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Hello,
I have just d/l the latest version of Designer Pro, and noticed that the pdf manual does not have a clickable table of contents? I find it surprising that a program of this stature does not have a manual with a menu that one can access with a simple click. Every other pdf manual I have used certainly has this accessibility. The manual provided in this form is quite useless!
Thanks.
Welcome to TalkGraphics. Good point. Most of us have used the program for a long long time but yes, a good searchable PDF manual should be a given.
That said, in any tool press F1 for a complete listing and explanation of that tool or function. In any menu if there is a help button, press this for context sensitive options for that tool or function.
And in the Help menu you can search for most tools and functions.
Thanks, I appreciate your reply and helpful tips! Maybe someday a "real" pdf manual will be supplied.Quote:
Originally Posted by gwpriester
Like Gary I'm a long term user and very rarely require the help files. However try this:
LINK
@jedasa
Mine does, kind of. Click on the menu button at the top left, just to the left of the page number to turn on/off the menu. It isn't a real menu, though. I'll raise this with Magix.Quote:
I have just d/l the latest version of Designer Pro, and noticed that the pdf manual does not have a clickable table of contents?
This is not trueQuote:
Originally Posted by jedasa
I take on board your point that the PDF search facility should be implimented, but if you are serious about learning a program there is no substitute for reading right through the manual making notes and trying things out; ideally in a structured learning environment although i don't think that exists for xara
If you do this it will:
a] show you things you did not know existed
b] highlight where the manual is out of date
So whilst the manual is not as helpful as it should be for fast access to specific points, it is not useless
@jedasa
Like Handrawn says, read the manual.
Instead of a ToC in the left column, there are thumbnails. You can quickly find the ToC and then quickly go to the page by putting the page number in the pages box at the top left of the interface.
Attachment 131936
Thanks to everyone for your input. I have been working with pdf technical manuals for many years. I am aware of the thumbnails, and they are a work-around, though cumbersome.Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
Handrawn, I appreciate your input, but your view is subjective. I'm glad the manual works for you. However, for me, as it is, the manual is quite useless.
I am not referring to the content; the content is superb.
However, as I mentioned, I have worked with pdf manuals in Industry for many years. It is not acceptable to have a technical pdf manual that is not instantly accessible via clickable links. That is why pdf manuals have replaced physical, full color, hard copies. To use a hard copy would be wonderful; having a manual on one's desk while working with a program has always been beneficial. However, pdf manuals have in many cases replaced physical copies, and throughout Industry fully accessible, searchable, clickable pdf manuals are NOT the exception, but rather the standard.
Have you tried Ctrl+F in the pdf?
@jedasa
respect - but you said the manual was 'useless' and I, being a pendant if you like, as most good technical people are, was pointing out that it is not 'useless'; that is a fact not a point of view ;)
limited in its capability, yes; useless, no
if you want a hard copy on your desk, might I suggest you print it out...Quote:
To use a hard copy would be wonderful; having a manual on one's desk while working with a program has always been beneficial.
pretty soon inflation will be back in double figures, just like it was when I first started reading technical manuals, my that was along time ago.... :eek:
@boy - there you go; works for me :D
I wasn't aware of Ctrl+F. That's a good tip. Thank you very much!Quote:
Originally Posted by Boy
Ctrl+F - a basic PDF function that you can learn about by [wait for it] reading a manual.....
I do hope you also know about Shift+Ctrl+F in Abode Acrobat DC and other good PDF viewers and editors.
In passing the XPro+ PDF Help Manual has not been updated since 09 June 2020 so I would be interested to hear that XDPXv19.0 has an updated manual for all the new features.
The on-line version @Egg linked to is quite good but wrong in a few areas and has old images still lingering.
Its Search is next to unworkable so I still rely on an off-line manual.
Kate Moir promised there would be a PDF Help manual as well at the time Xara released it on-line one.
Acorn
Handrawn ... there is no need to be condescending with me. I'm new here and was simply asking a logical and reasonable question. And I never claimed to be a pdf expert. I merely acknowledged that I have been using pdf technical manuals for a long time.Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
Acorn - thanks for another great tip; I appreciate it!
Gosh, I remember the time they offered a book. Mine is well worn. Often reference when I’m stuck on basics, or something within the program that I haven’t learned. A tool here or there. Used to love a well worn manual. You might be able to buy a printed manual.
As acorn mentioned the pdf of pro+ would definitely be an asset.
Although long out of date, I still have my manual for XDP6. An Invaluable resource.
All,
Here is a link to the Xara Designer Pro+ product manual. It is online and constantly being improved.
https://helpandsupport.xara.com/
Of course, you can find help within the product.
In addition, there is an online knowledge base here that offers more troubleshooting tips: https://help.xara.com/
@MB365 Thanks Matt
@jedasa
one man's humour is another man's condescension [if I have the gender wrong I apologise]... I was not intending to come across superior, just ironicQuote:
Handrawn ... there is no need to be condescending with me. I'm new here and was simply asking a logical and reasonable question. And I never claimed to be a pdf expert. I merely acknowledged that I have been using pdf technical manuals for a long time
I am surprised that Xara has not been able to create a proper pdf manual with a ToC in the left column and hotlinks on page numbers in the ToC of the main document. This is, after all, one of the things that the program should be able to do.
Here is what we have:
Attachment 131943
Why is there a item indicating the manual for Xara 18?
Here is what we should have (Magix can do it so why can't Xara?):
Attachment 131944
Yes, this is all I was wondering about in my original post. The various tips and suggestions, as a work-around, are helpful. However, a good pdf manual is something one would expect from Xara and Magix, to complement a very fine software program.Quote:
Originally Posted by browj2
In the first response to my question, gwpriester put it well:
"Good point ... yes, a good searchable PDF manual should be a given."
I am inclined to think in xara's case it comes down to staff resources; they have just recently lost two key members of staff, one of whom was broadly responsible for the help as I understand it; it may be one of those things that just never seems to get done
@handrawn
I don't understand how it would take extra resources to simply export to pdf using the correct parameters. I did this more than 25 years ago using Acrobat and it was simple. To test, I just created a 2 page document in Xara, put in headings, 3 levels, a ToC, and exported to pdf, adjusted export params, and I got a ToC and thumbnails in the left column, and my ToC in the text has hotlinks to the correct page. No extra effort required.
thing is John, for somebody to do that simple task they would, in a corporate environment, have to be the person in charge of the manual and it's upkeep and I am not convinced anyone is at the moment; well run companies do not do this sort of thing on the hoof even though if it never gets done it makes them look not so well run...
take matt's link - that is not a PDF manual it an online help manual; xara encourages users with queries to contact them on their site via chat; they have a large social media footprint; this says something about their preferred way to offer support
Xara are very lucky to have TalkGraphics TGN. Initially years ago I found it searching for some old Corel reference.
The experts on this board, far too many to mention, deserve a lot more from Xara. Far more. There are so many kinks and twists and turns, previously undiscovered.
Make sure you bookmark @acorns tip thread. https://www.talkgraphics.com/tags.php?tag=nugget