Offer of help

Greetings,
Some time ago, it was suggested I offer to help out with the LibreOffice documentation. I have looked at the documentation guides and I think I have an understanding of how to proceed. My focus is with the Base documentation, since I believe that is the most immature and in most need of support. My Base experience is with the external database server, MySQL on Linux. I have two mainly inventory databases containing over 11 main tables and 33 subtables. Several of the main tables have over 1000 records and increasing. I have also created over 20 forms for data entry and maintenance. I stopped using Oracle Report Builder (ORB) for my reports because it just doesn't work for me. I am now using a 3rd-party report builder called DataVision until ORB gets fixed. I am currently creating queries for my forms in order to add some calculated fields to the forms.

Obviously, I have already signed up for this forum and have been monitoring the messages for a few weeks to try to get a feel for the processes. I am now actively offering to help. I downloaded the draft copies of chapter 2 and 3 of the Base guide yesterday and after reading the first 10 pages of chapter 3 with red pencil in hand, I made several corrections to it. I now believe my help may be needed as far as the Base documentation is concerned.

If the team wants me to help, I believe the next step is to get an ODFAuthors account so I can access the original documents and get to work proofreading/correcting them. I also will need to know which files the Base team needs me to look at.

I should add that I am using LO version 3.6.4.3, not the latest 4.x. I have a computer policy of never installing any software which has a version ending in zero. Therefore, I cannot help much with the 4.x documentation until 4.1+ or at least 4.0.6 is released. That said, I can help with the older 3.6 documents until then.

Looking forward to helping out.
Girvin Herr

Want you to help ??? I'm absolutely delighted!!! You are the very person that we have been looking for. I'm look forward to seeing your corrections.
      I do have a request. When you are reviewing these chapters, please turn on changes. (Edit > Changes > Record) Please also do this: Edit > Changes > Show. This shows my original text and the changes you have made.
      When you finish making your corrections, you need to upload the chapter to the Base Draft folder in the ODFAuthors website and notify this list. Uploading the file requires you getting a user name and password. Most likely, Jean will be doing that later today when she gets up. She lives in Australia where it is about 5:30 AM tomorrow. She will have more information for you as well.
     There is not very much new being added to Base. The differences between LO 3.6.5 and 4.0.0 is two bugs have been fixed.

--Dan

Welcome, Girvin! We are especially delighted to have someone to help
with the Base Guide.

I will set up your ODFAuthors account. You will receive a confirmation
email with a link to set your password.

As you probably know, Dan Lewis is the coordinator of the Base Guide.
I'm sure he will be in contact with you soon, regarding things like
the version being documented and other matters.

--Jean

I just set up his account. This month and part of next month, I'm in California.

--Jean

Dan Lewis wrote:

<snip>

     Want you to help ??? I'm absolutely delighted!!! You are the very person that we have been looking for. I'm look forward to seeing your corrections.
     I do have a request. When you are reviewing these chapters, please turn on changes. (Edit > Changes > Record) Please also do this: Edit > Changes > Show. This shows my original text and the changes you have made.
     When you finish making your corrections, you need to upload the chapter to the Base Draft folder in the ODFAuthors website and notify this list. Uploading the file requires you getting a user name and password. Most likely, Jean will be doing that later today when she gets up. She lives in Australia where it is about 5:30 AM tomorrow. She will have more information for you as well.
    There is not very much new being added to Base. The differences between LO 3.6.5 and 4.0.0 is two bugs have been fixed.

--Dan

Dan,
I am happy to help out and looking forward to working with you, Jean, and the others to improve the LO documentation. What you have said about the process is my understanding too, but I will file it for my reference when the time comes. Hmmm. I will have to check what those two fixed bugs are!
Thanks and talk to you later...
Girvin Herr

Hi :slight_smile:
Superb!  Welcome in chap! :)  Base is a good one to work with if you are not installing the 4.0.0.  It's the one that gets the least attention from the devs apparently so things tend to stay valid. 
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

Jean,
Thank you for the welcome. I am looking forward to helping.
Waiting for the login info...
In the meantime, I will be creating a new account on my computer so there is no cross-contamination with my LO configuration and files.
Take care.
Girvin

Jean Weber wrote: