvia,

I think that wikis are very nice but perhaps we could have both a pdf and the wiki? I see the pdf as being the official manual document from your end and the wiki as being a supplement for things that are maybe not yet in the manual or need further clarification.

Another option is to use the wiki as the primary manual and export the wiki to html which we can take with us when we don't have an internet connection or have limited downloading capabilities. If you do decide to use the wiki primarily, please choose a wiki that has this option - it seems like it would satisfy most users.

Thanks,
Robbie Jaeger

silvia · Post by **silvia** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:33 am

thank you for the ideas.

the manual stays where it is!!!

the wiki will supplement it.