A Suggestion for Online Documentation of Steinberg.help

Dorico
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#1

Hello,

This is for all online Documentations and not just Dorico.

It would be really helpful if we could have the online help pages start with “How to get here”. For instance, I got to this [page](https://Endpoint Setup dialog), after searching the web for hiding unused channels in the mixer! Then I am reading, OK! How to get here?
I read the top of the page, it says 1. Play mode -Expression maps- Endpoint Setup dialog. Well, I clicked on play mode, then go to the play menu, and select the Expression maps item. Spend a few there, and I don’t see Endpoint setup dialog there!

Then I search on Google for VST and MIDI Instruments . Then I read a bit and found out it is Play mode and by the way, there is no “VST and MIDI Instruments”, if fact “VST Instruments” is at the top and MIDI Instruments at the bottom of the right panel.

With all these manuals for VSTs, etc. really software companies shouldn’t assume the clients read from cover to cover their manuals. We go by our needs as they do!

I just had another issue that could be resolved with my suggestion!

As an Example:

How to get here: Play Mode > OPEN Right Panel (VST INSTRUMENT/MIDI INSTRUMENTS) > Click on Gear/Cog buttons!
I am no nagging just saying please consider.

#2

Please bookmark the current manual - https://steinberg.help/dorico_pro/v3.5/en/ - and search that, rather than trusting Google to give you the most up to date results.

In this case I’m not sure that the v3.5 manual is much more helpful than the v1 manual, but the 3.5 manual is much more likely to be helpful (and to be updated in future).

1 Like
#3

I posted a tip for how to easily search only within the current version of the online Operation Manual here.

1 Like
#4

You make a fair point, that reference topics for dialogs and panels should say how to open/find it - which is something the manuals team agrees with, and in fact we decided some time ago to make sure such topics include a sentence near the top of the page that confirms how to access the dialog/panel/whatever.

The breadcrumbs you describe (Play>Expression Maps>Endpoint Setup dialog) aren’t instructions of how to get there, but rather a reflection of where that topic exists in the documentation structure. You can see in the current 3.5 manual, this topic is in a slightly different place in the manual, as I’ve done ongoing work to improve and update the manual.

In both this latest version and the v1 you linked to in your original post, the bullet point near the top of the page tells you how to access the dialog - we try to put the instructions in a bullet point so it’s distinct from the rest of the description. It could do with a related link to the VST and MIDI Instruments panel (which is the overall name for the whole panel that includes the 2 sections, VST Instruments and MIDI Instruments) though, so I’ll do that.

1 Like
#5

Thank you!

As another suggestion, a visual index/dictionary like Finale’s would be very helpful! Especially with “More Information…” hyperlinks for each!

#6

Thanks - that has been suggested before and I remember discussing it with the manuals team not so long ago, to think about how we might produce something along those lines and how feasible it is using the frameworks etc that we currently use. I don’t think it’s likely to happen imminently but never say never.