Re: Appendix within a chapter.

[Martha J Davidson <editrix -at- SLIP -dot- NET>]

At 01:32 PM 6/28/99 -0700, John Posada wrote:
>I want to do something "different" and I was wondering
>if anyone has attempted this.

<snippity-do-da...>

>In trying to address a process in the document at the
>time that it would occur in the application, the
>procedure gets bogged down in side-processes that
>makes the average user deviate from the normal
>procedure.
>
>Therefore, I'd like to group the side-processes in a
>section at the end of each chapter. In this way, if an
>advanced user wants to address some of the
>configuration cababilities that most users wouldn't
>care about, they can reference the procedure at the
>end of the chapter.

It makes perfect sense to me.  If there is a fairly clear
path through the procedure, I'd go ahead and describe
that in the main sections of the chapter, and have a
separate section, called something like "Customizing
the <whatever process>," at the end.  You could even
have a cross-reference at the beginning of each section,
pointing to the advanced topics for that section.

If you describe your structure at the beginning of the
manual and maintain a consistent format, users who
want to customize their application will get used to
looking for the information at the end of each chapter,
and may even start there when they need to.

It sounds like you've come up with an elegant solution
to a complex situation.

martha
--
Martha Jane {Kolman | Davidson}
Dances With Words
mailto:editrix -at- slip -dot- net

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
 If I am only for myself, what am I?
 If not now, when?"
        --Hillel, "Mishna, Sayings of the Fathers 1:13"


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