Contributing to the OpenSim Documentation

Help us improve and expand the OpenSim documentation! Once you create an account on confluence, just send us a message and we will add you to the documentation editor group so that you will be able to make edits to our documentation wiki. The site tracks contributors, so you will get credit for your efforts. Before you make changes please review our guidelines.

Documentation Guidelines and Style Guide

This section will cover two main topics regarding OpenSim documentation.  Contributions made to this wiki should be in agreement with the Style Guidelines and if you're having trouble making the wiki do what you want it to, visit Tips For Editing.

Style Guidelines

DO's:

• Page Format
  • Every page needs a title that is descriptive of the material contained in the page.
  • If you're contributing multiple related pages they should be included in one overarching topic with links between pages for the reader's convenience.
  • Every page should have a table of contents at the top of the page listing the topics on that page.
  • Use tables to organize text and graphics appropriately.
  • Use hyperlinks to help navigate your pages.
• Content
  • Content should be relevant and readable.
  • Content should be an unexplored topic in the documentation.  If you are unsure if your desired topic has been covered previously, please email us at opensim@stanford.edu. If you have suggestions for how to improve an existing page, send those suggestions via email.

DON'T's:

• Page Format
  • You shouldn't make a text-only page with no headings within the pages and no graphics.
  • You shouldn't try and make your page stand alone. Reference other existing pages in the wiki for clarity.
• Content
  • You shouldn't create pages with unrelated topics
  • You shouldn't make pages about your personal research.  Information about how you're using OpenSim belongs in the user's forum or on your personal SimTK project page.

Confluence Documentation 

• Create and edit pages
• Using the Editor
• Working with links
• Working with Anchors
• Working with tables
  
  

Equations

You can insert equations that use LaTeX markup using the LaTeX Math Block macro. For example, you can create this formula

by choosing Insert → LaTeX Math Block. Then enter the following in the LaTeX Math Block box:

\left(\, \sum_{k=1}^n a_k b_k \right)^2 \le \left(\, \sum_{k=1}^n a_k^2 \right) \left(\, \sum_{k=1}^n b_k^2 \right)

The following links might be helpful if you are new to LaTeX:

• http://www.codecogs.com/latex/eqneditor.php
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Displaying_a_formula

Things to Do

There is a list of items that we know need work in the Documentation To Do List.

Video Ideas

You can also contribute tutorial videos. See the existing tutorials or your YouTube channel for examples. See some ideas in the Documentation To Do List.