TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: What do you put in figure captions From:Laurie Morgan <ldmorgan -at- NORTELNETWORKS -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 8 Jun 1999 17:22:01 -0400
I usually try to indicate the window context in the figure title such as
"Adding a new customer using the XXX window"
"Modifying customer data using the XXX window"
"Locating an existing customer using the XXX window"
This way the Figures List provides some description of what content is shown
in the screen shot, so if the user is looking for a example of something,
its easier to find. And this approach also satisfies those who need to have
the window name included in each figure title.
Cheers
Laurie Morgan
Nortel Networks
Winnipeg, Manitoba
This way the reader can tell how the window fits into the specific procedure
John Posada wrote:
"Due to poor software design, the titles of the windows
in the application are not descriptive of the
contents. The same type of windows with different
contents will have the same name in the title bar.
BTW...this is why I have so many screen shots. It is
hard to mention a window in the text without a picture
when the contents is different and the person reading
the instructions might think of one window when the
software is displaying another."
