| Re: Searching PDF help in IDL 5.6 [message #35825] |
Fri, 01 August 2003 14:08 |
R.G. Stockwell
Messages: 363
Registered: July 1999
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Senior Member |
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"James Kuyper" <kuyper@saicmodis.com> wrote in message
news:3F2AB601.392C9ED6@saicmodis.com...
> William Thompson wrote:
> ...
>> Are you sure you mean "search", and not "find"? If you look at the user
forums
>> on the Adobe web site, you'll see a lot of discussion about search not
being
>> available on linux. Apparently, it has something to do with the search
function
>> software belonging to a third party.
>
> Sorry, I thought you were using "search" as a synonym for "find". The
> distinction was mentioned in Justin's original message, but you didn't
> retain that part of his message, and I had forgotten about it. I gather
> it's mainly a matter of speed, as a result of indexing?
>
> The Linux version's "find" can search a 776 page document (the largest
> size I have available) in 30 seconds on my machine at work. How large is
> the IDL help file, in PDF format?
The Ref guide alone is 4090 pages and that is only 28M of the entire 111
Megs of
help files (idl6.0 win2000)
Cheers,
bob
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| Re: Searching PDF help in IDL 5.6 [message #35826 is a reply to message #35825] |
Fri, 01 August 2003 11:48  |
James Kuyper
Messages: 425
Registered: March 2000
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Senior Member |
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William Thompson wrote:
...
> Are you sure you mean "search", and not "find"? If you look at the user forums
> on the Adobe web site, you'll see a lot of discussion about search not being
> available on linux. Apparently, it has something to do with the search function
> software belonging to a third party.
Sorry, I thought you were using "search" as a synonym for "find". The
distinction was mentioned in Justin's original message, but you didn't
retain that part of his message, and I had forgotten about it. I gather
it's mainly a matter of speed, as a result of indexing?
The Linux version's "find" can search a 776 page document (the largest
size I have available) in 30 seconds on my machine at work. How large is
the IDL help file, in PDF format?
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| Re: Searching PDF help in IDL 5.6 [message #35827 is a reply to message #35826] |
Fri, 01 August 2003 09:34 |
David Fanning
Messages: 11724
Registered: August 2001
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Senior Member |
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William Thompson writes:
> Are you sure you mean "search", and not "find"?
Oh, oh. I can see a whole essay coalescing around
the metaphorical (not to mention metaphysical)
differences between "search" and "find". But,
unfortunately, I have other things to do today.
Maybe another time. :-)
Cheers,
David
--
David W. Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting, Inc.
Phone: 970-221-0438, E-mail: david@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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| Re: Searching PDF help in IDL 5.6 [message #35828 is a reply to message #35827] |
Fri, 01 August 2003 09:03 |
William Thompson
Messages: 8
Registered: June 1997
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Junior Member |
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James Kuyper wrote:
> William Thompson wrote:
>
>> Justin:
>>
>> I don't know why you can't search under Solaris. I know that it's not possible
>> under Linux. This line is found in the README file distributed with the Linux
>> version of acroread
>>
>>> Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0.7 Additional Information
>>>
>>> There is no search functionality available for the Linux version of the
>>> Acrobat Reader.
>>
>> Major bummer!
>
>
> That's bizarre. At work I use Acrobat Reader 5.0 on a Linux system,
> which certainly does have search capabilities. At home I use a more
> current version of Linux, and I think a more current version of Acrobat,
> and it also has search capabilities.
Are you sure you mean "search", and not "find"? If you look at the user forums
on the Adobe web site, you'll see a lot of discussion about search not being
available on linux. Apparently, it has something to do with the search function
software belonging to a third party.
William Thompson
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| Re: Searching PDF help in IDL 5.6 [message #35839 is a reply to message #35828] |
Thu, 31 July 2003 17:11 |
btupper
Messages: 55
Registered: January 2002
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Member |
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On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:35:40 -0400, William Thompson
<thompson@orpheus.nascom.nasa.gov> wrote:
> Justin:
>
> I don't know why you can't search under Solaris. I know that it's not possible
> under Linux. This line is found in the README file distributed with the Linux
> version of acroread
>
>> Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0.7 Additional Information
>>
>> There is no search functionality available for the Linux version of the
>> Acrobat Reader.
>
> Major bummer!
>
> What I do is to go through the alphabetical index to find what I'm looking for,
> which is awkward, or simply fire up the IDL help from 5.4.
>
> William Thompson
>
>
> Justin wrote:
>> Dear all,
>>
>> IDL 5.6, Solaris 5.9, Acroread 5.0.5
>>
>> We've just upgraded from IDL 5.4 to 5.6 (nothing like being on the
>> cytting edge). Now I'm really not keen on the PDF help (seems like a way
>> for RSI to make it easier for themselves and not the user) but I think
>> that discussion has already been had and so no need to resurrect it...
>>
>> So my problem: I can't "search" the PDF help files, I can only "find" in
>> them. The "search" uses index files to speed things up. I've found an
>> index.pdx file in /opt/idl/idl_5.6/help, but when I add this to the list
>> of indexes in Acrobat Reader I get "index is currently unavailable". Can
>> other people search the documentation? Is it Solaris, IDL, Acroread or
>> bad-luck?
>>
>>
>> I've just done a test and it takes 3mins 10sec (on my SunBlade 100) to
>> do a 'find' through just the IDL Reference Guide - though things are
>> quicker if you look for something at the beginning of the file. Not
>> really the speed I was after!
>>
>> Any hints gratefully received,
>>
>> Thanks, Justin
>>
>> PS I get a feeling that this might bring out the IDLWave evangelists!
>>
>
Hello,
I have been tinkering with an update to CoolHelp (ala CoolHelp2).
This new system draws on the graciously provided HTML help files that
come from idlwave.org
CoolHelp2 can be called with or without a GUI and on some platforms
you can control the number of help browsers open at any one time.
Right now, the only pages accessible are fro built in routines, so
it's not the same as have the fullblown "random" access help system.
But what can you expect from lunchtime hacking?
I tried to be faithful to the original CoolHelp look and feel, and I
think the transition should be easy.
You can get the help files from idlwave.org (Thanks JD) and CoolHelp2
from http://www.tidewater.net/~pemaquid/#COOLHELP2
Feedback always welcome.
Cheers,
Ben
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| Re: Searching PDF help in IDL 5.6 [message #35840 is a reply to message #35839] |
Thu, 31 July 2003 16:11 |
James Kuyper
Messages: 425
Registered: March 2000
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Senior Member |
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William Thompson wrote:
>
> Justin:
>
> I don't know why you can't search under Solaris. I know that it's not possible
> under Linux. This line is found in the README file distributed with the Linux
> version of acroread
>
>> Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0.7 Additional Information
>>
>> There is no search functionality available for the Linux version of the
>> Acrobat Reader.
>
> Major bummer!
That's bizarre. At work I use Acrobat Reader 5.0 on a Linux system,
which certainly does have search capabilities. At home I use a more
current version of Linux, and I think a more current version of Acrobat,
and it also has search capabilities.
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| Re: Searching PDF help in IDL 5.6 [message #35841 is a reply to message #35840] |
Thu, 31 July 2003 15:09 |
JD Smith
Messages: 850
Registered: December 1999
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Senior Member |
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On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 14:57:29 -0700, William Thompson wrote:
> By the way, does anybody know if the PDF help is still there in 6.0? Or
> has RSI come to their senses?
>
>
Still there, as far as I know (they hadn't finished the manuals in time
for the beta). IDLWAVE of course solves many of these problems nicely for
you, especially in the new version, which includes on each HTML help page
simple but extremely useful links to various important places (like
alphabetical, categorical and contents listings). While it doesn't
provide the complete index, searching the full table of contents in one
shot is very helpful. For those of you averse to Emacs and too old of a
dog to learn new tricks, you might be interested to know that the "help
package" available at idlwave.org in the download section is nothing more
than a large directory of fully-formed HTML help files, converted
directly from MS HTMLHelp source. I'll leave it at that.
JD
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| Re: Searching PDF help in IDL 5.6 [message #35842 is a reply to message #35841] |
Thu, 31 July 2003 14:57 |
William Thompson
Messages: 8
Registered: June 1997
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Junior Member |
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By the way, does anybody know if the PDF help is still there in 6.0? Or has RSI
come to their senses?
William Thompson
William Thompson wrote:
> Justin:
>
> I don't know why you can't search under Solaris. I know that it's not
> possible under Linux. This line is found in the README file distributed
> with the Linux version of acroread
>
>> Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0.7 Additional Information
>>
>> There is no search functionality available for the Linux version of the
>> Acrobat Reader.
>
> Major bummer!
>
> What I do is to go through the alphabetical index to find what I'm
> looking for, which is awkward, or simply fire up the IDL help from 5.4.
>
> William Thompson
>
>
> Justin wrote:
>
>> Dear all,
>>
>> IDL 5.6, Solaris 5.9, Acroread 5.0.5
>>
>> We've just upgraded from IDL 5.4 to 5.6 (nothing like being on the
>> cytting edge). Now I'm really not keen on the PDF help (seems like a
>> way for RSI to make it easier for themselves and not the user) but I
>> think that discussion has already been had and so no need to resurrect
>> it...
>>
>> So my problem: I can't "search" the PDF help files, I can only "find"
>> in them. The "search" uses index files to speed things up. I've found
>> an index.pdx file in /opt/idl/idl_5.6/help, but when I add this to the
>> list of indexes in Acrobat Reader I get "index is currently
>> unavailable". Can other people search the documentation? Is it
>> Solaris, IDL, Acroread or bad-luck?
>>
>>
>> I've just done a test and it takes 3mins 10sec (on my SunBlade 100) to
>> do a 'find' through just the IDL Reference Guide - though things are
>> quicker if you look for something at the beginning of the file. Not
>> really the speed I was after!
>>
>> Any hints gratefully received,
>>
>> Thanks, Justin
>>
>> PS I get a feeling that this might bring out the IDLWave evangelists!
>>
>
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| Re: Searching PDF help in IDL 5.6 [message #35843 is a reply to message #35842] |
Thu, 31 July 2003 14:35 |
William Thompson
Messages: 8
Registered: June 1997
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Junior Member |
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Justin:
I don't know why you can't search under Solaris. I know that it's not possible
under Linux. This line is found in the README file distributed with the Linux
version of acroread
> Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0.7 Additional Information
>
> There is no search functionality available for the Linux version of the
> Acrobat Reader.
Major bummer!
What I do is to go through the alphabetical index to find what I'm looking for,
which is awkward, or simply fire up the IDL help from 5.4.
William Thompson
Justin wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> IDL 5.6, Solaris 5.9, Acroread 5.0.5
>
> We've just upgraded from IDL 5.4 to 5.6 (nothing like being on the
> cytting edge). Now I'm really not keen on the PDF help (seems like a way
> for RSI to make it easier for themselves and not the user) but I think
> that discussion has already been had and so no need to resurrect it...
>
> So my problem: I can't "search" the PDF help files, I can only "find" in
> them. The "search" uses index files to speed things up. I've found an
> index.pdx file in /opt/idl/idl_5.6/help, but when I add this to the list
> of indexes in Acrobat Reader I get "index is currently unavailable". Can
> other people search the documentation? Is it Solaris, IDL, Acroread or
> bad-luck?
>
>
> I've just done a test and it takes 3mins 10sec (on my SunBlade 100) to
> do a 'find' through just the IDL Reference Guide - though things are
> quicker if you look for something at the beginning of the file. Not
> really the speed I was after!
>
> Any hints gratefully received,
>
> Thanks, Justin
>
> PS I get a feeling that this might bring out the IDLWave evangelists!
>
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