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Subject:Re: Tech. writing list From:"Wing, Michael J" <mjwing -at- INGR -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 31 Oct 1996 14:46:39 -0600
> Eric Ray asked about how various people handle numbered
> steps. My favorite approach is the one used by WordPerfect
> (if memory serves): number the actual step, boldface that
> entire line, then provide the nonessential details as an
> indented paragraph beneath the step. This has one great
> advantage over other approaches: it separates the step from
> the elaboration (thus, expert or uninterested users can
> skip the elaboration, but others have it immediately
> available).
I'm adverse to bolding the entire line. This is because in the
documentation that I have handled, command syntax, command sequence,
button/form/field names, and other items that are referenced exactly as
they appear, are bold. For example,
1) Select the <Start bold> Format-Text-Font <End bold> command.
does not work if the entire line is bold.
Mike Wing
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
_/
_/ Michael Wing
_/ Principal Technical Writer
_/ Infrastructure Technical Information Development
_/ Intergraph Corporation
_/ Huntsville, Alabama
_/ (205) 730-7250
_/ mjwing -at- ingr -dot- com
_/
