RE: [docbook] How do I tell keycap+ from keycap keypad+

[Barton Wright <bwright@streambase.com>]

Hello Krzysztof,

Your question is really a matter of style, which is up to you, or up to the company for which you are writing.

As for how the + key is generally referenced, there are two cases:

1. Applications usually don't care which plus key you press. In this case, just say "the <keycap>+</keycap> key" or "the + key" without <keycap>, and let the user choose which key to press. Using the <keycap> element allows you to style all instances with a special font or other marking, but there is no requirement to use it.

2. In rare cases, an application might assign special meaning to the plus key on the numeric keypad, independent of the one that shares the = key (on US English keyboards). In this case, I usually make the distinction explicit: "the <keycap>+<keycap> key on the numeric keypad". Others may have other suggestions.

There is never a need to explicitly show how to type, as in Shift +=, unless you're writing about a basic how-to-type program. If your readers don't know how to get a + to show onscreen, they are in bigger trouble than your software manual can provide!


-----Original Message-----
From: Krzysztof Żelechowski [mailto:giecrilj@stegny.2a.pl] 
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2011 1:02 PM
To: docbook@lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: Re: [docbook] How do I tell keycap+ from keycap keypad+

Dnia czwartek, 13 stycznia 2011 o 15:57:47 Krzysztof Żelechowski napisał(a):
> How do I tell
> 
>  <keycap >+</keycap >
> 
> from 
> 
>  <keycap >+</keycap >
> 
> where one of them is in the keypad and should be rendered with a gray background?
> 

Additionally, I feel uneasy about the keycap concept in general.  How do I write "please press '+'"?  

  * <keycap >+</keycap>?
  * <keycap >Shift</keycap > <keycap >+</keycap >?
  * <keycap >Shift</keycap > <keycap>=</keycap >?
  * <keycap >Shift</keycap > <keycap>+/=</keycap >?
  * anything else?

Chris

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