|
Getting the Most out of this CD
We know that many people read instructions as a last resort, if ever. The fact that you have opened this page is a good start, even if you go no further, it's here if you need it in the future.
However, we do encourage you to have a quick look at this topic because it will teach you some really useful tricks that will save you time and improve your experience of using the CD. At the very least, we recommend a quick skim just to see what's available in the event that you do hit frustrations or problems.
QUICK TOUR OF THE MAIN FEATURES
When you first open the CD it looks much the same as many web sites, a list of topics on the left hand side and content appearing on the right.
Using the drop down menus
Below is an extract from the topics list. Headings in WHITE do not open any new content, what they do is drop down a list of sub headings for that section of the CD-ROM. Try clicking on FEEDING THE SOIL inside the gray box below and watch what happens.
Links which open new content are Black rolling over to RED when you position your mouse cursor on top of them. Click on any of the black/red topics that appear above after you have dropped down FEEDING THE SOIL and a new window will open containing the content you want to look at.
As you drop down the topic menus on the left you will find that there are a lot of places to visit. This CD has over 200 pages and in excess of 1000 images so it is important to be clear about how to navigate your way through. We have provided several tools to help you.
• Table of Contents and A-Z Index
You can switch between them by using the  or  buttons. If you can't find what you're looking for using one method, switch to the other and double your chances.
• Next Page/Previous Page links
These are provided at the bottom of each page and will take you forward or back through the logical sequence of the CD just as if it were a book. Note that this is different from the behaviour of the Back/Forward buttons in your browser - they take you to the last page you were on, regardless of where that was in the logical sequence of the CD.
• Slide shows
In a few cases we have decided that presenting images as a slide show will enhance understanding of the topic. Sometimes you have the option of looking at the images in a sequence or looking at them in a slide show. In this case the slide show will open in its own window. This is simply closed when you are finished, your main browser window will be there waiting for you. In other cases the slide show is there in the main window waiting to be looked at.
At the bottom of every slide show you will find the following:
A single click on Next will make the slide show advance forward one picture.
A single click on Previous will move the slide show back one picture.
Ways of approaching/using the CD
There are many ways you could approach the CD and your usage will obviously change as you become more familiar with it.
|
Approach/Use
|
Description
|
Features likely to be useful
|
|
Read from start to finish like a book.
|
If you start at the Introduction you can work your way through the
whole thing from top to bottom and it will make sense.
You will
also get the whole story.
|
The table of contents
Back/Forward links
|
|
Dip in for task-related information
|
It is also possible to dip into the CD. For example to say check up when to plant
tomatoes or print out a page so that you have the design beside you when you go to make a string line winder.
|
A-Z Index
The table of contents
|
|
Use a Quick Start option
|
Although the techniques described will work from the scale of a back
yard vegetable garden to a small market garden there are sections that some people will find more useful than others.
For this reason, we've created 'Quick Start' options for:
• home gardeners
• commercial growers
(market gardeners)
|
|
Trouble shooting - things that could go wrong
We have put a lot of effort into trying to make this CD work well on most computers and with most internet browsers. Of course there will be exceptions, here are some things to try if you are not finding the CD easy to use. Please email us with your difficulties and we will try to fix the problems on future editions of the CD - cd@allsun.com.au
|
If . . .
|
Then Try . . .
|
|
I can't fit enough of the pictures or text on my screen
|
If you have a small screen and can remove your top tool bars you will
make more room to view the images.
HOWEVER make sure you don't lose your back and forward browser navigation buttons.
|
|
I have to wait too long for new pages to appear on the screen
|
Copy the contents of the CD onto your hard disk.
|
|
The text is too small (or too large)
|
Changing the size of the type in a browser window as follows:
• Go to the top tool bar of your browser window and choose View>Text Zoom>Larger or Smaller
|
|
I can't print or I can print but something goes wrong with the printed copy
|
Might not be able to fix this problem but try the following . . .
• Always make sure that you click in the main white background, information window before attempting to print. Otherwise you may end up printing the Table of Contents or Index and waste paper and time.
• Go to print preview - where you should find larger/smaller/fit to page options.
|
|
The images look a bit fuzzy
|
We had to design this CD for 800x600 resolution screens. If you are lucky enough to have a big high resolution screen the images may lack sharpness in full screen view.
• Shrink the browser window down a bit.
|
Please Give Us Your Feedback
We've tried to make it as easy to use as possible. If you're having trouble with something and we don't cover it here, send an email to: cd@allsun.com.au
Quick Start Options
Home Gardeners
• Feeding the Soil
• Preparing Raised Beds
• Planting
• Weeding
• Vegetables A-Z
Commercial Growers/Market Gardeners
• Design & Planning - this is a must
• Tools
• The Tool Shed
• Preparing the ground
• Irrigation
• Planting
• Weeding
• Covered Cropping
• Marketing
|
FEEDING THE SOIL
Previous Page:
