openshot.developers team mailing list archive
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Message #00013
Re: OpenShot - 2nd Progress report on Documentation
Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Let's plan on that then. I've been trying
to learn .deb packaging over the last few days. I'm getting better...
slowly but surely. I'm hoping to have some "experimental" .deb files soon
for OpenShot.
Thanks,
-Jonathan
On Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 5:59 PM, Helen McCall <wildnfree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> Hello Jonathan,
>
> It is worth considering doing what a lot of other projects do with
> packaging their documentation in separate package files.
>
> ie; If I learn how to construct .deb packages, and build a documentation
> package.
>
> This would simplify the preparation of the main application package.
>
> Also the documentation is platform independant, so only needs one
> package.
>
> And having a separate documentation package means that we can easily
> update the documentation as experience on any version increases, and as
> translations are added, without affecting the mainstream development
> cycle for the application.
>
> Helen
>
>
> On Fri, 2009-07-10 at 14:32 -0500, Jonathan Thomas wrote:
> > Helen, sounds like a plan! We actually don't use CVS for our version
> > control. We use bazaar (via LaunchPad), which is pretty simple to
> > use. However, don't worry about that right now. Once you get the
> > structure down, and have some stuff to check in, I can help you get
> > bazaar setup. Then we'll have to figure out where these help files
> > will live. In the /openshot/ folder? In a different folder?
> >
> > Thanks again for all of your help!
> > -Jonathan
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 9:06 AM, Helen McCall
> > <wildnfree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Hello Jonathan,
> >
> > I appear to be heading in the right direction with the Gnome
> > help files.
> > I've been looking at the gnome-doc-utils package. This
> > includes a
> > utility called xml2po which will extract from the XML help
> > files
> > into .po files for transalation, and then merge the
> > translations back in
> > to the XML help files.
> >
> > I've been reading through the LyX manuals to find out how to
> > produce
> > docbook files, and it looks much more complicated than just
> > editing the
> > plain XML code using vi.
> >
> > So for my next investigation, I'm going to rip the help files
> > for
> > Jokosher, and have a go at editing the XML directly using vi.
> >
> > If that proves practical, I'll then try a few conversions to
> > LaTeX, PDF,
> > and POT (.po).
> >
> > If this gives me a simple and practical methodology, I'll then
> > start on
> > designing a structure for the documents.
> >
> > I've no experience of using CVS, so version control will have
> > to wait
> > until after I've produced the first Manual.
> >
> > Helen
> >
> >
> > On Fri, 2009-07-10 at 02:43 +0100, Helen McCall wrote:
> > > Hello Jonathan,
> > >
> > > I'll leave off trying to program OpenShot for the time being
> > because it
> > > will take me a while to learn how to use Glade properly, so
> > I don't keep
> > > inadvertantly breaking things like I was yesterday!
> > >
> > > Instead I'm concentrating on documentation, and also on
> > building my
> > > skills in using OpenShot so I can produce a knowledgable
> > Manual.
> > >
> > > I started yesterday with looking at how other projects are
> > producing
> > > their help files, and their manuals.
> > >
> > > To integrate help files with Gnome, we will need DocBook XML
> > files,
> > > which have to be installed into the Gnome Help file
> > heirarchy.
> > >
> > > DocBook files can be generated from LaTeX, Lyx (a LaTeX gui
> > package),
> > > and possibly also from OpenOffice files.
> > >
> > > I've installed a battery of relevant documentation tools,
> > including
> > > gnome-doc-utils. Over the next week I'll start with trying
> > out LaTeX,
> > > LyX and OpenOffice to help me decide on the most appropriate
> > package to
> > > use in building the Manual. I'll be looking for the simplest
> > way of
> > > producing a Manual that can be saved as all the common
> > formats for user
> > > documentation eg; PDF, HTML, DocBook XML and Gnome Yelp.
> > >
> > > The next task will be to draw up a structure plan for the
> > Manual.
> > >
> > > In the meantime I've been playing around with OpenShot, and
> > especially
> > > playing with producing various new transitions using
> > Inkscape, and
> > > Synfig Studio. I've succeeded in producing some quite
> > sophisticated
> > > transitions which work very nicely. :-)
> > >
> > > I haven't yet tried the animation masks I built in Synfig
> > Studio. Do you
> > > know what video format they should be in to work in
> > OpenShot?
> > >
> > > Helen
> > >
> > > On Thu, 2009-07-09 at 17:29 -0500, Jonathan Thomas wrote:
> > > > Helen,
> > > > Thanks for answering the questions. I am really getting
> > swamped by
> > > > the popularity of OpenShot at the moment. The emails just
> > keep piling
> > > > up. =) I'm glad to have you on our team.
> > > >
> > > > I've had sooo many people have trouble installing
> > OpenShot, I've
> > > > started working on some .DEB files and a PPA. I'll let
> > you know once
> > > > I have it ready for testing.
> > > >
> > > > Also, feel free to modify any aspect of OpenShot (it is
> > open-source
> > > > after all), but it would be great if you could keep me in
> > the loop as
> > > > to what files / features you are working on. This really
> > helps when
> > > > we have to merge all the code together later. I'm not
> > sure how much
> > > > Python coding you are thinking about doing, but these were
> > just a few
> > > > thoughts off the top of my head before you get too deep
> > into
> > > > everything.
> > > >
> > > > Also, feel free to make mockups using Gimp / Inkscape and
> > send them to
> > > > the distribution list. It might make for some good
> > discussions before
> > > > we start work on a new feature.
> > > >
> > > > I like your idea of using LaTeX for building manuals. We
> > definitely
> > > > need to start working on tutorials, documentation, and
> > manuals. I'll
> > > > be honest though, I'm not sure what "correct" format is
> > for help
> > > > files / manuals for GTK apps in Ubuntu. Is creating a PDF
> > the best
> > > > choice? Ya know what I mean?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks!
> > > > -Jonathan
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 1:47 PM, Helen McCall
> > > > <wildnfree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > Hello Jonathan.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks for getting back to me quickly
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Thanks for offering your services to us! We
> > would be happy
> > > > to have
> > > > > you on the team. You can join our team at
> > > > > https://launchpad.net/~openshot.developers<https://launchpad.net/%7Eopenshot.developers>
> .
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I have joined on the OpenShot developers page.
> > > >
> > > > > 1) What timezone are you in / what country do
> > you live in?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I'm in Britain (same timezone as London)
> > > >
> > > > > 2) What language(s) do you speak?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > English (my French and Spanish are too poor to be
> > included!)
> > > >
> > > > > 3) Do you have any experience packaging .deb
> > files (or PPAs)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Not really, though in the early days of Debian I
> > did produce
> > > > some very
> > > > simple .deb files for some data acquisition
> > software I wrote
> > > > for a
> > > > scientific project I was working on then. I would
> > class myself
> > > > as a
> > > > novice on .deb files, especially as they are more
> > complex
> > > > these days.
> > > >
> > > > > 4) Are you interested in writing help files,
> > wikis,
> > > > tutorials, etc...?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I am reasonably expert in using LaTeX, and have
> > defined my own
> > > > document
> > > > classes to produce professional theatrical scripts
> > etc. All my
> > > > HTMl
> > > > coding has been by hand using the vi editor! I
> > have in the
> > > > past written
> > > > Perl cgi scripts for automatically generating HTML
> > pages, and
> > > > for
> > > > generating LaTeX PDF documents on the fly on
> > commercial web
> > > > servers.
> > > >
> > > > I am a raw novice with respect to wikis.
> > > >
> > > > I could start work on producing a PDF manual
> > > >
> > > > > 5) Are there certain aspects of OpenShot you
> > would like to
> > > > work on?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I've started tinkering with your code already! ;-)
> > > >
> > > > I've set myself a very simple project to start me
> > off. I'm
> > > > investigating
> > > > how to write fully compliant AVCHD videos,
> > complete with aac
> > > > sound.
> > > > "ffmpeg -formats" shows me that separate drivers
> > are used for
> > > > decoding
> > > > and encoding aac codec. The decoder is "aac", and
> > the encoder
> > > > is
> > > > "libfaac".
> > > >
> > > > I've read through all your source code, and played
> > around with
> > > > Glade.
> > > >
> > > > I think the input parameters for ffmpeg come from
> > > > ExportVideo.glade, and
> > > > the parameters for audio codecs are in
> > cboAudioCodec in the
> > > > "items"
> > > > combo box. Intuition suggests to me that if I add
> > the word
> > > > "libfaac" to
> > > > that items list, then selecting that in OpenShot
> > will give me
> > > > a file
> > > > with aac sound!
> > > >
> > > > Likewise, to get the correct audio bitrate for
> > AVCHD, I think
> > > > I should
> > > > add the option "448 kb/s - aac rate for AVCHD
> > format" to the
> > > > items list
> > > > in cboAudioBitRate. I was about to try this when I
> > saw your
> > > > email.
> > > >
> > > > If I get this right, then for my next project,
> > more ambitious
> > > > to give me
> > > > a chance to learn more python and Glade, I thought
> > I might
> > > > investigate
> > > > how to add a "Container Class" option to the
> > "Project Type"
> > > > selection.
> > > >
> > > > A "Container Class" option would be something like
> > "DVD .vob"
> > > > or "AVCHD"
> > > > or "CDV .vob", etc. Then have OpenShot pre-select
> > the optimum
> > > > parameters
> > > > for Video and Audio Settings in ExportVideo.
> > > >
> > > > The form to select "Container Class" would also
> > have to offer
> > > > a
> > > > selection from all the relevant profiles for
> > resolution etc,
> > > > so that it
> > > > helps the user to select between PAL and NTSC etc,
> > but not
> > > > showing
> > > > inappropriate profiles.
> > > >
> > > > If I can succeed in this, it will result in my
> > being
> > > > sufficiently
> > > > experienced in Python and Glade to be able to
> > tackle other
> > > > software
> > > > development tasks
> > > >
> > > > Best wishes, Helen
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > On Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 5:24 PM, Helen McCall
> > > > > <wildnfree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > > Hello Jonathan,
> > > > >
> > > > > I would like to offer my services to
> > your team.
> > > > >
> > > > > My programming skills are a bit rusty,
> > and I've
> > > > never used
> > > > > Python before.
> > > > > I used to program in 'C' and Perl.
> > > > >
> > > > > As a Research Scientist in the '90s, I
> > developed and
> > > > published
> > > > > mathematical
> > > > > and statistical methods for automated
> > visual
> > > > identification
> > > > > from digital
> > > > > imaging systems. This involved
> > developing all my own
> > > > image
> > > > > analysis and
> > > > > processing software for use on a Sun
> > SparcStation
> > > > running
> > > > > SunOS.
> > > > >
> > > > > For a few years I earned my living
> > freelance
> > > > developing
> > > > > commercial web cgi
> > > > > backends for database handling using
> > Perl and SQL.
> > > > >
> > > > > I first started using Debian Gnu Linux
> > in 1996,
> > > > having used
> > > > > SlackWare before.
> > > > >
> > > > > I switched to Ubuntu about 5 years ago.
> > > > >
> > > > > My programming skills might be a bit too
> > rusty to be
> > > > of great
> > > > > benefit in
> > > > > the immediate future, but I might be
> > able to help
> > > > with
> > > > > producing a Manual
> > > > > or help with testing etc.
> > > > >
> > > > > I look forward to your reply.
> > > > >
> > > > > Helen McCall
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
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