[PD-dev] pddp style guide

Krzysztof Czaja czaja at chopin.edu.pl
Thu May 5 13:15:16 CEST 2005


hi Ben,

I feel we do not understand each other.  I totally agree that
the main entry point to the documentation is the help patch.
I am trying to tell, that if we want pddp to become a real
``documentation project'', there will be more in it than just
patches.

If we agreed about that (I am not sure we actually do?), then we
should also agree, perhaps, that at the core of pddp would need to
be a framework, that would allow patches to link to non-patches,
and non-patches to link back to patches, in a transparent and
robust way.

If, still *if*, we agreed about that too, then we might start
thinking about pddp structure.  If not, I do not care.

About help patches:  I prefer them to contain only a short
description (standard Pd comments), basic use cases (commented
likewise), and links to a related documentation.

Those links should directly point to a detailed description (aka
reference page, which may actually span several pages), and
a ``more info'' story (which may contain math formulae, figures,
etc.)  The story would link back to various example patches and
tutorials.

It is probably only a dream...

Anyway, I feel sorry jumping in the middle of your discussion like
some kind of a troll...  I was just staring at the main screen of
float-help.pd (seemingly an attempt at mimicking Max reference
pages by the ``uglier-but-smarter sister''), extrapolating it into
xeq-help.pd, and feeling uneasy about:

struggling with an unsuitable editor

representing my content as Pd global symbols and floats

storing my content as an unstructured set of bits and pieces

giving my screen an ugly look

not being able to print my content in any reasonable way

not being able to publish my content on a web page

...

Krzysztof




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