tool descriptions

Admittedly, saying "it is unlikely that someone else will." is pessimistic speculation;
What I wanted to say is: I do not recommend waiting around for someone else to do the work.

Good luck!

Gosh Gary, this wave has not washed over me yet, and I am not a good swimmer.

If you have any time, could you give me some advice on where to start.

Kind regards,

Cy

Hi Cy,

Here is what I would suggest (pick the point your are comfortable starting with):
1. Review / proof-read the documentation that has been posted.  Use each tool and compare it to the description I've provided - see if it makes sense.  This will allow you to check my work and at the same time become familiar with the terminology,  style and the depth of the required detail.  I know my work needs to be checked - every time I go back I see I have missed a character or word, or something is out of place...
2. Look at the source (click the edit link after logging in).  You can see how it is formatted.  It is important to follow the same formatting to allow the text to be parsed and imported into the code later on.
3. Pick one of the simpler sections (Select, Info or Misc) and write a description.  Again the terminology is important and there are a couple of key things that I've done.  When I write
   - "point" - that is identifying a point either by typing the coordinates in at the command line, of picking a location with a cursor etc. (Some of this detail would be useful in a user manual, but that comes at a later date).
   - "given" - that is providing a typically numeric value in a text box (e.g. specifying the length of a radius)
   - "select / selecting" - clicking on an existing entity to make it selected / current / active / ...
 
A couple of hints:
   - be brief,
   - be concise,
   - be consistent,
   - a third party reading the documentation should not be able to discern whether it was you or me that wrote it.

The list of "Tools" is complete, so there is nothing more to add - we just need to complete descriptions.

Then, if you want me to comment, let me know and I'll have a look later.  Armin might be the LordofBikes, but I'm the master of mine - i'm heading out for a ride...

Cheers,
Gary S

Hi Armin,

Hope these questions are going to be received well?

In respect of what has been said here, may I ask a few questions

1) Are the two versions of Librecad 2.1.3 on my Mac and 2.2.0 on my Linux Mint Serena OS saying (for the purpose of this work) different things. Perhaps there is there a definitive version we should be working to?
2)Is it possible for me to produce this information on LibreOffice Impress, (Powerpoint)?
3)Is it possible to produce some of this information with some Screen Capture images on the version we use?
4) If it does not matter which version we use, can we state which version the information was taken down from?
5)What information, if any, was put down when the code was being written?

Perhaps these questions have already been dealt with, if so, what conclusions have been drawn?

So sorry If I am complicating matters here.

Kind regards,
Cy    

Hi Cy,

I can answer those questions...

1. I'm using 2.2.0-alpha (and since the descriptions will be imported into that, or a later, version I think it is appropriate).
2. It possible, but it wouldn't be the right way to do it as any formatting done in Impress cannot be used.  Only simple text can be used (I work with a text editor similar to notepad).
3. No, we cannot use images of any kind.
4. I thought I had stated in the preface that is was based on ver 2.2.0-alpha.  If it is not there, I'll put it back.
5. There are no descriptions in the code - just the "Tool" name.


Gary S

Thank you Gary, that is most helpful.

However, it now seems clear to me that i am not understanding what is required here. I thought we were doing this for Users.

Item 1) is now clear.
Item 2) I would understand this Simple text idea if, we were doing this for Writers and not Users.
Item 3) As item two, this would be clear to me for Writers but not for Users.
Item 4) I seem to remember this being said, so it is probably me with a senior moment, sorry.
Item 5) So, in addition to the Tool name, what is our job? Written process description?

I am beginning to think that I am not equipped to do this job.

Kind regards,

Cy

Cy O'Hara wrote

...
Item 2) I would understand this Simple text idea if, we were doing this for Writers and not Users
....
Item 5) So, in addition to the Tool name, what is our job? Written process description?

Hi Cy,

This information is for the users, but not as a separate document / manual.  The description of the "Tools" menu item is 'embedded' within the applications and will appear when the a user moves the mouse over or selects the tool (at least, that is the way I think it is suppose to work) - think of pop-up tool tips.  That is why it needs to be a brief and written in a very specific way using simple text - it allows the descriptions to be 'imported' into the applications code when the descriptions are complete.  Images and other graphics cannot be used.

It is not a process description, but a description of what the tool does (with a couple of additional details as "Draw a line." seems to be pretty obvious, but "Draw a line between to specified points" offers the user a better hint of what the particular tool will do).

At a later date, I feel that these short descriptions can be expanded on in a separate wiki page to be a more complete description of the tools and many options that are available.  At that point the document can include images, etc.  There already is a "User Manual" that offers a guide and examples for users available on the wiki, but I don't think there is a complete description of the available Tools, Snaps, Docks, etc.  


Cheers,
Gary S

Thank you Gary, that is most helpful. I suppose many of my problems in understanding moat of this, comes from my struggle to relate it to all the other cad applications that I have learnt and used, much of it being the missing sequences.

Kind regards,
Cy

Gary, once again, many thanks for sharing your knowledge with me, it is most appreciated.

I do wish that I was a little further on with doing what is required. Still, I feel more positive today.

Kind regards,

Cy

Gosh Gary, yet another Bike man. I do miss them especially my old T110. What have you got at the moment?

Good job you informed me that all the Tools are done, never the less, something to look back on to get an idea of what is required.

Cheers to you also,
Cy

Not waiting around...

I've finished the Tool descriptions.  Please proof-read and edit as necessary...

This script did the trick for me, but adjust to suit as required *...

#!/bin/bash

SOURCE=LibreCAD-WIKI-Tools.txt
TARGET=lc_actionfactory.cpp

# Strip formating characters, replace with delimiter:
#    replace all "'''" with (null)
sed -i -e "s/'''//g" $SOURCE
#    replace all " {" with "|"
sed -i -e "s/ {/|/g" $SOURCE
#    replace all " }" with "|"
sed -i -e "s/}: /|/g" $SOURCE

# Read through SOURCE and parse fields; toolName|objectName|Description

while IFS='|' read toolName objectName toolDescription; do
#  echo $toolName
   echo $objectName: $toolDescription

   # Find objectName in line "action->setObjectName('objectName');"
   # and insert a new line above consisting of "action->setWhatsThis('toolDescription');"
   sed -i "/setObjectName(\"$objectName\"/i \    action->setWhatsThis(\"$toolDescription\");" $TARGET

done <$SOURCE

Edit: added missing ";" after setWhatsThis(\"$toolDescription\")

*: BTW, it has been a long time since I've done any coding, and never in a QT environment, so ** please ** ensure the inserted line is the correct syntax, etc...


@All
I'm willing to continue to develop or enhance other wiki pages, updating and adding as required.  I see that there are others that are writing manuals, so I'd like to focus on short descriptions and aligning command where available.  Any thoughts on that??


@ Cy
I ride my KLR-650 through the foothills and mountains of western Canada...


Cheers,
Gary S

@ Gary,
Hi Gary,
Your writing for the Tools needs some 'getting up to speed' on from me so I will get back to you on that.
Your KLR-650 is nearly as exciting as Western Canada. My wife and I only got as far as Toronto and London, Ontario, but we love Canada very much. Got offered a job with Architects in Nova Scotia in the 70s, but a friend in Toronto thought it might be a little quiet for me, how wrong we both were.
Cheers,
Cy

Hi all,

Need to get up to date on the section beyond Tools, so nothing to offer yet. I hope that, that is ok?

Regards,

Cy

Gary, I am beginning to think that I am not your Man for this project of understanding.

Additionally, I am not sure that my 32 bit laptop is up to it, there are too  many mysteries, things disappearing,
Parallel not working, snap all over the place, move and copy very temperamental etc.

I have got over some of these matters by using my Mac (64 bit), but I really do want to make Linux my success story.

I do apologise to you all, but Librecad is not revealing itself as a tool of certainty.

Kind regards to you all,

Cy