Re: Documenting Floating windows - how would you do it?

[Alexia Prendergast <alexiap -at- SEAGATESOFTWARE -dot- COM>]

I use structured redundancy. If the modules are
independent of each other, I repeat the info. If
one module is dependent on another that used the
same info, I don't. (Behind the scenes the repeated
info is in one maintainable file that is simply
imported by reference into the appropriate sections.
If you are thinking of having the information repeated
in three sections and you will have to maintain each
section, I would go with the idea to put the info in
once and x-ref it in the other sections.)

A.
--
Alexia Prendergast
Senior Technical Writer
Seagate Software
alexiap -at- sems -dot- com

>----------
>From:  Carla Lotito[SMTP:lotitoc -at- BERCLAIN -dot- COM]
>Sent:  Thursday, May 22, 1997 11:28 AM
>To:    TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject:       Documenting Floating windows - how would you do it?
>
>Dear techwriters,
>
>Here's a dilemma many of us face often....What would you do in this
>situation?
>
>I'm documenting a product which has floating windows (windows that can be
>accessed from several points in the software).
>
>The documentation is by module in the software and includes field
>descriptions. However, window X can be accessed from module A, B and C.
>
>Different users may use each module but it is possible that the same user
>use all modules. The documentation will be delivered as a whole, not by
>module.
>
>Where would you document the description of window X?
>
>* In module A and then provide a cross-reference from B and C?
>
>* Would you repeat the exact description in each module?(this may increase
>translation costs)
>
>* Or, would you make a new chapter called Floating windows at the end of the
>book (where it may not be seen by a user) in an appendix and just mention
>the existence of these windows and refer users to the appendix in each
>module for more information?
>
>I wait for your enlightening answers.
>
>Thanks!
>
>Carla.
>
>
>
>
>******************************************
>
>Carla Lotito
>Sainte-Foy, Quebec (CANADA)
>lotitoc -at- berclain -dot- com
>*******************************************
>"A writer pulls word from within, just like a spider threads a web from
>itself". (Kane)
>
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