David, Maybe the place to discuss these settings *is* right up front when explaining the setup? (though I agree, the assistant itself should walk the user through the selection with more information)
Regards, Adrien > On Sep 12, 2018, at 11:01 AM, David T. via gnucash-devel > <gnucash-devel@gnucash.org> wrote: > > > >> On Sep 12, 2018, at 11:19 AM, Geert Janssens <geert.gnuc...@kobaltwit.be> >> wrote: >> >> Op woensdag 12 september 2018 16:38:42 CEST schreef David T. via gnucash- >> devel: >>> Hello, >>> >>> As I begin the process of migrating text from the Help to the Guide (cf. Bug >>> 796855), I am working on the Help information regarding the New Account >>> Hierarchy Setup (NAHS) assistant, and I have a couple of questions about >>> the second screen of the assistant, the “New Book Options” screen. >>> >>> First off, while I respect the intent to allow users the option to set these >>> preferences from the creation of their file, I wonder whether this is >>> misguided. To wit: all of these options are quite technical in nature, and >>> all of them can be set at a later point by opening the appropriate >>> preferences. Adding these options here adds complexity that can easily be >>> deferred to a later point. While it is true that this assistant runs >>> whenever a user chooses File->New (meaning that an experienced user might >>> wish to add these settings from the assistant), I am willing to hazard a >>> guess that most users will invoke this assistant *only* when they first >>> start using GnuCash, and *only* when their heads are already swimming with >>> the overwhelming experience that is GnuCash. Asking a new user to choose >>> whether to use Trading Accounts or to Use Split Action Field for Number is >>> IMHO pointless. They aren’t going to be able to make an informed decision. >>> >>> <aside>I’ll note that this becomes an obvious issue when I attempt to write >>> the help section for the screen. I am left either with writing a huge >>> explanatory section on the details of each of these settings, which >>> detracts from the flow of the NAHS narrative, or with adding a generic note >>> that advises users to accept the defaults and read about the details in >>> other sections of the Guide.</aside> >> >> So now the challenge of writing documentation will be shaping the >> functioning >> of the application ? ;p >> >> More seriously, your point is well taken, though I don't know the best >> answer. > > I am sure you understand that my observations are meant as supporting > elements for my proposal, not edicts from the docs writer. > >> >>> >>> So, for the new user, the only real effect of this screen is to introduce >>> confusion and questions. Can it be removed from the assistant? >>> >>> Related to this screen, my second question has to do with the “Use Trading >>> Accounts” setting. Can it be turned off once it has been enabled in a given >>> GnuCash file? >>> >>> ISTR that this option is a one-way street—i.e., that, once turned on, it can >>> not be turned off again. Is this still the case? If it is still true, then >>> I would strongly suggest that this option shouldn’t be placed on the NAHS >>> Assistant, since a new user won’t be aware of this. >> >> My memory is failing me. I remember these options got introduced in the new >> book dialog for a specific reason. Something had to be decided at the start >> of >> a new book. But for the life of me I don't remember what that was. Perhaps >> it >> was exactly the trading accounts ? > > But the question remains: does a new user (who won’t know what this means or > signifies) need to make this decision at this point? > > Or, to put it another way, if a user accepts the default setting, will they > be unable to change it at a later point*? > >> >> As for num-for-action I think you can indeed switch this on an existing >> book. >> However I'm not sure a user would want to do this: if the num field had been >> used for transaction numbers (for example copied from a bank statement) >> switching the number would suddenly move all of these to the split action >> field and hide them from the register. This is usually not what the user >> wants. So again this is an option that's better defined upfront to save the >> user lots of corrections afterwards. > > But the same question holds: does a new user need to make this decision at > this point? > > Again, if a user accepts the default setting, will they be unable to change > it at a later point*? > > * Understand that the issue of _changing these settings back and forth_ > should be discussed in the Guide at the spot where they are discussed in > full—that is, in the proposed “Configuring GnuCash” chapter. > > David > >> >> Geert >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > gnucash-devel mailing list > gnucash-devel@gnucash.org > https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-devel _______________________________________________ gnucash-devel mailing list gnucash-devel@gnucash.org https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-devel
