Jeanne de Voto cookbook (was Re: ABout the Rev Search Engine (was: Re: Problem with revExecuteSQL - More))

[Devin Asay]

On Nov 2, 2007, at 10:14 AM, Björnke von Gierke wrote:

> I don't care much for the cookbook.
>
> However I really loved the "About" pages. Actually these where the  
> single rreason why I became the Rev coder I am today. I personally  
> prefer to learn stuff by association, and a single stop short  
> (sometimes not short enough) description about how exactly the  
> stuff I was trying to do could be in a broader concept teached me  
> much. For example I was very quick to learn custom properties, but  
> arrays took me ages (and arrays weren't covered in the "about..."  
> pages).

Oh, arrays were covered, alright. In the section called "Containers,  
variables, and sources of value". Nowadays, it's in the PDF manual,  
in section 5.5.7, page 123. But that's just the point, isn't it? I  
dug around awhile before I found it. Once I did, the information was  
clear and helpful. So the issue is not "There isn't any  
documentation." It's "Where the heck do I learn about X?" Eric's  
Search Tool is a huge help, but it's an unappreciated, hidden gem.  
Right now there is no comprehensive search tool it the online docs  
that will search all of the documentation. That's the piece that's  
lacking, and that was better, frankly (if a bit slow) in versions pre  
2.7.

As I have compiled my tutorials for my students over the years  
(http://revolution.byu.edu), I have had to plow through all sorts of  
scattered, but high-quality docs. A killer search tool is what is  
needed.

Regards,

Devin

Devin Asay
Humanities Technology and Research Support Center
Brigham Young University