The entire QB64 Wiki assembled in a pdf file

[Coolman]

hello. i downloaded the qb64 wiki with SMcNeill program, then i made a program to clean up the htmls files by removing a useless section at the end of the file. i converted the htmls files to pdfs. as a last step i created a script to assemble all the files into one. it's a big mass of information about qb64 offline. here's the result in case it could be useful to others :

SHA256 : b69525cc55eadd3338046d9140752ac53eef717df9a18ecb20e6198bb97299c6
https://ufile.io/nqovwsgw

Please note that the file will be available for approximately 30 days.

[Fifi]

Hello Coolman,
Nice job but what .pdf tool should I use to have the hypertext links to function?
I currently use Adobe Acorbat Reader DC (64-bit) on Windows 10 Pro and Windows 11 Pro and also on MacOS 10.9.5 and 10.13.6 and finally on Linuxmint 20.3 Cinnamon but none of the hypertext link works on any of these OSes.
So, I'm sorry to say that  "as is", it's almost useless.
Or, where am I wrong?
TIA for your help and/or advice.
Cheers.
Fifi

[RhoSigma]

I've dropped Acrobat a long time ago. Simply using Firefox, the built-in pdf support will do the rest

Just once choose any PDF with right click >> Open With, select Firefox and tick the box "Always open this filetype with the selected application".

[Coolman]

Hello @Fifi, the links are disabled because it would not be coherent. the treatment consisted in converting many htmls files to pdfs format, then gathering all the files in one...

the method i use when i program is to load the pdf file and do keyword searches (also copy and paste the word search), okular under kde is very fast and efficient. i also use to gather source files of the language i use in one text format that i load with the kate text editor and i also do keyword searches. the best way to learn a language is to study the source code examples. for example for qb64, i have a text file of about 40 mo containing many codes. I recently made a console program in 10 minutes with qb64 using this method. This implies of course to know what you are looking for and to have some experience in programming.


@RhoSigma, when I was under windows, I used SumatraPDF and MuPDF very fast and open source programs.

[Fifi]

the best way to learn a language is to study the source code examples. for example for qb64, i have a text file of about 40 mo containing many codes.

Hello @ Coolman.

Thank you for your response about the links since I started to be crazy.

Now 100 % OK with your statement above. 

So, I'll wonder to see your 40 mo text file containing (hopefully) documented codes to learn how to use QB64.

May be should you consider to write a real good well documented user manual with a bunch of real concrete examples for each QB64 statement.

But I know, it's a dream any beginner has.

Cheers.
Fifi

[Coolman]

Hello @Fifi

*** So, I'll wonder to see your 40 mo text file containing (hopefully) documented codes to learn how to use QB64.

it's easy to do. you probably have a large collection of *.bas files. rename them to *.txt and use a program to join them all into one text file...

*** May be should you consider to write a real good well documented user manual with a bunch of real concrete examples for each QB64 statement.

it's already done. qb64 wiki online is excellent. that said, I prefer a pdf documentation, that's why I assembled all the files in one to consult it offline.

there's also Terry Ritchie's tutorial here:

https://qb64sourcecode.com/

[Kernelpanic]

There's something wrong here. There is no option to cancel due to an error.

[Kernelpanic]

Second try.

May be should you consider to write a real good well documented user manual with a bunch of real concrete examples for each QB64 statement.

There is a very good manual for QBasic (is QuickBasic without EXE) from MS-Press from 1991.
It's not really a beginner's book, but it explains all the possibilities of Q(uick)Basic very well. You can see the table of contents here:

The Waite Group's MS-DOS QBASIC: Programmer's Reference

I have the German version and it looks like this:
Offizielles Technisches QBasic Referenzhandbuch der Microsoft Corporation

Short description (German): Description by Antonis

Offers:
The Waite Group's MS-DOS QBASIC: Programmer's Reference

The Waite Group's MS-DOS QBASIC: Programmer's Reference

[Kernelpanic]

A page from the reference:

[RNBW]

There are advantages and disadvantages to having online help systems/wiki.  The main disadvantage is that you have to be online to use it.  If you are away from home and don't want to access possibly dodgy wifi, you are stumped!

I always try to produce a .chm and/or pdf help file, even though it means a lot of hard work copying and pasting and frequently adjusting text and format.  I was doing this so often that I decided to buy a copy of HelpNDoc Professional (using birthday and Christmas present money - it's a bit pricy).  It's been a good investment for me because I can use its editor to produce both .chm and pdf versions with ease.

I have started to develop the QB64 Phoenix Wiki using HelpNDoc and the following links are where I have got at present.  There is a long way to go.  I'm currently doing it as an hospital job, but if there is sufficent interest I will spend more time on it.

Links:  CHM  https://www.dropbox.com/s/46mukxbyfgpj5n...i.chm?dl=0
                    (after downloading right click on the file in Explorer, then Proprties and Unblock)

          PDF  https://www.dropbox.com/s/6zktrvlt1p7rlx...i.pdf?dl=0

I hope some will find it of interest.