Re: [tuning] Digest Number 1151

Hi Graham,

> If a newbie does that on a calculator, it won't work. They'll use
> common instead of natural logarithms. That should be pointed out.
> Something like "if your calculator has an `ln' key, use that instead
> of the `log' key".

Okay, I've updated it:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robertwalker/tree/tree.htm

"Here the base of the exp and log have to match - either use use exp and
ln (natural log) - i.e. the exp and ln buttons on your calculator, or use
10^x with log(x).

Both work equally well: e^((cents/1200)*ln 2) = 10^((cents/1200)*log 2)
"

AS for text version of the FAQ, I took it for granted that we meant
the type of FAQ one comes across often on web sites and reads on-line,
but if one needs to have it in text form too, one would have to convert
the superscripts (as I have in this post).

I suppose that is something to consider while planning the FAQ.

For example, I imagine it would be nice to have musical clips and graphics,
but if it is text only, one is restricted to ascii diagrams, and using ascii note
values for musical examples.

If one does it in html, then javascript is by far the most likely to
be supported - it doesn't even need java - the name is a misnomer as it
isn't really java at all, but a script language that uses some features
of c, and some of java, and some of its own, which is especially easy to use
in html pages. If you disable java you can still run it. I think any modern
browser would run it.

Though you won't be able to use the tree menu, as that does use java.
So if one wanted that in the FAQ, one needs to have an alternative available too.

For example, one could use the tree structure across the top of the window.
with > signs (like the one in Google) as a second level of navigation of the
same site - if you click on one of the underlined texts in it, you get
a list of all the entries in that branch of the tree.

The reason for suggesting the tree is that it could be useful for keeping track of
the faq while in progress, so everyone can look at it, and see the latest
versions of all the drafts, even if they are hosted in a number of web sites.

One could decide later what is the best navigation system for the final
FAQ. Maybe a tree again, but maybe some other method would work better.

This particular tree is very clearly laid out and easy to maintain, basically
just a list of urls.

Here it is in fact:

Cents to from ratios$1$$$How to convert ratios to cents and back
Cents to ratios and back again$2$cents_to_from_ratios.htm$main$Converting cents to ratios
and back.
Meantone in cents$2$mean_tone_in_cents.htm$main$How to find meantone scale in cents
Ratios with factors$2$ratios_with_factors.htm$main$Finding ratios for cents, including or
excluding factors

The dollar signs are separators. The $2$ is the level of nesting. The
text on the left is the one you see on the tree, and the one on the right
is the one that shows at the bottom of the window when the mouse hovers
over the link.

When there is no html link specified, then the entry is a folder instead.

I offer these javascript pages for the FAQ if one would like them, and feel
they could possibly be helpful to newbies, at least, that was the motivation
for them.

If anyone has disabled Java and wants to see them without using the tree control
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robertwalker/tree/html_tree.htm

Robert

Robert Walker wrote:

> Okay, I've updated it:
> http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robertwalker/tree/tree.htm
>
> "Here the base of the exp and log have to match - either use use
exp and
> ln (natural log) - i.e. the exp and ln buttons on your calculator,
or use
> 10^x with log(x).
>
> Both work equally well: e^((cents/1200)*ln 2) =
10^((cents/1200)*log 2)
> "

That looks fine, although I don't see the update.

> AS for text version of the FAQ, I took it for granted that we meant
> the type of FAQ one comes across often on web sites and reads
on-line,
> but if one needs to have it in text form too, one would have to
convert
> the superscripts (as I have in this post).

FAQs were originally Usenet things, and plain text. As it says at the
bottom "You do not need web access to participate" the FAQ should be
available by e-mail.

> I suppose that is something to consider while planning the FAQ.

Yes, most things should translate over fairly easily.

> For example, I imagine it would be nice to have musical clips and
graphics,
> but if it is text only, one is restricted to ascii diagrams, and
using ascii note
> values for musical examples.

I'd impose the same restriction on an HTML FAQ anyway.

> If one does it in html, then javascript is by far the most likely to
> be supported - it doesn't even need java - the name is a misnomer
as it
> isn't really java at all, but a script language that uses some
features
> of c, and some of java, and some of its own, which is especially
easy to use
> in html pages. If you disable java you can still run it. I think any
modern
> browser would run it.

Oh, we certainly don't want to mess with Java. It'd mean the FAQ
couldn't be delivered as a single file, along with everything else.

> Though you won't be able to use the tree menu, as that does use
java.
> So if one wanted that in the FAQ, one needs to have an alternative
available too.

...

> The reason for suggesting the tree is that it could be useful for
keeping track of
> the faq while in progress, so everyone can look at it, and see the
latest
> versions of all the drafts, even if they are hosted in a number of
web sites.
>
> One could decide later what is the best navigation system for the
final
> FAQ. Maybe a tree again, but maybe some other method would work
better.

For the final one, it'd have to be self-sufficient. Maybe it could be
formatted somwhere using standard frames.

Note that "view source" isn't so easy from a frame either.

> I offer these javascript pages for the FAQ if one would like them,
and feel
> they could possibly be helpful to newbies, at least, that was the
motivation
> for them.
>
> If anyone has disabled Java and wants to see them without using the
tree control
> http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robertwalker/tree/html_tree.htm

I found it worked okay on Netscape 6 without the Java Plugin
installed, but I did wonder what the applet was for.

Looks like everything from "So far so good" on would be more
appropriate as a link to your website than inlined in the FAQ.
Perhaps the ratio-to-cents example can stay, and a companion that
converts cents to a decimal fraction. For a plain text FAQ, show the
JavaScript code as it may still be useful.

Graham