Improving the Instructions Manual

Do you find this manual incomplete? Do you miss any content? Are all pages available in different languages?

You are welcomed to improve these pages! You do need a user account on SoSciSurvey.de http://www.soscisurvey.de. If you are logged into www.soscisurvey.de, you will be automatically logged in to the manual. With the book icon in the upper left corner of SoSci Survey, you can also go directly to the instructions manual.

Once you are logged in, you will see the button “edit this page” at the bottom of the page. On pages with several heading, you will also see a small “edit” button to the far right of the header, allowing you to edit that individual section.

It’s quite simple to edit the text. The formatting commands are mostly similar to those used in programming Wikipedia. Further information about formatting texts can be read in “syntax” (displayed in the edit mode as well). Note: If you can’t find the button to edit or login, than you’re probably using an Office-copy of this manual. In this case change to the actual part of the Instructions Manual on SoSciSurvey.de.

• Any changes that you make support us and improve the manual: e.g. up-dating, rounding up or completing a given text, or just to rewrite text making it easier to understand.
• Never mind if you’re not comfortable, don’t be afraid! If something goes too wrong the administrator is always able to redo anything.
• Before saving your edited text, check it with the “preview” button to make sure it appears as expected.
• If you're unsure about something, ask for help in the support forum.
• If you have ideas for more information that is not already provided in the existing text, just add them below your new text.

To ease anyone working with this manual, follow these conventions:

• The main title of each chapter a headline of the first grade:
  e.g ====== main title of this chapter ======
• Within the chapter subtitles are of the second category, smaller headlines can be formatted in third grades.
  e.g. ===== Headline within a chapter =====
  e.g. ==== Subdividing a section ====
• Menu items of the program (left navigation) are set in bold letters:
  e.g. Choose menu item **assemble questionnaire**
  e.g. Choose menu item assemble questionnaire
• Naming tabs, button and attributes are set in italic:
  e.g. Click on //Create new question//
  e.g. Click on Create new question
• Text in quotation marks:
  e.g. Type in as //identifier// "default"
  e.g. Type in as identifier “default”
• Program-code is formatted as text:
  e.g. command ''value()'' provides the answer of that subscriber.
  e.g. command value() provides the answer of that subscriber.
• Hints and tips are usually set in bold letters:
  e.g. **Tipp:** You can insert any kind of HTML-code within the text.
  e.g. Tipp: You can insert any kind of HTML-code within the text.
• Negative answers to questions and other important word can be displayed underlined –this should only be used carefully.
  e.g. __don’t__ underline aspects, what seemed to be important on the first view.
  e.g. don’t underline aspects, what seemed to be important on the first view.

Note: After this manual was migrated to a more modern Wiki, not all chapters have been fully formatted. If you happen across these chapters and fix them then it is greatly appreciated.

Images ease to read a manual, they’re vivid. If you decide to create screenshots or your own images there are same helpful guide lines to support our corporate design.

Note I: This manual does mostly use graphics (usually with a carefully selected range of colours) and only in very few exceptions photographic shots. So the guideline does not focus on photographs.

Note II: If you intend to replace an image, use the same file name when uploading which was used for the previous one. Only tick “Overwriting file”. Than this page doesn’t has to be customized further. Of course, that does only work if the file has the same extension (e.g. PNG or GIF).

• Images shouldn’t exceed 600 pix size – including a frame.
• Screenshots and other images look good when embedded in an inner frame of 10 pix white and an outer light grey frame. (1 pix, colour #CCCCCC)
• The less colours used, the faster images will load. So, if possible, please reduce the variety of colours to 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 or 265. Do keep in mind that image clarity should be the first priority, however.
• Store the images as PNG file.
• Name them according the scheme: type.page.content.png
  • type describes the type: screenshots: scr, exemplary images: exp, schematic images: fig and for all other images: div
  • page describes identifying information. This page for example has got the identifier “contribute” (s. top)
  • content describes briefly the topic of the image, primarily in English: e.g. “item.delete”, „question.place“ or “convert-to-php”
• To upload an image, use edit on the same page of the frame symbol. You find this among the symbols on the top (4th from top).
• Add a short description to this image after upload.
  e.g. {{scr.create.question.new.png?nolink|Add New Question in My Evaluation}}
• At first use the original size of the image (without dimensional attributes), if there is no dedicated reason to shrink.
• It’s not necessary to manually type in the file name (including the image). After up-loading the image, note that a button will appear to transfer the image directly into the content. If you once clicked onto the symbol, choose via settings no link, align left and original size.

Thanks to a number of volunteers, SoSci Survey has been multilingual (German/English) since 2011. It can be switched by a language selector in you user account. Since the beginning of 2015, the manual is also almost completely available in English – only the latest chapters are still missing. Are you interested in translating one chapter? Technically the translation of a text is quite simple:

1. First open the page you like to edit.
2. Make sure, that the English part of this chapter doesn’t exist yet. You may notice, that the English flag at the left menu is still grey. If there is already an existing version, you’re welcomed to edit, enhance or actualize the current text.
3. Click on edit of the German version.
4. Highlight the entire text by using (CTRL+A) and copy the text into the clip-board.
5. Select cancel.
6. Change to the English version at left. If there is no existing topic a message is displayed: „This topic does not exists yet“.
7. Click on „Create this page“.
8. Insert the German text from your clip-board (CTRL+V) into the empty space.
9. Now start translating the text. It’s a good idea to check your work by using the preview function – and don’t forget save your text from here to then.
   • Please switch the language in your user account to English to look up the correct labels in the user interface.
   • For headings, all relevant words (not and, or, not, is, …) also start with a capital letter in the English translation.
   • For links to other pages please replace the :de:… at the beginning with :en:….
   • For images, feel free to take updated screenshots from the English GUI – or alternatively leave the :de:….
   • To make the translation go quickly, DeepL is recommended for the rough stuff – then there's more time for the finer details.
10. Thank you very much for your assistance!