Join the 4.5 Documentation Dash

Published
2014-07-18 07:23
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Join us during our Documentation Dash (remote sprint) on Sunday 27th July and Monday 28th July to help get the new edition of the User and Administrator Guide ready for release at the same time as the stable version of 4.5.

4.5 beta 2 has just been released, so the arrival of a stable version of 4.5 is not far off.  When that happens we want to publish a new edition of the User and Administrator Guide that includes all the new features, a totally revamped Membership section and other updates.

Eight people worked on documentation during the Tahoe sprint in April/May 2014, and we made great progress.  However, some of the new features, notably the new CiviCase UI, didn’t exist at that time and there were other issues we didn’t quite finish, so there is still work to do.

We have set up a board showing the issues for this sprint. You will see that there is something for everyone. If you can join us, please 'sign up' by commenting on this blog post.

The issues range from writing up the new CiviCase configuration interface or the introduction for the revamped Membership chapter through to proof-reading chapters or small sections that have already been rewritten.  

You don't need to be an expert on CiviCRM - just be familiar with it as a user and have a desire to work stuff out.  So if you've been using CiviCRM for a while and have a few hours to spare, please sign up and help.

You will need a Jira account  (https://issues.civicrm.org/jira/secure/Dashboard.jspa) to participate. Have a look at the board https://issues.civicrm.org/jira/secure/RapidBoard.jspa?rapidView=14&view=detail, choose an unassigned issue (a large letter on the right of an issue indicates it is taken) and use the comments for this blog to let me know which issue you would like and your Jira username

You will also need a Booki account to edit the book; create one at http://booki.flossmanuals.net/accounts/signin/ .  The actual editing of the book is done at http://booki.flossmanuals.net/civicrm/_edit/  .

There is a short style guide at http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRM/Book+style+guide .  The two most important things to remember are ‘SAVE your work frequently’ (at least every 5 minutes – Booki can be very temperamental )  and ‘images cannot be wider than 690 pixels’.

If you're ready to help out, please sign up in the comments below. If you think you want to get involved but have some questions, either email me (joanne. civicrm at gmail.com) or comment below.

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Comments

Hey Joanne, thanks for organising this :) I can commit to an issue or two.  Folks please sign youselves up for an issue and help us complete docs in time for 4.5 stable release.

Anonymous (not verified)
2014-07-18 - 09:50

Happy to help!

Thanks Tony, Anything in particular take your fancy?

Damn! I'm at Write the docs in Berlin this week and thought this would be perfect for it! But I'll get involved next week, I'll get on top of my raft of issues at the same time.

I'm not sure if I am interpreting your comment correctly, but you can choose one of the sprint issues now and work on it this week if you want.  I am just about to publish a new blog that says just that.

Hi Joanne.

I'd be up for CRM-15007 "Rework forst chapter of Membership section". Username on Jira is upperholme. Can I get started sooner than next weekend?

Thanks Graham, that is great news. 

I have assigned the issue to you and set the status to In progress. I have also added a description to the issue as a reminder that the membership section has been re-structured as is shown on the Booki edit page.

When you have finished the rewrite let me know and I will switch it into the Needs Proof-reading column.

Anonymous (not verified)
2014-07-20 - 08:47

Hi, I can help initially with some proof-reading on CRM-14721 and CRM-14554. My Jira user is "diegov".

Thanks!

Thank you diegov. I have assigned the issues to you. 

Let me know when you are done with the proof-reading and I will take great pleasure in shifing them to the Done column.

I am in Australia and so 8-17 hours ahead of most of you.  This isn't great for quickly assigning issues once you indicate an interest.

If you find yourself with some spare time and want to help immediately, don't let the issue assignment hold you back.  Just make it clear in the comments here and on the issue that you are claiming it and get started.

I will assign the issue to you as soon as I can.

During a residential documentation sprint we mosty only have one issue assigned to a person at a time, but as two of these are very short sections and there will often be a delay between putting your hand up for an issue and me assigning it to you, I have given you all three..

If something happens and you can't get to them before the end of the sprint please let me know.

Anonymous (not verified)
2014-07-21 - 13:42

I'm happy to help with proof-reading but I'm unsure how to actually do it. After assignment to a task, do I review what's in Booki? If I find errors do I make them straight into Booki? Is Jira just a method of tracking issues? All this and more is opaque to me as a new user. But I am a good proofer and I'm willing to help!

My Jira user name is jcrothers. I can work on this between now and the 28th.

  1. After assignment to a task, do I review what's in Booki? Yes
  2. If I find errors do I make [corrections]... straight into Booki? Yes
  3. Is Jira just a method of tracking issues? You got it!

Thanks for helping out :)

Thanks jcrothers for your offer of help. Would you like to choose one of the remaining issues that need proofing?  Just remember to save frequently in case Booki plays up.

Perhaps I should also explain that you won't be changing a live document.  The published User and administrator guide is for CiviCRM 4.4.  The version of the book we are working on now will not be published to the public until CiviCRM 4.5 is released (provided the book is ready by then).
 

I'm in ... I'll look at what's left, or take any suggestions...

Anonymous (not verified)
2014-07-24 - 16:17

I proofread CRM-14566. Didn't see any issues.

As requested elsewhere, I can read over the whole membership section on Monday the 28th.

It is nice to see another issue in the righthand column.

I created a new issue for reading the Membership chapter.  Just bear in mind that the intro is still being rewritten.

 

That is great news.  I have never used CiviCase and was not sure I was going to be the best person to document the new UI if no-one else picked it up.

I have assigned the issue to you.  Just ask here or contact me on joanne.civicrm at gmail.com if you have any questions.