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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 17, 2008 14:02:56 GMT -5
The Run BASIC Programming Manual, a standalone ebook in Windows EXE format, is ready for your download and perusal at hytext.com/rb/rbmanual.zip (1.4Meg) This is an anthology, a collection of articles -- the Run BASIC Help files, tutorials, and support articles, and the Run BASIC Wiki articles (including the Building Blocks series), all mashed together and compiled. Please note that this is a work-in-progress, and an experiment in quick-and-dirty document mash-up and assembly. Periodic upgrades will gradually improve the navigation, appearance, and currency of the contents, so please help with your suggestions, corrections, and lavish praise for the contributors.
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Post by Alyce on Jan 17, 2008 14:08:22 GMT -5
Perfect! All in one spot. I extracted it to my desktop and this will be open whenever I'm working in Run BASIC. Great!
The only improvement that comes to mind at the moment is a navbar that doesn't disappear to one could always select a different part of the ebook to view, instead of hitting the "back" button to get back to square one.
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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 17, 2008 14:11:29 GMT -5
Okay, noted. I'll look to some way to build persistent navigation without chewing up much display real estate. Or, you could just start at the beginning, and read straight through.
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Post by Alyce on Jan 17, 2008 14:12:15 GMT -5
Let me clarify that last request. There IS a contents tab on the ebook reader, but the list of contents is a bit weird. If you could clean it up, that would suffice.
There're a lot of items that look like this: runbasic & raquo; Function runbasic & raquo; Global runbasic & raquo; Gordon's page runbasic & raquo; GosubGoto runbasic & raquo; Graphic runbasic & raquo; Graphic Rendering runbasic & raquo; GuestBook runbasic & raquo; HTML in Run BASIC runbasic & raquo; Handle variables runbasic & raquo; Hangman runbasic & raquo; IfThen runbasic & raquo; Input runbasic & raquo; Javascript runbasic & raquo; JuliaPattern runbasic & raquo; Kill runbasic & raquo; Line runbasic & raquo; Link runbasic & raquo; Links runbasic & raquo; Listbox runbasic & raquo; LittleEliza runbasic & raquo; LoadDraw
What's & raquo;?
edited to try to make this show properly - added space between & and raquo;
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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 17, 2008 15:16:36 GMT -5
The wiki HTML download prefixes page links with internal particularizing flags. The ebook compiler doesn't know about that when it does a brute-force compilation of page-titles to build its auto-TOC. Looks like I'll have to build a preprocessor in RB to handle some text clean-up issues.
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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 17, 2008 16:17:15 GMT -5
.... (145 manual edits-and-saves later....)
Odd TOC labels fixed, and posted. Also fixed pages with "New Page 1" titles. The TOC is not as useful as it could be if pages all had more relevant (hierarchically tagged) titles, but it's there, at least. I have some options, according to the compiler's Help file: --------------------------------------- You can design your own Table Of Contents page:
Design an HTML page to be used as your Table Of Contents page, and place this file into the source folder.
Click Refresh Files on the Edit menu.
Click System Pages... on the Edit menu.
Select My Own Page for Table Of Contents page contents which is on the Table Of Contents tab.
Select which file is to be used as the Table Of Contents page, using the Table Of Contents File dropdown combination box.
Click OK to close the Edit System Pages dialog box. ---------------------
Piece of cake. All I have to do is analyze each page and figure out where it should go on a manually-generated TOC.... Also have to arrange the files in proper order in compiler's file list, to rationalize the Previous/Next buttons.
I'll save that all for v0.2....
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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 18, 2008 21:29:48 GMT -5
v0.2 of the Run BASIC Programming Manual is now posted at hytext.com/rb/rbmanual.zip (1.5Meg) This version has an integrated Table of Contents (click on Contents icon at any time) to give you instant access to the main connection points. Note that all pages are searchable, so you can find all references to, say, "WHILE", and get a jump list of pages with that word or phrase. Try it out! Next version will continue with minor clean-ups, and integrating the RB Help file listing of statements and functions with the Building Blocks from the RB wiki. That's going to take a while, so better to download v0.2 instead of waiting, if you want to try this documentation concept. Feedback welcome, and appreciated. ;D
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alix
Junior Member
Posts: 57
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Post by alix on Jan 19, 2008 1:47:38 GMT -5
This is going to make learning RB so much easier, Jerry, I can't thank you enough ! Before your manual, information was a bit all over the place and I tended to get sidetracked a lot. For example I was looking for a specific command, and while browsing through the various help sites, I couldn't help looking at other interesting bits on the way. Often I'd forgot what I was looking for in the first place ! Great job !
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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 19, 2008 7:23:53 GMT -5
Thanks, Alix. There are still a lot of growing pains, however. The graphics are missing in the "Getting Started" article, and lists of statements, functions, and methods need to be broken out separately, with each item linked to Building Block articles, tutorials, and sample code. At least, we're getting a feel for what we have, what's needed, and how to do it. All that remains is the doing of it!
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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 19, 2008 8:00:03 GMT -5
Fix the graphics links for the Getting Started article, and reposted the manual. I think I'll move the Table of Contents to be the opening page, so folks can get to where they want to go immediately, for v0.4
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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 19, 2008 13:02:41 GMT -5
Version 0.4 is now posted at hytext.com/rb/rbmanual.zip (1.4Meg). It now opens on the TOC, so you can get around easier. I added a Language Syntax and usage page, with all statements, functions, and methods linked (except File Accessor methods) to relevant Building Block pages. Let me know if there are any glaring errors or omissions. V0.5 will have some roadmaps outlining suggested sequences of exploration.... as soon as I can figure them out.
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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 19, 2008 17:18:28 GMT -5
Just uploaded a little tweak a couple of minutes ago -- had bad links for "Statements", "Functions", and "Methods" on the TOC page. I forgot to re-aim those to the new "Language..." page. No need to download if you've already got v0.4, just use the "Language" link on the TOC and you'll be on the same page anyway. I spent a couple of hours going through the material, just following where my nose led me. I must say, there's a LOT of stuff there! I learned a couple of things I'm eager to try out, so I'll be programming for a while now, instead of doc-massaging.
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Post by carlgundel on Jan 19, 2008 17:19:37 GMT -5
Just uploaded a little tweak a couple of minutes ago -- had bad links for "Statements", "Functions", and "Methods" on the TOC page. I forgot to re-aim those to the new "Language..." page. No need to download if you've already got v0.4, just use the "Language" link on the TOC and you'll be on the same page anyway. I spent a couple of hours going through the material, just following where my nose led me. I must say, there's a LOT of stuff there! I learned a couple of things I'm eager to try out, so I'll be programming for a while now, instead of doc-massaging. Thanks! -Carl
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Post by Jerry Muelver on Jan 19, 2008 17:24:48 GMT -5
You're welcome -- my pleasure!
Quite frankly, I've got to admit I feel somewhat humbled by the Active eBook compiler. It's right at the top of my short list of "Software I Wish I Had Written", jostling for the first-place position with Run BASIC. ;D
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Microchip
New Member
I hate computers because I'm sure they hate me. :)
Posts: 7
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Post by Microchip on Jan 19, 2008 17:42:34 GMT -5
Looking good!! I like what I'm seeing come together. --Microchip
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