RE: diagram callouts

[Tom Johnson <johnsont -at- starcutter -dot- com>]

On Thursday, February 10, 2000 12:13 PM, Christi 
[SMTP:christi -at- sageinst -dot- COM] wrote:
> Hi,
>
>   I've got an issue, and I'm just not sure of the best way to resolve it. 
My
> original hunch is contrary to one our tech support persons, so I come to 
you
> to get your opinion.
>   I have a diagram that shows how to connect our instrument to a panel at
> the customer's site. There are six connections in various places; they
> happen to fall in two columns of three connections. I'm trying to 
determine
> the best way to order the reference letters. I'll try to show you 
visually
> with text.
>
Geoff Hart recommends using numbers to label the connectors. That might be 
a good approach. Here are two suggestions.

Use colors.
Step 1. Connect the red cable to the connector with the red dot.
Step 2. Connect the blue cable to ....

Assuming you can come up with six easily distinguishable colors, it should 
be a snap. Color blind people could have a problem. That is something to 
consider.

Use letters and numbers. Use numbers for the rows and letters for the 
columns. Then you would have connectors. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B.

If you must choose one of your examples, I would go with your first 
example. I think I would find hunting for the letter very aggravating, 
especially if the markings were at all hard to see.



> Example 1 - ordering the reference letters in alphabetical format.
>
>    o A     o D
>
>    o B     o E
>
>    o C     o F
>
> Pro-easy for the user to see a pattern in the lettering
> Con-the user would connect A, then D, then F, then B, then E, then C (out 
of
> alphabetical order).
>
> Example 2 - ordering the reference letters in order that the user will 
have
> to make the connections.
>
>    o A     o B
>
>    o D     o F
>
>    o E     o C
>