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Manual
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
Manual // Rants and Raves
Post by Improv // May 21, 2007, 7:02am
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Improv
Total Posts: 0
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I've been 'making toast' since Pioneer,
Not with 7.5 you haven't.
Same neighbourhood, different house. :D |
Post by Improv // May 21, 2007, 7:09am
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Improv
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I think what Wizard means is that if you see a part of the manual that is confusing, incorrect, or unclear, instead of saying "the manual sucks", post about the specific section and recommend possible changes so it can be improved or fixed. ;)
-Jack.
Well said, Jack. Positive, specific corrections are worth their weight in gold versus the endless, pointless whinging and bitching that we so often see on the forums. |
Post by bigbigblue // May 21, 2007, 10:26am
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bigbigblue
Total Posts: 26
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I think what Wizard means is that if you see a part of the manual that is confusing, incorrect, or unclear, instead of saying "the manual sucks", post about the specific section and recommend possible changes so it can be improved or fixed. ;)
-Jack.
Talk about missing the point!
If I knew enough about TS 7.5 to be able to recommend possible changes, then I wouldn't need the manual ! |
Post by Jack Edwards // May 21, 2007, 10:48am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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What part are you having trouble with, Bigbigblue?
-Jack. |
Post by bigbigblue // May 21, 2007, 11:04am
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bigbigblue
Total Posts: 26
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OK, to illustrate the point, just imagine you are completely new to Truespace. You eagerly open the manual at Chapter 1 - Introductory Tutorials and set about section 1.1 - Polygon Edit in Workspace view.
It reads :-
"Step 1: In the default layout, drop a Simple Cube object from the Base Objects Library into the 3D Player View."
Step 2: Right click the cube to enter Point Edit mode. The point edit toolbar appears, make sure you set selection to face or closest element, and left click inside one of the faces to select it. (When selected, its edges will be highlighted green).
Encircle the view around the cube using the green semicircle on View Widget, and left click on the opposing face while holding down the CTRL key to add it to the selection."
So you say, what is the matter with that? Well in the space of 5 sentences :
1. The terms "default layout", "Base Objects Library", 3D Player view (huh?), Point Edit Mode and View Widget have been introduced without any explanation, but the user can search the manual to find out what they are, so that is OK !
2. The user has been told a toolbar will appear which doesn't
3. To "set selection to face or closest element" requires the user to work with the toolbar (which has not been explained yet)
BTW I STILL haven't found how to select "closest element" - I can find "face" but not "closest element" - in fact "closest element" it is only mentioned twice in the whole manual, both times in this tutorial.
I don't actually have a problem working through this particular section as I have some experience of Truespace, but to a beginner I would suggest is it pretty impenetrable.
It is also symptomatic of where I am having problems with understanding TS7.5 from the manual. Other sections about areas I am not familiar with are just as impenetrable and frustating.
I am time poor and cannot afford the additional hours a poorly structured manual costs me.
So, some suggestions :
1. Define all terms BEFORE they are used
2. Remember a picture is worth a thousand words - when you want the user to select a particular icon (such as select / face) then show the icon in line with the text, don't leave them guessing. There are too many icons in TS to make the user go hunting.
3. Follow the instructions as written and see if what happens matches the text (so you don't tell the user something will happen when it doesn't)
4. Follow a logical progression in the explanation - start simple and gradually get more complex - tell advanced users where they can dive into the advanced stuff.
5. Make the manual available as a single pdf - I have created my own and it is at least easier to search when you see a new term which is not explained when it is introduced.
6. Add bookmarks to the single PDF file
6. Don't protect the singler PDF file, that way users can (with the right software) add their personal notes into the document (just as they might scribble on their paper copy).
There - I feel so much better for making constructive comments, but I still find TS 7.5 impenetrable ! |
Post by bigbigblue // May 21, 2007, 11:11am
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bigbigblue
Total Posts: 26
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What part are you having trouble with, Bigbigblue?
-Jack.
Workspace as a whole (I previously had TS6.6), but specifically :
1. How go I get a wireframe mode in Workspace? I find it impossible to do any kind of modelling in WS with the DX 9 textures applied and as the modeller is to be phased out I guess I should learn to model in the WS side.
2. How do I do boolean operations in WS?
3. How do I get the equivalent functionality of "Camera View" from TS6.6
4. How do I discard changes I made in WS side? It seems that TS7.5 always saves when I exit. I miss the file menu !
Thanks |
Post by trueBlue // May 21, 2007, 11:29am
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trueBlue
Total Posts: 1761
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Workspace as a whole (I previously had TS6.6), but specifically :
1. How go I get a wireframe mode in Workspace? I find it impossible to do any kind of modelling in WS with the DX 9 textures applied and as the modeller is to be phased out I guess I should learn to model in the WS side.
2. How do I do boolean operations in WS?
3. How do I get the equivalent functionality of "Camera View" from TS6.6
4. How do I discard changes I made in WS side? It seems that TS7.5 always saves when I exit. I miss the file menu !
Thanks
1.) Selecting the Wireframe mode tool.
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2.) Boolean tool like Model/tS6.6 is not implemented yet in Workspace.
3.) Select your Camera first and then select the Camera view tool. Make sure the D3D View is active first as in titlebar is highlighted.
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4.) Select the Generate new space tool.
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Post by bigbigblue // May 21, 2007, 11:40am
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bigbigblue
Total Posts: 26
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Trueblue,
Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.
Wireframe mode doesn't work for me though - If I load a scene and switch to model view I can see the wireframe, but the workspace is blank, and even if I select opaque mode in WS it is still blank. :confused: |
Post by Jack Edwards // May 21, 2007, 11:57am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Bigbigblue, that was a great post and exactly what we're looking for. Caligari can't fix the problems if they don't know what they are and we can't help you here on the forum if you don't tell us what your having problems with. :)
Give me a min an I'll post some stuff that'll help you with the points in you longer post.
-Jack. |
Post by trueBlue // May 21, 2007, 11:57am
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trueBlue
Total Posts: 1761
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I would suggest that you call Caligari Technical Support. |
Post by Jack Edwards // May 21, 2007, 12:09pm
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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That's definitely a part of the manual that needs updating. The PE toolbar has been merged with the regular tool bar in WS so it's there all the time now.
PE tools can be found here:
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Right clicking on your object enters and exits PE mode.
Select Connected can be found here:
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For customizing the view ports, make one of the viewports active then click on the settings tab:
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You can toggle widget visibility from here too:
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And colors:
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-Jack. |
Post by Jack Edwards // May 21, 2007, 12:13pm
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Also useful is the Mesh Edit panel:
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The current implementation only allows one tool panel active at one time, so make sure you CTRL drag this panel off and dock it somewhere so it's always accessable.
Hope that helps and keep the Manual crits coming! :D
-Jack. |
Post by Paulbo // Jul 26, 2007, 1:06pm
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Paulbo
Total Posts: 15
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I freely admit I'm a noob with TS, but not to modeling. I've picked up the paradigm of modeling with TS fairly quickly, though I'm still not as fast as I was with my old program.
The problem I have with the documentation is that there's way too much "play around with XYZ and you'll eventually get the hang of it." That's great for building models, but no way no how is it a good approach toward using LE.
More tutorials aren't needed - what's needed is a blasted reference that says "this control does this, that control does that" and a flipping index. Unless they're just making TS up as they go along (and they'd be the first commercial software company I've dealt with who does) then this reference already exists and just needs to be edited, indexed, cross-referenced, and published. |
Post by Burnart // Jul 26, 2007, 4:59pm
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Burnart
Total Posts: 839
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Lack of an index gets another mention in these forums! Glad its not just me that thinks this is a major problem. A separate list of ALL the mini tutes would be useful as well. |
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