ANNOUNCE: TimingAnalyzer -- new updated version

Hello All,

A new version beta 0.83 is now available. The following changes and
additions have occurred.

* Improved Image Preview Display.
* Context sensitive popup menus to edit objects.
* Path set in image save dialog works.
* Metric paper sizes added to image preview.
* Lower case z, and x now work bus value combobox in toolbar.
* Move signals up and down commands now respect any space in
diagrams used for Text.
* Objects attached to any signal being deleted are deleted
automatically.
* Save file now includes some more error checking before saving
objects.
* Delays can not be added to DigitalClocks.

You can download the Free Edition now and read all about the
TimingAnalyzer at:

www.timing-diagrams.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The TimingAnalyzer can be used to quickly and easily draw timing
diagrams. Signals, clocks, buses, delays, constraints, and states are
easily added from the GUI.

It can also be used to quickly do a timing analysis and check for
timing faults. Minimum, typical, and worst case analysis can be
performed. Delays and constraints are easily specified and changed to
see if faster clocks or slower parts can be used without any timing
faults.

There are 3 editions planned. The Free Edition(FE), a Standard
Edition(SE), and the Professional Edition(PE).

timinganalyzer

On Jun 8, 10:00 pm, timinganalyzer <timinganaly...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> A new version beta 0.83 is now available. The following changes and
> additions have occurred.
>
> * Improved Image Preview Display.
> * Context sensitive popup menus to edit objects.
> * Path set in image save dialog works.
> * Metric paper sizes added to image preview.
> * Lower case z, and x now work bus value combobox in toolbar.
> * Move signals up and down commands now respect any space in
> diagrams used for Text.
> * Objects attached to any signal being deleted are deleted
> automatically.
> * Save file now includes some more error checking before saving
> objects.
> * Delays can not be added to DigitalClocks.
>
> You can download the Free Edition now and read all about the
> TimingAnalyzer at:
>
> www.timing-diagrams.com
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The TimingAnalyzer can be used to quickly and easily draw timing
> diagrams. Signals, clocks, buses, delays, constraints, and states are
> easily added from the GUI.
>
> It can also be used to quickly do a timing analysis and check for
> timing faults. Minimum, typical, and worst case analysis can be
> performed. Delays and constraints are easily specified and changed to
> see if faster clocks or slower parts can be used without any timing
> faults.
>
> There are 3 editions planned. The Free Edition(FE), a Standard
> Edition(SE), and the Professional Edition(PE).


You asked for suggestions... I suggest that you spend some time
working on the docs. I don't mean the full up, detailed manual. I
mean come up with something that lets a beginner produce some simple
diagrams quickly. Leave out the fancy features and just explain the
basics of how this program is intended to be used. I think you feel
the program is simple, but it is not. Maybe once you get the user
over the initial hump, it is easy. But that initial hum is
significant.

You have several ways of getting documentation or help. I could only
find one that worked. In particular, you have a menu item in the
program that opens a link in the web browser... to an empty page. I
understand that this is a placeholder, but why have a placeholder that
only frustrates the user? Grey out the menu item to anything that is
not implemented or that does not work. No point in having users go
down dead ends.

Rick

rickman

On Jun 11, 12:26 pm, rickman <gnu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 8, 10:00 pm, timinganalyzer <timinganaly...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Hello All,
>
> > A new version beta 0.83 is now available. The following changes and
> > additions have occurred.
>
> > * Improved Image Preview Display.
> > * Context sensitive popup menus to edit objects.
> > * Path set in image save dialog works.
> > * Metric paper sizes added to image preview.
> > * Lower case z, and x now work bus value combobox in toolbar.
> > * Move signals up and down commands now respect any space in
> > diagrams used for Text.
> > * Objects attached to any signal being deleted are deleted
> > automatically.
> > * Save file now includes some more error checking before saving
> > objects.
> > * Delays can not be added to DigitalClocks.
>
> > You can download the Free Edition now and read all about the
> > TimingAnalyzer at:
>
> >www.timing-diagrams.com
>
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> > The TimingAnalyzer can be used to quickly and easily draw timing
> > diagrams. Signals, clocks, buses, delays, constraints, and states are
> > easily added from the GUI.
>
> > It can also be used to quickly do a timing analysis and check for
> > timing faults. Minimum, typical, and worst case analysis can be
> > performed. Delays and constraints are easily specified and changed to
> > see if faster clocks or slower parts can be used without any timing
> > faults.
>
> > There are 3 editions planned. The Free Edition(FE), a Standard
> > Edition(SE), and the Professional Edition(PE).
>
> You asked for suggestions... I suggest that you spend some time
> working on the docs. I don't mean the full up, detailed manual. I
> mean come up with something that lets a beginner produce some simple
> diagrams quickly. Leave out the fancy features and just explain the
> basics of how this program is intended to be used. I think you feel
> the program is simple, but it is not. Maybe once you get the user
> over the initial hump, it is easy. But that initial hum is
> significant.
>
> You have several ways of getting documentation or help. I could only
> find one that worked. In particular, you have a menu item in the
> program that opens a link in the web browser... to an empty page. I
> understand that this is a placeholder, but why have a placeholder that
> only frustrates the user? Grey out the menu item to anything that is
> not implemented or that does not work. No point in having users go
> down dead ends.
>
> Rick

The documentation in the application works.

Help Menu -> User Manual

It is very limited in scope but has the basics. There is also an step
by step example.

I know the documentation page on the website is empty. I'm looking
for help, beta testing and things like documentation. Anyone
interested in helping, please let me know.

I will try to improve the docs with each new release.

Thanks,
Dan

timinganalyzer

On Jun 12, 1:14 pm, timinganalyzer <timinganaly...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 11, 12:26 pm, rickman <gnu...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Jun 8, 10:00 pm, timinganalyzer <timinganaly...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > Hello All,
>
> > > A new version beta 0.83 is now available. The following changes and
> > > additions have occurred.
>
> > > * Improved Image Preview Display.
> > > * Context sensitive popup menus to edit objects.
> > > * Path set in image save dialog works.
> > > * Metric paper sizes added to image preview.
> > > * Lower case z, and x now work bus value combobox in toolbar.
> > > * Move signals up and down commands now respect any space in
> > > diagrams used for Text.
> > > * Objects attached to any signal being deleted are deleted
> > > automatically.
> > > * Save file now includes some more error checking before saving
> > > objects.
> > > * Delays can not be added to DigitalClocks.
>
> > > You can download the Free Edition now and read all about the
> > > TimingAnalyzer at:
>
> > >www.timing-diagrams.com
>
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> > > The TimingAnalyzer can be used to quickly and easily draw timing
> > > diagrams. Signals, clocks, buses, delays, constraints, and states are
> > > easily added from the GUI.
>
> > > It can also be used to quickly do a timing analysis and check for
> > > timing faults. Minimum, typical, and worst case analysis can be
> > > performed. Delays and constraints are easily specified and changed to
> > > see if faster clocks or slower parts can be used without any timing
> > > faults.
>
> > > There are 3 editions planned. The Free Edition(FE), a Standard
> > > Edition(SE), and the Professional Edition(PE).
>
> > You asked for suggestions... I suggest that you spend some time
> > working on the docs. I don't mean the full up, detailed manual. I
> > mean come up with something that lets a beginner produce some simple
> > diagrams quickly. Leave out the fancy features and just explain the
> > basics of how this program is intended to be used. I think you feel
> > the program is simple, but it is not. Maybe once you get the user
> > over the initial hump, it is easy. But that initial hum is
> > significant.
>
> > You have several ways of getting documentation or help. I could only
> > find one that worked. In particular, you have a menu item in the
> > program that opens a link in the web browser... to an empty page. I
> > understand that this is a placeholder, but why have a placeholder that
> > only frustrates the user? Grey out the menu item to anything that is
> > not implemented or that does not work. No point in having users go
> > down dead ends.
>
> > Rick
>
> The documentation in the application works.
>
> Help Menu -> User Manual
>
> It is very limited in scope but has the basics. There is also an step
> by step example.
>
> I know the documentation page on the website is empty. I'm looking
> for help, beta testing and things like documentation. Anyone
> interested in helping, please let me know.
>
> I will try to improve the docs with each new release.
>
> Thanks,
> Dan

I know you are working on the docs and everything else. My point is
that it is not a good practice to provide a link to an empty web
page. Instead of doing that, you should gray out the link that points
to it so people don't waste time looking where there is no help.

That's all. I'm not trying to complain about things. You asked for
suggestions and I am offering one. I think it is a pretty obvious
principle to not provide menu items that aren't currently working.
Wait until there is something to read, then give them a link to
access.

Good luck with it.

Rick

rickman