encloses a newly introduced term that is being explained. Use for the first
occurrence of the main concept of every manual page, or the first occurrence
of a new concept after a sub-heading if necessary.
+Keep in mind that <dfn> tags might be used to generate an index of keywords
+- don't pollute it too much.
<abbr>
is used to explain an abbreviation such as <abbr title="Linux Audio
Developers Simple Plugin API">LADSPA</abbr>. Browsers will usually pop up the
-definition when the user hovers over the word, and it can easily be
-extracted via CSS for printing.
-Use only for the first occurrence of every new abbreviation.
+definition when the user hovers over the word.
+On each page, use only for the first occurrence of every abbreviation. Avoid
+a redundant explanation in the text - the expansion can easily be extracted
+via CSS for printing.
<em>
is used to emphasize a word. Commonly rendered as italics.
your Mac-using friend. Nice, uh?
For anything you want the user to type, use <kbd> as a block-level element.
+See above for other <kbd> classes to denote menu items, selections, mouse
+events and controller actions.
<code>
is only used for program code, or the content of configuration files etc. Do
<h2>Conventions Used In This Manual</h2>
<p>
-This section covers some of the typographical and language conventions
-used in this manual.
+ This section covers some of the typographical and language conventions
+ used in this manual.
</p>
<h3>Keyboards and Modifiers</h3>
<p>
-Keyboard bindings are shown like this: <kbd>s</kbd> or <kbd class="mod1">x</kbd>.
-<kbd>Ctrl x</kbd> means "press the <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> key, keep it pressed and then also
-press the <kbd>x</kbd> key. You may also see key combinations such as
-<kbd class="mod12">e</kbd>, which mean that you should press the <kbd
-class="mod1"> </kbd> key, then while keeping it pressed also press the
-<kbd class="mod2"> </kbd> key and then while
-keeping them both pressed, finally press the <kbd>e</kbd> key.</p>
+ <dfn>Keyboard bindings</dfn> are shown like this: <kbd>s</kbd> or
+ <kbd class="mod1">x</kbd>.
+</p>
+<p>
+ <kbd>Ctrl x</kbd> means "press the <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> key, keep it pressed
+ and then also press the <kbd>x</kbd> key. You may also see key combinations
+ such as <kbd class="mod12">e</kbd>, which mean that you should hold down
+ the <kbd class="mod1"> </kbd> key <em>and</em> the
+ <kbd class="mod2"> </kbd> key, and then while keeping them both
+ down, press the <kbd>e</kbd> key.
+</p>
<p>
-Note that different platforms have different conventions for which modifier key
-(Control or Command) to use as the primary or most common modifier. When viewing
-this manual from a machine identifying itself as running OS X, you will see
-<kbd>Cmd</kbd> where appropriate (for instance in the first example above).
-On other machines you will see <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> instead.
+ Note that different platforms have different conventions for which
+ modifier key (Control or Command) to use as the primary or most common
+ modifier. When viewing this manual from a machine identifying itself as
+ running OS X, you will see <kbd>Cmd</kbd> where appropriate (for instance
+ in the first example above). On other machines you will see <kbd>Ctrl</kbd>
+ instead.
</p>
<h3>Menu Items</h3>
<p>
-Menu items are indicated like this:<br />
-<kbd class="menu">Top > Next > Deeper</kbd>. Each ">"-separated item
-indicates one level of a nested (sub-)menu.
+ Menu items are indicated like this:<br />
+ <kbd class="menu">Top > Next > Deeper</kbd>.<br />
+ Each ">"-separated item indicates one level of a nested (sub-)menu.
</p>
<h3>Preference/Dialog Options</h3>
<p>
-Choices in various dialogs, notably the Preferences and Properties dialog, are
-indicated like this:<br />
-<kbd class="option">Edit > Preferences > Audio > Some Option</kbd>.
-Each successive item indicates either a (sub-) menu or a tabbed dialog
-navigation. The final item is the one to choose or select.
+ Choices in various dialogs, notably the Preferences and Properties dialog, are
+ indicated like this:<br />
+ <kbd class="option">Edit > Preferences > Audio > Some
+ Option</kbd>.<br />
+ Each successive item indicates either a (sub-) menu or a tabbed dialog
+ navigation. The final item is the one to choose or select.
</p>
<p>
-If you are requested to deselect an option, you will see something like
-this:<br />
-<kbd class="optoff">Edit > Preferences > Audio > Some other
-Option</kbd>.
+ If you are requested to deselect an option, you will see something like
+ this:<br />
+ <kbd class="optoff">Edit > Preferences > Audio > Some other
+ Option</kbd>.<br />
</p>
<h3>Notes</h3>
<p class="note">
-Important notes about things that might not otherwise be obvious are shown in this
-format.
+ Important notes about things that might not otherwise be obvious are shown in
+ this format.
</p>
<h3>Warnings</h3>
<p class="warning">
-Hairy issues that might cause things to go wrong, lose data, or impair sound
-quality is displayed in this way.
+ Hairy issues that might cause things to go wrong, lose data, or impair sound
+ quality is displayed in this way.
</p>
<h3>Mouse Buttons</h3>
<p>
-We refer to <a href="/setting-up-your-system/the-mouse">mouse buttons</a> as
-<kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd>, <kbd class="mouse">Middle</kbd> and
-<kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>. Ardour can use additional buttons, but they have
-no default behaviour in the program.
+ We refer to <a href="/setting-up-your-system/the-mouse">mouse buttons</a> as
+ <kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd>, <kbd class="mouse">Middle</kbd> and
+ <kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>. Ardour can use additional buttons, but they have
+ no default behaviour in the program.
</p>
<h4>Mouse click modifiers</h4>
<p>
-Many editing functions are performed by clicking the mouse while holding a
-modifier key, for example <kbd class="mouse mod1">Left</kbd>.
-
+ Many editing functions are performed by clicking the mouse while holding a
+ modifier key, for example <kbd class="mouse mod1">Left</kbd>.
</p>
+
<h4>"Context-click"</h4>
-<p>Many times the term <kbd class="mouse">context-click</kbd> is used to indicate
-that you should (typically) right-click on a particular element of the graphical
-user interface. Although right-click is the common, default way to do this, there
-are other ways to accomplish the same thing - this term refers to any of them,
-and the result is always that a menu specific to the item you clicked on will be
-displayed.
+<p>
+ Many times the term <kbd class="mouse">context-click</kbd> is used to indicate
+ that you should (typically) right-click on a particular element of the graphical
+ user interface. Although right-click is the common, default way to do this, there
+ are other ways to accomplish the same thing - this term refers to any of them,
+ and the result is always that a menu specific to the item you clicked on will be
+ displayed.
</p>
<h3>"The Pointer"</h3>
<p>
-When the manual refers to the "pointer", it means the on-screen representation
-of the mouse position or the location of a touch action if you are using a touch
-interface.
+ When the manual refers to the "pointer", it means the on-screen representation
+ of the mouse position or the location of a touch action if you are using a touch
+ interface.
</p>
<h3>Other user input</h3>
<p>
-Ardour supports hardware controllers, such as banks of <kbd
-class="fader">faders</kbd>, <kbd class="knob">knobs</kbd>, or <kbd
-class="button">buttons</kbd>.
+ Ardour supports hardware controllers, such as banks of
+ <kbd class="fader">faders</kbd>, <kbd class="knob">knobs</kbd>, or
+ <kbd class="button">buttons</kbd>.
</p>
<p>
An <dfn>Ardour session</dfn> is a container for an entire project. A
session may contain an arbitrary number of <dfn>tracks</dfn> and
- <dfn>busses</dfn> consisting of audio and MIDI data, along with
+ <dfn>busses</dfn> consisting of audio and <abbr title="Musical Instrument
+ Digital Interface">MIDI</abbr> data, along with
information on processing those tracks, a mix of levels, and everything
else related to the project. A session might typically contain a song, or
perhaps an entire album or a complete live recording.
other details.
</p>
<p>
- Ardour's session file is kept in XML format, which is advantageous as it
- is somewhat human-readable, and human-editable in a crisis. Sound files
- are stored in one of a number of optional formats, and MIDI files as SMF
- (standard MIDI format).
+ Ardour's session file is kept in
+ <abbr title="eXtensible Markup Language">XML</abbr> format, which is
+ advantageous as it is somewhat human-readable, and human-editable in a
+ crisis. Sound files are stored in one of a number of optional formats, and
+ MIDI files as <abbr title="Standard MIDI File">SMF</abbr>.
</p>
<p>
It is also possible for Ardour sessions to reference sound and MIDI files
the following plugin standards:
</p>
<dl class="wide-table">
- <dt>LADSPA</dt>
+ <dt><abbr title="Linux Audio Developers' Simple Plugin API">LADSPA</abbr></dt>
<dd>the first major plugin standard for Linux. Many LADSPA plugins are
available, mostly free and open-source.</dd>
- <dt>LV2</dt>
+ <dt><abbr title="LADSPA Version 2">LV2</abbr></dt>
<dd>the successor to LADSPA. Lots of plugins have been ported from
LADSPA to LV2, and also many new plugins written.</dd>
- <dt>VST</dt>
+ <dt><abbr title="Virtual Studio Technology">VST</abbr></dt>
<dd>Ardour supports VST plugins that have been compiled for Linux.</dd>
- <dt>AudioUnit (AU)</dt>
+ <dt><abbr title="Audio Units">AU</abbr></dt>
<dd>Mac OS X versions of Ardour support AudioUnit plugins.</dd>
</dl>
<p>