A bit of help for new tutorials ?

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Massimo Callegari

Hi all, I was reviewing some QLC+ documentation and I sadly realized I haven't had the time yet to add more guided tutorials.
So, to the QLC+ veterans, I would kindly ask if someone can find a bit of time to help in adding some more. For example how to use Chasers, RGB Matrices, EFX, Cue Lists...

Calling to arms: George Qualley, Chris Laurie, Matthew Marks, Michael Clements, Giacomo
Anyone ? :)
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Chris Laurie

Hi Massimo - I can try and some. What do you use to record the screencast? I would be no good on RGB Matrices, EFX, Shows and some others that I don't use.
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Massimo Callegari

I wouldn't ask you guys so much like a video tutorial :)
I was referrring to the internal HTML documentation.
I would like to add a few more pages for very beginner users, like the one Heikki wrote for Scenes. Some detailed text and a couple of screenshots.

By the way, I use this on Linux: http://www.maartenbaert.be/simplescreenrecorder/

Very nice tool !
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giacomo

hello all,
maybe we should know what others are thinking to do.
I could do patching, or scene editor and chaser, or live edit.
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Connor Faulder

I'm by no means a QLC+ veteran but I'm happy to help. Would it be worth creating a tutorial on how to use the command line parameters for 'moderate' users so they can try features like kiosk and web mode?
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Massimo Callegari

Hi Connor. I recently moved the command line documentation in an "advanced" section.
I think average Windows and OSX users don't even know what a command line is, so I would say no to a tutorial for that.
Web interface is still experimental so it's premature to talk about it.

Maybe for now it's better to write down the very basic bricks to help beginners start using QLC+. What are the functions/widgets you use the most ? Maybe you can help with that ?

Thanks by the way !
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Connor Faulder

Sounds good! I'd been hoping that an advanced section of documentation would eventually be created. If you've got a particular feature you'd like me to cover just let me know :)
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Chris Laurie

Hi Massimo, I'd like to start with chasers as it is something I do know a bit and use.

Rather than email you privately I thought it would be best if you could post the authoring guidelines here, or do we do it on github?

What format and authoring tools do you want / recommend for this.

In other words where do I begin and what is QLC+ expecting back from me.
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Massimo Callegari

Hey Chris, there's not much to say for a guideline.
The QLC+ documentation is very basic HTML, since no advanced CSS/Javascript is allowed.
I use a plain text editor and write HTML manually. No particular authoring tool.
I suggest you to start from the Scene tutorial (tutorial.html) and see how it looks like. Then you need to imagine what a brand new QLC+ user starting from scratch will need to set up chasers.
I guess they will have to read the scene tutorial first, and then learn how to use the scenes they created into a new chaser.
That's pretty much it.
I would say a couple of screenshots would help, to show what are the expected results, so a users will know if they're following the tutorial right.

Basically I expect 3-4 files (one HTML + 2-3 PNG images) packed into a ZIP attachment here
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Massimo Callegari

Hey Connor, it depends on which areas of QLC+ you know better.
For now basic usage of Scenes and VC Buttons are covered. Also Chasers (see below) if Chris will do it.

You pick :)
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Michael Clements

Hi Massimo,

I would be happy to help at some stage with tutorials but things are a bit hectic round here for the next few weeks.

One thing I could do relatively quickly is few adjustments to the documentation where your normally excellent english doesn't quite sound right to a native english speaker and maybe is not as clear as it might be to someone who has english as a second language.

I was a teacher for some years before concentrating on lighting and sound and so have experience of writing instructions and of the ways in which they can be misunderstood!
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Massimo Callegari

Hey Michael, that would help a lot already ! Also for me personally to improve my awkward english. Unfortunately I am born in the wrong country :)
(well, except for food and vacations)
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Chris Laurie

Hi Massimo, attached is my first stap at collections and chasers.I have tried to use the format as per the source, but I cannot really preview it properly.

I also think it would be a good idea to crate the tutorial workspace and include that with QLC+. So the user can load up the tutorial workspace and see how it was done.
Attachments
Collections%20_Chasers.zip
(3.88 KiB) Downloaded 95 times
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RickBrock

Chris, this is a great tutorial.
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Massimo Callegari

Hi Chris, I've had a quick look at your work. First of all, thank you very much for the time you're spending on it !

Although I found a bit of misunderstanding of what a Collection is. In your tutorial you wrote "Collections and chasers are similar: they are both a collection of scenes.". This is not true. It's not explicitely written in the QLC+ documentation (I just checked) but a Collection can include any QLC+ function in it, not just scenes. That's basically the power of it.

From the average user point of view, I think collections are a bit an "advanced" topic, so I would stick to a complete tutorial for Chasers only.

Sorry about that, I hope I haven't disappointed you, but I would like to avoid to deliver even more confusion than the one users already get from reading the current documentation :(

The rest of your tutorial looks good to me, but as I said I just had a quick look. I still haven't tried it inside the QLC+ tree with all the pictures.

Any comment don't hesitate to shoot ! :)
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Massimo Callegari

Having a further look. Add this to the beginning of the HTML and open it from inside the QLC+ "docs" folder. Everything will look better :)

~~~~~~



Q Light Controller Plus Documentation - Chaser Tutorial





Chaser tutorial
~~~~~~
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Connor Faulder

Sorry, didn't realise that you'd replied. I'm terrible at decisions so just leave me to cover anything that's left afterwards :)
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Chris Laurie

Thanx Massimo - I'll split chasers & collections. While I can add the HTML headers and then display the file in a browser it is not the final look with the pic's. So I'll just leave that out to make it simpler for you to add to the docs.

I suppose the correct way would be for me (and other documenters) to do this via git and then send you pull requests, but I'm still a git baby.
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