pottering wrote:The User Manual PDF included in the installation does have bookmarks, I can see them in my PDF reader (Sumatra) right now.
Thumbnails are not bookmarks, try finding the actual bookmarks in your PDF reader.
The PDF also already has clickable links to other related topics in the text, just like the online manual.
Ctrl+F opens the search in my PDF reader, try finding out how search works in your PDF reader.
Links in PDFs don't work across separate PDFs files, splitting the manual in several files would make the links, the table of content and the search all less useful.
Also, IMO it saves time just to read the first 10 chapters of the manual straight, like a book, instead of trying to find random stuff as you use Live.
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OK! Addressing each non-solution individually;
pottering wrote:The User Manual PDF included in the installation does have bookmarks, I can see them in my PDF reader (Sumatra) right now.
Apparently
no one replying is reading or understanding what I originally posted so;
YUP! Every SINGLE chapter has a bookmark, and it's locked, making it impossible for me to bookmark MY
chapters of interest... reference. Bookmarking every chapter is essentially a waste of time.
I could just click on the chapter title. I HAVE used bookmarks, I know what they're for.
They're NOT for every chapter in a book or manual. They'er USER specific.
I should tell you that for about 12 years I designed Corporate Werbsites, most with TONS of data,
one of the most memorable some 1267 PAGES, not ot mention Policy and procedure manuals for
departments,and even more "top level links" (chapters) with sub menues that lead to sub-sub menues...
you get the point I think. I became a MASTER of organizing data, multi linked, CROSS linked, with pop-ups and fly-outs...
every trick in the book and a bunch of new ones I created for unique clients.
In fact the manual should be browser Based; At least then I could use my browsers bookmarks for the local
files. I think the fact that many Audio Fx and instruments are or are not available depending on your
version... (Lite, Intro, Std, Suite) adds to the data organization challenge.
At the risk of repeating myself;
The 16 page INDEX needs IT'S OWN index to logically organized groups
which could also include (as yuo say) the first 10 chapters as "Mandatory Basics knowledge" (bad term,
but off the top of my head...) and users could honor that or not...
pottering wrote:Thumbnails are not bookmarks, try finding the actual bookmarks in your PDF reader.The PDF also already has clickable links to other related topics in the text, just like the online manual.
Ctrl+F opens the search in my PDF reader, try finding out how search works in your PDF reader.
Try finding out...???
I'm sorry but this is just condescending. I'm 61, not 16, and the first PROGRAMMING course I ever took
was in 1973... But ok
I'll try to understand...
Maybe this will help you "get my drift;"
If I came to one of my Web clients with a TOP PAGE (Typically called the "Index.html") and in itself it was
16 pages of links loooooooooooooooong... I'd be fired. I wouldn't even GET to tell them about how many routes there were to
DRIVE DEPTH from those 16 pages (which on a web page would simply scroll on forever, and the clients customer would leave their site!!!)they would have a baby. The word "Coniption fit" comes to mind.
SEARCH? I wish I had $10 for every time I searched for something without knowing Abletons
nomenclature, (a real non-starter on a commercial site where customers know what THEY call "it" but the company knows better) and if I told a client that, I would have to be wearing Kevlar!
Are you feeling me?
And please dont' tell me about the 11 page "Index" in the end of the maunal... "Nomenclature." Means I have
11 pages to read through hoping I recognize what the term for I don't know how to do
what I don't know
what Ableton calls it... ugh... Just try doing a search for "Instruments." You'll START at page 12...
Not even in the index yet! Click a couple more times and you eventually come to pg 9 of the "index". Still not finding the isntrumet LIST though. Next chapter has the word INSTRUMENTS in it! Now click on NEXT in y our search box... UH OH! We zoomed right to pg 557... why? the search was for "instruments" and the forst word of the next chapter is "instrument." No "s"
Look, machines are stupid. Data has to be organized for easy quick access BY HUMAN BEINGS... for human beings. And the more data you have, the more CRUCIAL that the database be designed with a whole lot of
planning with ease of use and simple, logical access routes that come with the least amount of attempts, hops, skips and jumps. If I have to "jump down, turn around and pick a bail of cotton" I'm leaving.
I'd rather search YouTube.
This whole suggestion of mine was a bad idea, and I have to apologize for that.
The TEAM who write and produce the manual for each version have a huge task and handle it
admirably.
But the "job at hand here"
is not a Tech writers job. It's
a Database designers job,
and frankly, the whole thing should he in HTML... the only TRUE "cross-platform format" for nearly all devices.
It needs to be logically organized and
no more than three "Layers" deep. (3 clicks to your info) TOPS. It's a database. Accessed by humans, who often act (like me?) like monkeys with shotguns.
Sub Groupings need upper level indexes ("width")
with the users level of needs and familiarity
of content ALWAYS in mind. They MUST be organized into their OWN groups!
Old saying; "Needle in a haystack." Just organizing the Instruments and Fx by the versions would be
a great help, and if your marketing people want to waggle the upgrade incentives at lower level
users, the web page that SELLS the version comparison on Abletons site is a GREAT example
(or a start anyway) of how that can be done while still allowing a user to zoom riight to the
instrument list IN HIS VERSION! Now I have to read whether each is availble and SCROOOOOOL through
(or go back to the index) to the next instrument, to find out my Std doesn't come with THAT one
either!
Again, I'm sorry. I opened up a can of worms but, well, we used to wear animal skins and live in caves.
Fighting to keep the status quo is the surest way to obscurity. "It is what it is."
I despise that thinking, It's lazy. It means we "can't" make it any better, which is the surest
way to garantee we won't.
"Changes aren't permanent, but CHANGE IS."
-- Rush
G Pop
And... How many pages in the table of contents?