Is there a recommended software for creating User Guides or Manuals?
(Free versions preferred:-)
(I've googled for about a dozen...)

Which wiki software does MoI site use?
Is MediaWiki good?

- Brian

A simple Web page creator can be also sufficient! ;)

Two free ones
https://www.weebly.com very easy!
I have used it for this :
http://manuelgrobotovf.weebly.com/
http://zibifr.weebly.com/
http://profilbuilder2vf.weebly.com/
http://sketchupsubd.weebly.com/manuels.html
(etc...an half thousand...)

www.wix.com a little more elaborated but very easy also!
I have used it for this : http://schmoll8.wixsite.com/monolithfr

Thank you Pilou.
I'll have a look.
- Brian

Hey bemfarmer,
Use "docbook" as your search point.

Alot of times you can find docbook filters for whatever editor you already use. Like word, openoffice, notepad++.... (havent researched myself)

Hi Brian, the MoI wiki does use MediaWiki and it is good and familiar to a lot of people. It needs PHP and MySQL set up on the web server which are usually already set up on many hosting services.

- Michael

Thank you Burr, and Michael.
- Brian

https://github.com/lord/slate

https://community.algolia.com/docsearch/

FWIW, I like using Markdown for manuals because it can be rendered out as HTML and PDF + it's easy to read plainly. So, you end up separating the content from the display which is great as it will make migrating in the future easier.

IMO, the wikis aren't nearly as nice as they're pretty slow, and rarely render acceptable PDF output. Plus, there's always too much added functionality and content on how to use the wiki, and all other sorts of confusing information. Lastly, IMO, their design is just not so nice.

Here's an interesting little Jscript WIKI called MDWIKI which if you put on your server (or I put on my dropbox folder) can automatically convert an existing .md (markdown) file AS IT'S RUN, so you don't have to always do the .md -> HTML conversion each time you edit your .md file.

Check out this site I created using only .md and MDWIKI:
https://altuit.cloud/web/dbpub/markdown/MoiObjLibDontMove/mdwiki.html#!index.md
and here's the markdown:
https://altuit.cloud/web/dbpub/markdown/MoiObjLibDontMove/index.md

and here's another one with a different theme:

https://altuit.cloud/web/dbpub/markdown/LiveCodePublicDontMove/mdwiki.html#!altIconSplashBuilder.md

HTH.

Thank you chippwalters.
So that is what an .md file is.
I've just purchased MarkdownPad2Pro for $14.95, and installed Writage, for MS Word, and Pandoc.
I have not located "good" ms word templates, nor identified what fonts to use, for a "User Manual."
- Brian

Hi Brian,

Please check out http://StackEdit.io
It may be one of the best markdown tools out there. It also can render HTML (different templates) as well as PDF.

Thank you Chippwalters.

Stackedit looks powerful, but the install with yum, bower, npm, gulp, ... is very confusing, as I've never done such before.

- Brian

Hello Friends
another little example to share with you;

Karsten, I have loaded your Node ... congratulations
Just a question...
Can I put them in the Node editor with the original Max's Node
v.085?
Many thanks for your response
best
al

Hi speedy (AL2000),

What a fantastic job!

One further step to Jewelry Design in Moi!

Thanks,

- Marco (mkdm)

Hello Al,
I always try not to touch Max original code, only for some experiments. Nodes are normally additions, to purpose functionallity.
Have a nice day
Karsten

Hi Brian,

Not sure I understand. I just use it in the Chrome browser window. No need to download any app.

Hi Marco,

I tried to install your PatternSelectArray node into new version of node editor without success.
The problem seems to be that there is a conflict with existing function "pointArray.prototype.getElement".
I tried renaming it, but still no luck.

Have you rewritten node for v0.85?

One suggestion I think would be useful is for node input to accept number series (disregarding commas).
In that way for example a random pattern could be generated: range/random/interp/PatternSelectArray.
Also inputs may, in later development, be generated by boolean (True/false) queries with outputs of ones & zeros.
Just a thought!

Thanks,
-James

Hi James,

and thanks for your reply and suggestions. Much appreciated!

Right now, regarding the rewriting of the Array utility nodes that I was writing some time ago,
I decided to wait the next official stable release of Project Elephant.

Best,

- Marco (mkdm)

Hello James,

to run PatternSelArray in V0.85 please replace the following:

source_elem.pt.x,
source_elem.pt.y,
source_elem.pt.z,
source_elem.AngleX,
source_elem.AngleY,
source_elem.AngleZ,
source_elem.Size

With:
source_elem.data[0],
source_elem.data[1],
source_elem.data[2],
source_elem.data[3],
source_elem.data[4],
source_elem.data[5],
source_elem.data[6]

at two places in the file! It seems that Max has changed the internal structure since the Node was created!

Have a nice day
Karsten

Hi Karsten,

Thanks for that, it works!
Now if only we could input array to dynamically generate the pattern.

I recall you stating that you were not a "Pattern Man" [#319]
http://moi3d.com/forum/lmessages.php?webtag=MOI&msg=7713.319

IMHO the manipulation of num & pt arrays (interlacing, flipping shifting etc)
lies at the very heart of parametric design. i.e. pattern.

Anyway, thanks again
- James

Hi Karsten,

Thanks a lot for updating PatternSelArray for V0.85. I hope it works.

Have a nice day,

- Marco (mkdm)