Re: Save As

[Kathi Jan Knill <Kathi -dot- Knill -at- TEMPLATE -dot- COM>]

You wrote:

I have been requested to insert the following sentence by Development. It is
a description of the File, Save menu item:

Saves the task. If the task name is untitled, you cannot use this item until
you do a Save As and complete a standard Save As dialog box.


Of course, the "do a Save As" struck me when I first read it, but I started
liking it on the 2nd reading. It seems like the natural thing to say. Would
it be better to get all literal and say "you must first click File, Save As
and complete a standard Save As dialog box before you can use this item."

What do you think?

I suggest:

....If the task name is untitled, use the Save As menu option.

Using the Development's exact description leads the user to believe they
would have to do both the Save As task and then the Save task.  If that is
the case, their usability becomes an issue (which is another problem
altogether).

Kathi Jan Knill
Senior Technical Writer
Template Software
Kathi -dot- Knill -at- Template -dot- com
"Your mind can only hold one thought at a time. Make it a positive and constructive one." --H. Jackson Brown, Jr.