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Seven rules for writing UDO source files

Before starting to write UDO source files you should take a look at these rules and learn them by heart:

  1. Arrange your documentation clearly!
     
  2. Speak directly to the reader.
     
    Use "You can..." instead of "It's possible to...".
     
  3. Use text styles sparingly and homogeneously.
     
    Don't use italic, bold and underlined text too often. But if you use different text styles use them homogeneously. This documentations prints all UDO command in italics, all filenames are printed with a mono-spaced font.
     
  4. Make it brief as possible.
     
    Don't write novels, come straight to the point. If you don't the reader may get bored while reading your manual.
     
    I have to admit that I'm not able to do this in some cases. ;-)
     
  5. Use short chapter names.
     
    If you use short chapter names the reader will find the chapter more quickly after having read the table of contents. Furthermore you can help UDO to insert hypertext links more quickly.
     
  6. Avoid to use the same chapter name more than once.
     
    If you use the same chapter name more than once UDO and the hypertext compilers get confused. And you will confuse the reader, too.
     
  7. Use macros and definitions sparingly.
     
    UDO has to look for macros and definitions twice in every line of your source file. Any additional macro or definitions slows down the conversion.
     

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