Looking for Volunteers for New Chapters for Sigil User's Guide

[KevinH]

Hi All,

Given the feature and ui changes, Sigil's User Guide really really needs updating and some new chapters added.

The possible new chapters relate to:

1. Sigil's new Icon themes including what each icon means in each set, how to select one of the pre-installed icon themes in Preferences and how to set your own custom icon theme.

2. Checkpointing. Which icons, how to make a checkpoint, how to compare against previously made checkpoints, how to restore to a Checkpoint, see changes and manage your existing checkpoint repositories

3. An improved discussion of Plugins for users. Including where to find them, how to install them, how to remove them, how to assign icons to plugin placeholders, etc. Perhaps including a very brief summary of some of the major plugins out there: epubcheck, flightcrew, KindleImport, ODTImport, Kindlegen, epub3-itizer, Access-Aide, etc, etc.

4. A chapter talking about Preferred XHTML Editors, how to set it, using PageEdit as an example running throughout. Including launching PageEdit from the OPF for proofing, minor visual editing, etc..

5. A chapter on the Inspector in Preview. What it offers and how to see which CSS applies, etc.

6. Documenting how to use the newest iteration of the Metadata Editor to add primary metadata for epub2 and epub3.

7. A chapter on changing an epub's internal folder names and paths, moving and renaming files using move and rename and the regular expression renaming. How to change file extensions, how to "standardize to old Sigil's folder structure", how to create a default custom empty epub.

8. Perhaps a chapter on customizing the ui. Using the View Toolbars menu to determine which icons are available, how to change layout of the side panes using
drag and drop, how to enable full paths in BookBrowser, how to set and use user specific custom css for the ncx, nav, html toc, etc.

And on top of all of that, we have to update the photos and modernize all existing chapters to show the existing menu structure and functions while keeping the wonderful existing tutorials on clips, and indexing and other things.


So if anyone would like to help give back to Sigil, updating just one existing chapter or adding just one new chapter would be a wonderful way to give back and help others all at the same time!

As a standard we can all use the default main icon set for any images so that new users are shown a consistent interface.

So if anyone is willing to help with just one chapter, please post to this thread which one you are willing to take lead on (current chapter or proposed) so duplication of efforts is minimized.

I will do all of the merging back into the user manual to help make things easier.

The very latest user's guide can be found in repository form here:

https://github.com/Sigil-Ebook/sigil-user-guide

and in epub form here:

https://github.com/Sigil-Ebook/Sigil...019.09.03.epub

Thanks in advance for anyone who volunteers! We need the help!

KevinH


-- Update --

A repository with some updated screenshots is available here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...E03ldjIG-Cvks7


The following existing chapters have been claimed so far:

- User Interface
- Preferences

[odamizu]

I would like very much to contribute, but in reading the current User Manual, I realize how much of a Sigil novice I am. There are a lot features I don't understand, and even more that I never use. (I just use Sigil to tweak epubs to my liking.)

If there aren't enough volunteers, I can probably make some basic updates to basic chapters (perhaps with some blanks for more advanced users to fill). I figure basic updates are better than no updates at all? But it's probably better to wait a bit and see if more advanced users volunteer, since inaccurate updates from me would be worse than no updates.

[KevinH]

Even just recreating the existing chapter images as closely as possible via well done screen captures and some editing if needed would be a big help.

If you use the existing image file name then I can copy them to overwrite what is there now one for one. Please use the default main icon set and light (not dark) mode for consistency.

Just updating the images of one or a couple chapters would help.

[odamizu]

Okay. I'm thinking of taking the first two Features chapters: "User Interface" and "Preferences". Would that make sense?

When I'm done, can I send you the complete working epub with the updated chapters for you to extract? Or do you just want me to send you the updated chapter files and new images? I'm not sure best way to do this. Also, I don't understand GitHub.

[KevinH]

Just zip up any modified files and post them as an attachment to this thread so that everyone can see them. I will merge them into the repository myself.

Thanks for helping out!

[odamizu]

Okay, I will work on: User Interface and Preferences

[Ashjuk]

As much as I would love to help out I stumble around in the dark most of the time with Sigil as it is, so I doubt I would be able to provide anything better than you have now.

However, I do have screen capturing software that can capture selected areas of the screen. So if someone needs some screen shots done to go with their text, I am more than happy to help.

[KevinH]

Thanks! Anything would help. FWIW, there are a few chapters that need no text changes and just updating the screen shots would be enough.

For those willing to help, we can make an early pre-release version of Sigil 1.5.0 Beta available to make screenshots with.

Thank you.

Kevin

Originally Posted by Ashjuk

As much as I would love to help out I stumble around in the dark most of the time with Sigil as it is, so I doubt I would be able to provide anything better than you have now.

However, I do have screen capturing software that can capture selected areas of the screen. So if someone needs some screen shots done to go with their text, I am more than happy to help.

[Ashjuk]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Thanks! Anything would help. FWIW, there are a few chapters that need no text changes and just updating the screen shots would be enough.

For those willing to help, we can make an early pre-release version of Sigil 1.5.0 Beta available to make screenshots with.

Thank you.

Kevin

OK - I will have a look at the existing manual's screen shots and compare them with the current version of Sigil.

If any need updating I will upload the new image to an image hosting site for anyone to download.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by KevinH

... For those willing to help, we can make an early pre-release version of Sigil 1.5.0 Beta available to make screenshots with.

I'm game. If you think it makes sense to use Sigil 1.5.0 Beta for the updates, let me know how to download. Otherwise I'll use 1.4.3.

[KevinH]

@odamizu, you want the macOS version, correct? I will PM you the link.

Ashjuk, are you using Windows or macOS?

Any Linux users who volunteer will have to build from source.

Thanks,

Kevin

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by KevinH

@odamizu, you want the macOS version, correct? I will PM you the link.

Yes macOS. Got it, thanks! I probably won't be able to start working on this until next week. Also, if it goes well (i.e., I don't get too befuddled by what I don't know), I would be willing to take on more chapters. But let me start with User Interface and Preferences.

Would it make sense, in the first post, to add a running list of chapters people are working on to avoid duplication of efforts?

[KevinH]

Yes, Good idea. I will add the list of chosen chapters to the first post.
Thanks,

Kevin

[Tex2002ans]

Originally Posted by KevinH

3. An improved discussion of Plugins for users. Including where to find them, how to install them, how to remove them, how to assign icons to plugin placeholders, etc. Perhaps including a very brief summary of some of the major plugins out there: epubcheck, flightcrew, KindleImport, ODTImport, Kindlegen, epub3-itizer, Access-Aide, etc, etc.

Feel free to use anything I've ever written/screenshotted.

Here's that great "How to Install/Use Plugins" post I wrote a few weeks ago:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...47#post4088447

Another thing that should be emphasized is setting the "Plugin #" buttons.

I was discussing that post over webcam with an author, and he told me he "didn't even know assigning a plugin to those buttons was even possible"!

So my post really helped him get better at Sigil.

[Ashjuk]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Ashjuk, are you using Windows or macOS?

Windows 10.

I have made a start and I am saving them as jpg files.

I will upload them to a shared Google Drive folder where they can be accessed by anyone who needs them.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...s7?usp=sharing