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Introduction to Action Scripting

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    Introduction to Action Scripting

    I'm new to Alpha Five, but have just downloaded the pdf file and started working through the examples. It's driving me nuts. Screen shots don't match up. Instructions seem to be missing. I've spent hours stuggling through the first two sections. Has anyone at Alpha tried it themselves? Has anyone written 'Action scripting for Dummies yet?

    #2
    RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

    Roger,

    "I feel your pain!" As a "Newbie" to Alpha Five, I completely agree with your assessment of Alpha's documentation. I used Alpha Four (DOS) in the early days and found the Help files and documentation much more user friendly. I also miss a simple "Help Index" where I can type in a certain item and have it take me to a list where I can display and/or access Help on that item. Now all you get is a bunch of broad (and, hence, vague) references to different PDF files. Access one of them and, once again, all you have are the broad references. Not even an index or table of contents (I mean a REAL table of contents) where you might find what you need! Thankfully, I HAVE -- via this message board -- found a couple of guys on line who have been able to quickly and easily resolve my problems. As a former professional software documentation write, I have to say that the current state of Alpha Five's documentation, User Guide and Help files is NOT very user-friendly and, thus, not very useful. Hopefully, the great folks at Alpha -- whose product I've always appreciated! -- will take pity and address the issue of difficult-to-navigate User Manuals, Training Guides, etc.

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

      I use the online help files all the time. There IS an index where you can type in various text and get all kinds of choices.

      If there are specific 'examples' that you are following and screen shots etc do not match, perhaps if you let us know the exact location of these samples we can look into it further for you to see if we get the same results.

      I personally feel that the Alpha documentation is phenominal.
      Cheryl
      #1 Designs By Pagecrazy
      http://pagecrazy.com/

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

        I agree; the software is great. I just feel I could learn to use it a lot quicker (and with less frayed nerves!) if the documentation was of the same standard.

        Roger

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

          Roger,

          You still did not tell us exactly where in the help docs the samples do not agree with what you are getting. Without this information we cannot determine if there is a problem with the docs ... which can and will get fixed quickly if an error is found ... or if there is something wrong with the steps you are taking to follow the examples.

          Cheryl
          Cheryl
          #1 Designs By Pagecrazy
          http://pagecrazy.com/

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

            Thanks for your reply, Cheyl.
            I am aware of the online help, but as a complete novice to Action Scripting I felt that working through the examples would be a good starting point.
            As for examples, I will give just a couple for now, taken from the 'Introduction to Action Scripting' dated 6 October 2004.

            p8 paras #4 - 6: You don't need speech marks when entering text. (cf para#15 on p9)

            pp9 - 11 paras# 15 - 17: If you carry out these instructions you are NOT going to get the same result as the screen shot shown at para# 28.

            Roger

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

              Roger,

              I suppose the samples are assuming that you have a user knowledge of data entry input and that the quote marks are not needed for data entry. The quotes are placed in the pdf so that you know 'what text to input'. I suppose this could be clarified more since you chose to go straight to the examples without reading other areas of the documentation.

              Feel free to email Ed directly with your concern about the quotes not being needed and I am sure he will be more than happy to update and clarify the docs.

              As far as the dialog in #28, what exactly do you get?

              Cheryl
              Cheryl
              #1 Designs By Pagecrazy
              http://pagecrazy.com/

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

                Roger,

                If you could copy and paste a piece of the problem text, then I could use it to search for the problem. If a screen shot is out of date, attach a copy to your message.

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

                  Cheryl

                  Concerning the quotes; in the text in paras #4 to 6 there are quotes, but in para #15 there aren't.

                  In para #28 the screen shot shows a message box with the title 'Welcome', an image of a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in it,the text 'Your name is Selwyn' and three buttons (Yes, No and Cancel). The instructions in para #12 et sec ask you to create a message box with just an 'OK' button (para #13), enter 'An error has occurred' for the title (para #15) and then build an expression starting with 'You have entered an invalid value for' plus the variable vcName stored from the previous action. Thus I get a message window that is different in every respect from that shown in para #28 as there is no instruction to change the default image which is the 'i' (for information) one.

                  Who is Ed?


                  Roger

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

                    Ed

                    I have just sent a reply (to Cheryl's last message) before I read yours.

                    I assume that you have the same copy of the pdf file as I have been using (October 2004).

                    So far I have only tried to 'work through' pages 6 to 13 (Creating Your First Action Script). Of the 14 screen shots in this section, ten are different to what I get on my screen.

                    Some are very minor differences, but some are obviously at variance with the text. eg the name entered is stored in a variable vcName(para #6). However the screen shot on p13 of the Xbasic code shows the variable as 'cL'.

                    Roger

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Introduction to Action Scripting

                      The software is in continue transition. Screen shots become obsolete. Some of my colleagues think that I should not include screen shots because of this problem. If you want the latest and best, use the on-line webhelp or download the latest .CHM file.

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