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#37 2011-07-21 09:24:07

Gocom
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From: Helsinki, Finland
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

From the things you highlighted in the image, word “Textile” should be capitalized. It’s the name of the markup language, a proper noun and should always be written with capital “T”. Switch roles that on the other hand is a plugin tab.

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#38 2011-07-21 09:27:20

Destry
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

@Gocom: Good catch on the proper nouns, you’re absolutely right.

I also found another error in the Logging line…the menu option that’s shown should have been every word capitalized (header style), per the GNOME example. I updated the image for that one.

The plugin tab I noted in my previous post. See item #3. :)

Ed. Image updated to reflect correction.

Last edited by Destry (2011-07-21 09:39:13)

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#39 2011-07-21 09:43:31

Gocom
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

Destry wrote:

I also found another error in the Logging line…the menu option that’s shown should have been every word capitalized (header style), per the GNOME example. I updated the image for that one.

Please, no capitalizing of every word in the selectable option lists. I would highly prefer same rules as with sentences; first word capital, everything else lower if possible. Leave title case for headings and the menu tabs. Please do not use it for anything else.

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#40 2011-07-21 09:45:55

Destry
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

phiw13 wrote:

Apple’s HIG is pretty good (see in particular Text Style Guidelines, as far as UI text-handling is concerned).

Thanks for the tip.

As far as a UI Style Guide goes, the dev-side of this community needs to make the call about what UI guides to establish and follow. Whether it’s based on GNOME’s or Apple’s or some other (it) doesn’t really matter to me. I just want to know what to follow in the Editorial Style Guide. Clearly something needs corrected before we can really get focused on the editorial side of things.

Fwiw, one of the best written user oriented documentation is the Camino user guide

I’ll have a look for sure.

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#41 2011-07-21 09:59:44

Bloke
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

I personally loathe Capitalising Every Word — I prefer sentence case. When I added the Write tab stuff like Custom Fields and Article Image, I added them to the language server as Article image and Custom fields but there were complaints that it wasn’t consistent. Changing those isolated (new) cases was the path of least resistance but I’d prefer to go and do it properly one way or the other. Same with ‘Styles’ vs ‘Style’ on the Presentation tab. They’re just strings in the RPC server so simple to change once we have a chosen direction.

Plugins of course are a law unto themselves at the moment — probably due to a lack of style guide :-)

Last edited by Bloke (2011-07-21 10:00:38)


The smd plugin menagerie — for when you need one more gribble of power from Textpattern. Bleeding-edge code available on GitHub.

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#42 2011-07-21 10:13:19

Destry
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

Let’s not beat around the bush: Textpattern User Interface Style Guide

Robert and Stef are document owners to do with it as they like.

I would be happy if the first section added to the guide address the use of text elements (e.g., capitalizations styles, and where used), as we’ve been talking about here (and let drop-downs be sentence case, obviously) so that I can sync the editorial guide with formatting examples that use UI elements correctly.

And, since there are inconsistencies in the current UI that need fixed (one way or the other), maybe a table in the UI guide would be good that shows the expected changes. It could (and should) be removed when actual UI changes have been made.

Last edited by Destry (2011-07-21 10:48:47)

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#43 2011-07-21 10:18:19

Gocom
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From: Helsinki, Finland
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

Bloke wrote:

I personally loathe Capitalising Every Word

I Feel Your Pain. I Do Too.

Same with ‘Styles’ vs ‘Style’ on the Presentation tab

It’s plural in some translations if that has any value. Other thing is the consistency across translations. For example in Finnish translation portion of the strings start with lowercase word, meaning that we have option lists with options that start lowercase while others use sentence case. But then again many of the translations outside English are pretty outdated.

The casing issues in Finnish are caused by the fact that the language strings are re-used in different places. When you make it correct elsewhere, it becomes incorrect somewhere else.

Last edited by Gocom (2011-07-21 10:22:47)

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#44 2011-07-21 10:34:40

philwareham
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From: Haslemere, Surrey, UK
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

I spoke with Robert a few weeks back and he seems quite happy to revise the language string file for TXP5 including making additions if needed.

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#45 2011-07-28 12:45:12

philwareham
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From: Haslemere, Surrey, UK
Registered: 2009-06-11
Posts: 3,564
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

Was any decision made on whether to shorten “Textpattern CMS User Documentation”? Maybe to “Textpattern CMS Documentation” as at least it’s 5 characters shorter and surely all documentation is for user of some sort?

I’m going to open an issue for changing the wording for various parts of a default install (the What do you want to do next? article, external links and possibly the cateogories) to match your style guide where appropriate and just need a decision on the docs text.

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#46 2011-07-28 13:02:27

michaelkpate
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From: Avon Park, FL
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

Textpattern CMS Documentation – documents about the Textpattern CMS

Textpattern CMS User Documentation – documents about Textpattern CMS Users

I like the first one better myself.

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#47 2011-07-28 19:55:15

Destry
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

There are two kinds of documentation for just about everything manufactured:

  1. Docs that describe how the thing was built (manufacturing docs)
  2. Docs that describe how to use said thing (consumer docs)

Sometimes there’s a little overlap, and with software this is especially true, but by and large they are two different blue prints.

“Textpattern CMS Documentation” sounds like manufacturer docs to my ears, while the other makes it clear it’s for people like me. But the distinction in this case—for an open source CMS—is probably small or lost on most people. If you want to save 5 characters, I’m not going to complain.

But where was this a problem, again? Because maybe this is a context thing and we can simply use “User Documentation”. E.g., a logo already identifies the product as “Textpattern CMS”, so a tagline or whatever doesn’t have to repeat that.

Ed. Ah, I realize now you mean for links, perhaps? Well, if we had decided a one official abbreviation to use (i.e., Txp or TXP), then I would have said just use“Txp User Docs” or “TXP User Docs”, but since the majority rule was to leave abbreviations free-wheeling, then we’re forced to write it out on an official level. Otherwise, we lose having any consistent identity in links at all.

Last edited by Destry (2011-07-28 20:06:23)

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#48 2011-07-28 20:21:38

philwareham
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From: Haslemere, Surrey, UK
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Posts: 3,564
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Re: [wiki] TXP (written copy) Style Guide

I’m not too keen on shortening “Textpattern CMS” to “TXP” as it sets a precedent that abbreviation is fine to use. For Search engine optimisation TXP is pretty meaningless, unless someone is already familiar with Textpattern – it’s all about brand recognition these days.

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