I want to help with documentation

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Kaushik,

We are planning to implement the help system using docbook. For multi-OS compatibility (Linux and Windows) we may need to convert the documentation to HTML. I am not sure if I will be able to implement the build changes required for this by the time next release 1.3.6 is done (currently planned for 14th Feb). In worst case the build system changes will land after 1.3.6.

Reopened.

hi everyone,

I am also interested in updating/improving the existing documentation - and just to let you know: I have recently copied all links to references/documentation about 8085 programming from the GNUSim8085 sourceforge tracker and collected them at:

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Subject_talk:Assembly_languages#12.2F2009:_How_about_a_chapter_on_8085_Assembly_Language_Programming_.3F

This is a wikibook on assembly programming and it seems a good idea to simply add a new chapter there, this would ensure that anybody could easily contribute.

Also, wikibooks can be trivially exported to a plethora of different file formats, so it would be easy for example to add the wikibooks chapter to the simulator.

It would be neat, if we could base the whole 8085 programming chapter on using GNUSim8085, for example with lots of screenshots of the simulator running etc.

For each new release, the wikibook could then simply be exported and added to the GNUSim8085 package.

I am sure, this would help increase the popularity of the simulator even more!

I do not currently have the time to get started doing this, but anybody who is interested in improving the documentation, please do feel invited to start merging/updating and writing documentation to this wikibook - there are many good links and it should be fairly easy to get started soon!

Also, I do like another idea that was posted about a year ago - collaborating with one of the large assembly programming communities to have them set up a subforum specific to GNUSim8085/8085 programming:

http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=2617649&group_id=86462&atid=579702

This would surely be another excellent way to get more people involved, as well as increase popularity even more.

@Escapist,

The idea of having a chapter in wikibook on using GNUSim8085 does sound very interesting.

@Onkar,

Don't you think we still need to organise our "Help" section better? I think some solid blueprint needs to be come up with in this regard.

Hi,

yes, the wikibook on assembly programming seems like a suitable place for such an effort and it would ensure that everybody could get involved easily - even people who are not (yet) necessarily users of GNUSim8085 but who may still be familiar with the instruction set/processor.

And regarding a blueprint for a "help" section:

For starters, one could import the existing documentation and add it to the wikibook as a draft for an upcoming version (licensing permitting?) specifically dedicated to 8085 programming with GNUSim8085, then we could come up with screenshots and mini tutorials detailing how to use the simulator in particular and add all these these to the wikibook.

Similarly, evaluating the plethora of links that were previously posted to the SF.net trackers, should provide us with plenty of topics to cover in the manual - in the beginning, these links could just be listed in a section for additional pointers. The most important topics to be covered could also be derived from these very links, so that a draft section could be created with the corresponding headings.

There were also several webpages posted that contained dozens of 8085 source code snippets (i.e. 8 bit adding, division etc), that would be ideal to be ported/added (along with good commentary) to the GNUSim8085 library of examples, possibly by just crediting the source URLs - for example, see:

http://www.cs.otago.ac.nz/cosc243/lectures/assy_lang_examples.pdf
http://www.8085projects.info/page/free-programs-for-8085-microprocessor.aspx
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17829049/8085
http://www.scribd.com/doc/18225812/Program-1-Mvi-a-52h-Sta-4000h-Hlt-Program-2
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12860300/BASIC-8085-programs

http://webphysics.davidson.edu/faculty/dmb/py310/8085.pdf
http://www.slideshare.net/saumitra5552001/8085-paper-presentation-presentation

In the beginning, these examples could also be directly added to the wikibook, so that anybody could help port, test and document/comment each example for use with GNUSim8085 - once the examples are known to work properly, they could be added to the standard package as files, so that they can be easily opened and run.

Doing it this way, would also ensure another RFE from the sourceforge tracker, namely:
http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=2606758&group_id=86462&atid=579702

Once there is a formal decision to encourage community involvement, there could also be a news posted via the sourceforge/launchpad webpages to inform community members that there is now an effort ongoing to improve the documentation. Similarly, the simulator itself could show a corresponding welcome screen (or at least update its help/about dialog).

Ultimately, I personally agree that usability of the simulator would be heavily improved, if the documentation could be somehow directly integrated into the program, as discussed over at sourceforge:
http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=1875403&group_id=86462&atid=579702

So, what exactly is the plan? creating a help in docbook from scratch? I guess Onkar also wants an HTML copy of the help file. So do we use the existing help files? Or is anything else also needed?

Also, are the sf.net and launchpad files synced?

It would be helpful if some specific "work needed" could be specified. Then I could join in and try to be helpful.
 From what appears above,
 - a fresh help blueprint is wanted
 - Sample 8085 files needed
 - the online help is to be in either wikibook or html.
 - the offline help would be in docbook.

Please correct me and guide me on what to do next.

@kknundy

The first step IMO would be to have more simple 8085 sample files. As TheEscapist mentioned, we could pick up samples from wikibooks for 8085 Assembly language programming (with due attribution of course) and get some in before the next release planned on Feb 14th 2010.

We definitely need a html version of the help files. Until now, I am not sure what contents could go into this help file. We can draft a outline in a "blueprint" and then make a wikibook _and_ html version of it. But this can be taken up after the Feb 14th 2010 release. Until this release we would require a lot of help in testing gnusim8085's new feature set. Like, localisations, printing support, some UI changes etc. This will also be the first release after the migration from SF to LP.

And @kknundy for your question on files present in SF.net, the code is still in SF.net git repos while we use LP for bug tracking, releases etc.

If 8085 samples are needed, I can supply more than enough. There should be little or none left to copy.

Also, has a wikibook entry been created, or is it yet to be done? I think you need to have an a/c in the site for n no of days to create a new entry.

Currently, no wikibook entry has been created - but it's actually fairly simple, I didn't yet do it, because I was waiting for feedback - to create an entry:

- register an account at http://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Subject:Assembly_languages

- go to http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Subject:Assembly_languages (this is just the assembly programming portal, which lists all related entries/books)

- so, any new pages with the corresponding category "Assembly languages" (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Category:Assembly_languages) will be listed in the box - i.e. just add [[category:Assembly languages]]

- by going to a new page (just make up the title), you will be prompted if you want to create it, for example see: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/8085_Assembly

- going directly to http://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=8085_Assembly&action=edit will allow you to create/edit the page

hope this helps

I don't mind having a chapter on wikibooks about our application but I am not in favour of using that content as primary content for our help system. Following are my reasons.
1. We depend on a third party system for thr primary help content.
2. It is hard to keep track of contributions.
3. It is hard to ensure quality of the content. Every time we import the text from wikibooks to our source repository someone has to review it for quality assurance.
This does not mean that I am against having a chapter on wikibooks. Please feel free to add text as you wish.

Regarding our help system - I won't get enough time before 1.3.6 release (tentative date 6th Feb) to do build changes for this. The format for writing the help pages is going to be docbook. As to how to install them we have two options.
1. Convert and install in HTML format at build time. This is preferred way.
2. Use yelp to display on linux and convert to HTML on Windows.
So as of now we have to wait till post 1.3.6 release for help pages in the application.