My idea exactly. Start from the WL6 base document and work through the changes toward WL7 one by one. How hard can it be? Anyway, it’s unlikely to happen I think, so I’ll make do with exploration i.s.o. information.
Luck, Arjan
More like 1 % on the manuals. Unfortunately Wavelab 7 elements has turned into nothing more than a cd burner for me. I use wavelab 6 essentials for all of my processing then switch to 7 only because they could never figure out how to get 6 to burn a cd in anything other than xp.
It is corporate failures like this which has caused me not to upgrade Cubase or to purchase any of the Halion programs.(Instead I just got Kontact.) Good documentation there. I could use the functions of the full version of Wavelab 7 but the lack of a manual has ended that for me. The length of time since Steinberg became aware that the Manual was needed by their customers causes me to feel that they simply do not care about it or me. (a customer who has spend a good bit of money for their products)
My sentiments exactly, although I haven’t bought Wavelab-7 due to the manual deficiencies, and Wavelab-6 CD burning works on my Windows-7 64-bit system (most of the time!).
I got Wavelab essentials upgrade for $50 and it is worth that for the cd burning. What I do is work on the montage with 6 then save it and bring up 7 just to burn the cd. It is for me nothing more than a cd burning program that will burn from a wavelab montage.
I think I could use the full version but with no way to learn about it I hesitate to spend over $500. (no upgrade path from Wavelab Elements 7) If there was a manual I would likely do so. However I find that with this and any other program, the “help” system is a total and complete waste of time and is always worthless. Even with programs such as Windows and Microsoft office which have a much more evolved and better thought out help system. Unless you already know the program it is worthless. It is sometimes a good plus to a manual but with any deep program a manual is absolutely essential and no company should make the major mistake of releasing a program for sale without one.
I have just realized that the on-line interactive approach that PG uses to develop Wavelab does not lend to proper timely documentation of the features and implementation. New modifications are taking place with each update (April is the next). When PG changes something in the program to facilitate a users needs or ideas, the documentation doesn’t change to keep up.
With no printed manual, it is essential to have a proper on-line manual that is constantly updated and advertised as such. If the online manual is properly advertised with a link and promoted to be frequently updated as programming modification arise, then this could be built into the users agenda, to update the manual. Or better yet, email the users and tell them their is an update manual available at the same location they got the original. (since not every user is part of this forum)
still no manual…how embarrassing
Documentation has always been the dirty little secret of software. It is to software development what ‘communication’ is for soldiers… essential, but not part of the standard training. 
Speaking as an ex-dev, I understand this well. There’s a scene in ‘The Social Network’ where the ‘contestants’ for a job slug it out in a Thunderdome of shots to see who’s the most ‘manly’ dev. That’s just how -every- programmer was raised for generations: Spend 95% of your time on code and 5% on docs… and only then if you’re gonna get fired!
I’m in my 50’s now and I thought that schools were trying to evolve kids upward towards better docs, but I see that it’s just morphed into a new form of arrogance, which I call the ‘Apple Phenomenon’. It goes like this: ‘Our software is so darned easy to use, you don’t -need- a manual. And if you think you do? You’re a moron, because what we do is just too cool for school.’
PG is a fabulous developer. Responsive in a way that SB is not. But there are -few- devs who write this quality of program who are also great doc writers. PLUS, there’s the multi-lingual and x-platform issue which makes it even more difficult.
My suggestion? They should develop a Wiki like Adobe has done and drop ‘docs’ altogether. Let him add to the wiki as he adds features and then let the community flesh things out. All he’d have to do is periodically review for obvious errors. Based on what I’ve seen here? The user base is committed and geeky enough to do a fantastic job with it—just like Adobe’s users do.
—JC
I disagree. Not only am I normally not online with the studio-PC, but I’m also not interested in watching a screen with written info on it (unless it’s specifically on my e-Reader) when trying to solve a problem or learn a function. I want a physical book just like the WL6 one, with extensive readable information that was prepared for a physical book. No, a printed PDF of a text-drain from an online help doesn’t even come close - it’s usually the details that I need the manual for, not the general description of a function…
Luck, Arjan
I’m with Arjan on this one almost all the way. My only capitulation to SB being that I NEED A REAL MANUAL. PERIOD. If that means a download, I’ll take it. After all that’s what I’ve gotten used to with all of my other programs and stuff (UAD etc.) I was spoiled when I got WL 6 and it had a real honest to goodness printed manual that I could pick up and find what I needed in a hurry. Hell, at least give me something I can print up and refer too. SB has got my $, now they need to step up and get me what I need to use the damn thing properly.
Sincerely,
Bill
Minglewood Studio
If you were to search for my rants about this, you’d see that 5 years ago I agreed with you. But what you ask fors is simply not possible these days… the more complex the software… and the more often it changes, the less feasible is a static printed doc. That’s why -no- complex manuals are printed these days… Not automotive… not airplanes… Not software. Print only makes sense for static content.
The way Adobe does it makes perfect sense to me… You can print a PDF of a given topic (or chapters) from the web site as needed, but they aren’t held back by the cost of printing.
The most important thing, in my view, is to make it as easy as possible for PG to update people on how to use the software… and then let everyone else fill in the blanks.
The reason the docs are so crummy is because PG doesn’t have the time (or maybe the doc-writing skills—it really requires a separate talent), and SB doesn’t have the dough to do it any better. So making impossible demands is pointless.
—JC
Again, I disagree. Take the WL6 manual source document, edit at the points where v.7 differs from v.6 and release as WL7 manual. Any new updates within the version get their own addendum, just like it has been forever. It doesn’t even have to be printed for me - if at least it was edited by people knowing books, and put on a paper size that a regular printer accepts, like standard A4. Not rocket science, even in 2011. On the contrary - if a company can write complex software, what’s the big deal in sharing the ins and outs of it in a readable manner?
Luck, Arjan
Yes they can afford to make a manual. If they could not then they should not have bothered to produce the software. I just get the impression they do not think it is important. Well we have been telling them it is important but they appear not to care. The fact that it changes is no reason to forget the manual either. The changes are not severe enough for that to be even a small problem. I produced manuals for other companies for years and updates are no problem whatsoever. There is really no excuse for the action of deciding not to have a manual. Customers be damned we don’t want to do it.
I have found out today that the book
“Wavelab 7 Power” by Matthew Loel T. Hepworth will be available on amazon from July 20th on.
There is also a “Look inside”.
Hope this is good news.
Avis aux amateurs !
Jean
That looks like it could be interesting and the price is not bad. Still, I find it insulting that Steinberg cannot provide a printed manual for an expensive and complex piece of software.
Me too.
Printed Manuals should be included given the price point.
I disagree. Printed manual is so out-of-date and non-green thing these days. Perfectly fine would an option to get it for some extra fee.
The problem with WL7 is it does not have even proper PDF manual (!) like Cubase does which IS totally unbelievable & unacceptable considering the price and “professional” target customers. 
Exactly!
The WL6 manual was excellent! They should have done this because it would not have been as expensive as starting from scratch.
And I can’t get very excited about 3rd party manuals because as mentioned, software is not static. Eventually it will become outdated without continual updates.
I think Steinberg has shot themselves in the foot. I know of a few ME’s who are uncomfortable or lost with WL7 simply because there is no manual, so they are sticking to WL6.
Hello,
I got confirmation by amazon about the delivery date:
Matthew Loel T. Hepworth “Wavelab 7 Power!” Voraussichtliches Lieferdatum: 27 Juli 2011 - 06 August 2011
Best regards
Jean
+1 vote for a better manual (PDF or not).
+1
Complex professional software should come with printed documentation.
PDF’s and online help and wiki’s are a nicety, a bonus, and additional help. A supplement to the printed manual someone can hold open while working thru a problem.
It is inexcusable that Wavelab 7 shipped without a manual. Period. No other way around it.
For incremental updates, like 7.01 or 7.1 a pdf update is fine but for major releases like going from WL6 to WL7 a printed manual is expected and the norm for professional applications. Hence the continued backlash and frustrations from the user base.