"Interactive Help" links from Probe Software applications to user forum

[Karsten Goemann]

All,
I am working on finishing the update of the Advanced Topics manual which as you might know is available from the Probe for EPMA Help menu. But since no one seems to read manuals (except as a last resort!), John and I thought it might be better to create topics on the Probe Software User Forum which contain explanations and suggestions on various features and procedures in Probe Software applications.

These user forum topics will be linked to new "blue/purple" Help buttons that are being added to many of the application windows. One can still get context sensitive help in the User Reference manual by pressing the F1 key, but more and more there will be blue Help buttons in the PS application windows that will connect the user to a topic thread in the user forum related to the window they are looking. See this example John posted:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=2.msg225#msg225

Also, following an idea from Gareth Seward, lab managers will be allowed to create "laboratory" memberships on the Probe Software User Forum as John has done here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?action=profile;u=360

So by creating a "laboratory" membership for your own lab, and logging from your probe instrument computer (assuming it has Internet access), and having your browser "remember" the password, your students and visitors will be able to click these blue interactive Help buttons and automatically be logged into the PS user forum.

From there they can read existing posts, search for related posts and even post questions of their own. Now that PS running is on several continents, there will likely always be some one checking the forum pretty much around the clock (probably John!) and they can respond to the posted questions if they are interested.

So although we prefer that all serious users create their own personal membership and profile, these "laboratory" memberships could provide easy interactive help for your students and other EPMA customers even when you are away from the lab!

To facilitate this process, I ask that in addition to creating your own "laboratory" membership on the PS user forum, please offer suggestions on which application windows and dialogs would most benefit from new of "Interactive Help" (as John calls it) buttons. I will make it a priority to document those areas first.

Karsten

[John Donovan]

All,
We've started adding a few "Interactive Help" buttons to connect our EPMA apps to appropriate topics on this user forum, and thought that Karsten might start next on a user forum topic which describes starting a quantitative mapping run using Probe for EPMA (for the standard intensities), Probe Image (for the x-ray maps) and CalcImage (for quantifying the x-ray maps).

Does this seem like a good place to start or are there other areas we should document first?
john

[John Donovan]

Here's a screen shot of our Analytical | Analysis Options menu dialog which reveals 4 "interactive help" buttons.



Are there other places in CalcZAF, Probe for EPMA, etc. which anyone feels should be connected to the user forum for "interactive help"?

[Probeman]

Additional (PFE v. 10.3.9) interactive Help buttons to take you directly to the appropriate discussion area in the user forum: