Patch for guide file "ch_basics.xml"

[Geert Janssens]

On Tuesday 12 October 2010, Cristian Marchi wrote:
> I attach the diff for the "ch_basics.xml" guide file. I've reviewed the
> entire document and I've corrected some typo. The majority of works went
> in updating the "Preferences" chapter.
> I've also added, where applicable, the structure for menu, submenu and
> menuitem (e.g.
> <menuchoice><guimenu>File</guimenu><guisubmenu>Import...</guisubmenu><guime
> nuitem>Import QIF</guimenuitem></menuchoice>).
> 
> My English is not perfect so it's (very) possible that I made some mistake.
> 
> If I don't get any comments, in the week-end I'll commit the changes.
> 
> Thanks
> Cristian
> 
While reading Cristian's work on the preferences dialog, I found some issues 
with the dialog itself that don't have anything to do with the guide. Before I 
go fix these issues, I'd like some feedback from others:

* Summarybar content. This is currently an option in the Accounting Period 
tab. I find it very confusing in there. The two options that can be set here 
have no relation to the accounting period whatsoever. So I propose to move 
this option to another tab. The Miscellaneous options tab already has some 
Summary bar related parameters (position). Perhaps it's better to group them 
there ?

* Business -> Open in new window and Accumulate splits
These are valid for both invoices and bills and should be positioned as such. 
The current ordering seems to suggest they are only used for invoices and not 
bills. I propose to move them before "Invoice", optionally with another 
section title, like "General" (which incidentally exists already in the po 
file, so that this change wouldn't break string freeze)

* Business -> Number of rows and Register Defaults -> Number of rows
These parameters don't seem to have any visual effect. Wouldn't it be better 
to remove these options then ? We can still keep the gconf parameters though 
as they are read by the code. Or we can also remove the code regarding these 
options.

* General -> Show splash screen
IMO this is an option just to have an option. I can think of no mature 
application program that has a preference setting to enable or disable the 
splash screen. Either an application has a splash screen and it will be 
displayed, or it doesn't have one. I imagine there were some issues with 
splash screens in the past and hence it was made optional (I found some 
references in the code that there could be issues on OS X, but they have been 
worked around programmatically). I vote to remove the option and always show 
the splash screen. You can always click it away if it's in your way.

I realize Cristian that these changes would mean you'd have to redo some of 
your screenshots and move some more text around...

Comments ?

Geert