We are going to release our Magento Templates at Themeforest from next month, so we need to create the documentation for each template now.
I dont want to use Documentor , as users are not okay with html , css , images folder and they get confused.
I simply need a way, so I can have a readymade template with our own header, footer , contents , titles, pages , and we can save to PDF and thats all.
And whenever we want to edit it, we can simply import the PDF and edit right from there.
What tools do you guys normally use ?
I use HTML documentation exclusively. I’ve never had a customer have a problem with it. It also allows you to publish online and easily link to relevant sections when answering questions.
Plus you can embed videos, embed code, add sensible navigation, provide easier searching, etc.
I highly recommend going that route 
Hi QUBESYS,
I basically use vector based programs like Macromedia FreeHand (Oooopsss, Adobe) or CorelDraw to build my help files, and then export them as PDFs
Wish you good luck with your template.
sevenspark said
I use HTML documentation exclusively. I’ve never had a customer have a problem with it. It also allows you to publish online and easily link to relevant sections when answering questions.
Plus you can embed videos, embed code, add sensible navigation, provide easier searching, etc.
I highly recommend going that route
Before my latest 3 templates I was stupidly using PDF. Then I realised the scale of stupidity and now prepare html documentation only, because of–see Sevenspark quotation.
For first theme I stupidly used all these html, css, images folder, etc. You know, it was overloaded, not elegant looking. Then I realised the scale of stupidity and now prepare PDF documentation only.
Pixelous said
For first theme I stupidly used all these html, css, images folder, etc. You know, it was overloaded, not elegant looking. Then I realised the scale of stupidity and now prepare PDF documentation only.
I as if did not notice your ungrounded sarcasm, I forgive you.
The question: how do you cope with things you forgot to add? For me it was the main point why I switched to html. Let’s say, I wrote a file, submitted template and in a day or two realised that something was forgotten. To bother TF team with reuploading the file is not very convenient, at least I feel so.
Second thing: if you need to add some code example, how do you do that? I use js highlight script, for me it looks and works better than plain copied/pasted piece of code.
Third thing, PDF does not allow embedded video, right? If you need to add some video tutorial– explanation you can place only link, not video itself, do you find it more effective?
I also use js smooth scroll for navigation and “to the top” button (like in websites), I think it makes a boring reading of documentation a little bit more comfortable (and even entertaining) for a customer.
As for elegance, well, depends how you make your html file. Mine I tried to make not less attractive and beautiful than a template itself.
At the moment I use Google Docs… at the end I will save the thing as PDF…
+1 For HTML documentation. Easy to scale, easy to use.
The documenter , fast clean, easy, cute!
We use PDF - we detail everything out with screen shots etc and make it to where it’s as easy as we can possibly make it. But in the end, it’s all based on user interpretation - if they even read the documentation that is!
Whatever you all use, (regardless of any copyright concerns) if the text in the documentation is not searchable by the end user then it may not worth be documenting IMO.
both reading a pdf and viewing html in a browser are fully searchable.
Ok what do you use for PDF ?
Adobe Acrobat ?
How can we make a set template ? Do you have a copy, I can use ?
Then I can simply change logo, text etc and save for our use.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
jonathan01 said
We use PDF - we detail everything out with screen shots etc and make it to where it’s as easy as we can possibly make it. But in the end, it’s all based on user interpretation - if they even read the documentation that is!
We are on mac and use Apple Pages which comes with a host of templates to choose from - we then alter the full styling with each theme and layout everything to match the theme’s colors, fonts etc etc we take a considerable amount of time creating and crafting them based on feedback over the years - but basically on a mac you can make a pdf out of anything you can print as it’s built in to the os - just not so sure about windows based machines I’m afraid (I’m sure there has to be something?)
Jonathan
I do HTML for HTML templates… PDF’s for wordpress templates.
- I find wordpress users don’t want to look at code. They just want instructions
- PDFs can be printed nicer
- They can give the pdf to their client easier and be more professional
That’s my reasoning.
I should clarify - I use indesign to create my PDF’s.
My background is in catalogue design, so I feel right at home with master pages etc.
LOL @ jonathan01 - You’d certainly think so wouldn’t you. I’ve had the misfortune of encountering PDFs with all rasterized text. Which if you don’t already know generally means that all the text has been converted to graphic form. This essentially renders it unsearchable typically. You just can’t take anything for granted these days.