Use "#f" instead of "false" in manuals (was: OT: pagenumber)

[Urs Liska]

Am 05.03.2016 um 09:51 schrieb Blöchl Bernhard:
> Setting myself into the situation of a maybe user wanting to switch
> off the pagenumber I would google "lilypond pagenumber". Google is
> correcting me to page number (in correct English written separately).
>
> The first hit is
> LilyPond Notation Reference: 4.1.6 Other \paper variables
> http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.18/Documentation/notation/other-paper-variables
>
> and there I can find
> \paper variables for page numbering
> and eventually land at
>
>  print-page-number
>     If set to false, page numbers are not printed.
>
> What to do now as a simple minded user?
>  print-page-number = false
>  print-page-number = "false"
> etc. .....
>
> The second google hit is
> 3.2.4 Reference to page numbers
> http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.18/Documentation/notation/reference-to-page-numbers
>
> Being familiar with lilypond ##f might find my attention - or not. But
> that link is not really helpful. To get the syntax I would have to
> google again ....
>
> I would recommend to add the options a user has to any item in the
> chapter (maybe in other chapters as well)
> 4.1.6 Other \paper variables
> in the actual example that would mean
>  print-page-number
>     default is ##true. If set to false (##f), page numbers are not
> printed. Example of use:
>  print-page-number = ##f
>
> Is there any adress to send this as a recommendation to the manual
> editors? It is not a bug so I think the bug list is not the correct
> address?
>

I agree that the use of the words "true" and "false" in that context is
suboptimal and will confuse users who are still struggling with "false",
"#f" and "##f".
I'm not completely sure what the best resolution is.

The bug-lilypond list is the right address for such issues, therefore I
CC to that list with a modified subject.

Urs

>
> Am 04.03.2016 22:53, schrieb Blöchl Bernhard:
>> I know that thing with "read carefully" and RTFM very well and read a
>> lot of programming manuals as I was active working in that field - as
>> I was active ...
>>
>> You refer to the section
>> " ...
>> Note the occurrence of hash signs, (#), in two different places – as
>> part of the Boolean value before the t or f, and before value in the
>> \set statement. So when a Boolean is being entered you need to code
>> two hash signs, e.g., ##t.
>> .."
>>
>> But please do not forget that the manual is not addressed to
>> programmers in first place but simple minded users like me. As a
>> simple minded user I am only just interested how to get it work! At
>> least I would recommend to move that section above from "appendix" to
>> "prefix". That would ease the use of the manual. By practical
>> experience I know that no one really reads a manual (or even a section
>> of a manual) from beginning to end.
>>
>> A much better solution might be (just as a question/recommendation)
>> not to strain a simple minded user like me
>> with such subtleties. KISS: there must be set two hash signs.
>>
>>
>> Am 04.03.2016 22:31, schrieb Trevor Daniels:
>>> Blöchl Bernhard wrote Friday, March 04, 2016 9:11 PM
>>>
>>>
>>>> "false is ##f " really always?
>>>>
>>>> Please check
>>>> http://www.lilypond.org/doc/v2.19/Documentation/learning/modifying-context-properties
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Seriously, is this an exception? Should one throw a bug report or
>>>> may be
>>>> a suggestion for harmonization? That would ease the use of lilypond
>>>> for
>>>> simple minded user like me. So a simple minded user is no longer
>>>> dependent on guesses.
>>>
>>> Please read the section you quote more carefully.  In particular the
>>> bit that
>>> says:
>>>
>>> "Note the occurrence of hash signs, (#), in two different places – as
>>> part of the
>>> Boolean value before the t or f, and before value in the \set
>>> statement. So when
>>> a Boolean is being entered you need to code two hash signs, e.g., ##t."
>>>
>>> Trevor
>>
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