Re: Press this, or just Press

Subject: Re: Press this, or just Press
From: Janice Gelb <janice -dot- gelb -at- sun -dot- com>
To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2007 07:30:56 +1100

Milan Davidovic wrote:

My apologies if a question of this sort has recently
been covered; I've obviously missed it.
This question is intended for tech writers who create
call outs that instruct the reader to press a button
(or some such) illustrated in the figure, and draw a
line with an arrow from the call out to the button in
question.

The question: in the call out, do you write "Press to
<do x>" or "Press this to <do x>". I'm curious as to
whether you regard the inclusion of "this" as
redundant.


We specifically tell writers not to use
callouts to an illustration to give
instructions, preferring instead to
provide tasks that incorporate the GUI
instructions. If I were working in an
environment that did so, however, I'd
probably just say "Does X" given that
most readers will know that buttons are
invoked by pressing.

-- Janice

***********************************************************
Janice Gelb | The only connection Sun has with
janice -dot- gelb -at- sun -dot- com | this message is the return address



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

Now shipping: Help &amp; Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help &amp; Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot-
To unsubscribe send a blank email to techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40infoinfocus.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
Press this, or just Press: From: Milan Davidovic

Previous by Author: RE: Getting Black Balled by a Doc Manager & Filing for Unemployment -Need Advice
Next by Author: Re: Speaking of indexing...
Previous by Thread: Re: Press this, or just Press
Next by Thread: Re: Press this, or just Press


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads