I'm finishing the last chapters in my technical book today and need to start on the index. I've never before compiled an index. I know that the LyX manuals have information on the mechanics of putting one together, and I have a partially-read book on indexing that puts me to sleep at night, but I'm intested in practical experiences from those who have traveled this path before me.
Picking words in the text to index is relatively straight-forward. What may prove more difficult is identifying other concepts and words that a less-familiar person might use to seek specific information covered in the book. A perfect example of this occurred yesterday when I was using my copy of the XessSE-5.0 spreadsheet.
For the first time in the years I have used the Xess products, yesterday was the first time I needed to raise the value in one cell to the power of the value in a second cell. I know there are two ways exponentiation can be represented in computer code or formulae: ^ and **. So, I go to the online help and look up "exponent", "exponentiation" and "power". All I find is a reference to the function @exp which raises 'e' to the stated power.
Then I pull the manual from the shelf and look up the same words in the index. They're not there. There is also no @power function or anything equivalent.
Since it was only mid-afternoon on the right coast (where the company is located) I called and spoke with the tech support fellow. He goes looking for the reference and finally stumbles upon it under "operators". Well, d'uh, it _is_ an operator, but both he and I were looking for the specific operator rather than for the class of operators. Turns out it is **.
Anyway, because the indexer didn't think that us clueless sorts would look for a specific operator rather than the class of operators he didn't put any entries in the index.
I want my readers to think more highly of me than I think of the Xess manual indexer. :-) So, I'm interested in advice, suggestions, guidance and pitfalls to avoid.
TIA,
Rich
-- Dr. Richard B. Shepard, President Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. (TM) <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863
