I've been told for numerous releases that Infragistics was going to beef up their documentation (as it used to be for releases years ago) and it has yet to be changed. I've provided samples over and over of things that should be easy to do (and are once you figure out the magical method that isn't documented) but aren't listed in the help file because it's automatically generated using a tool that only lists classes without examples, or decent usage examples, or even context for usage.
I'd like to challenge Infragistics to either live up to their word on the documentation OR hire a developer that has never used their controls before and have that developer try to create a robust site with both server-side and client-side code, using their controls AND only able to get information from the documenation/help file.
I don't think it can be done, or easily done at the very least. Not without having to constantly turn to the forums, or simply pulling one's hair out.
I would agree with a post above that the AUTOGENERATED documentation is worthless. I can find out the types and methods with intellesence.
Also amazed how the most common things people would do with these components are missing from the documentation. I think users would love to SUPPLEMENT the documentation with some code snippets and comments - like a wiki. Would be nice if completed forum questions with ACCURATE answers be copied into the documentation.
Dead ends and hanging posts that are over 2 years old should be deleted.
Also being new to the product, seeing old references in the documentation to old product (i.e. ultragrid vs webdatagrid) are very confusing /
Also starting to really like the document.pdf control/library but can't believe the nocopy/noprint options are properties but not implements (i.e. future?)
Although I am still glad I purchased the Infragistics package, and eventually I get everytthing to work with the help of google or support. I find it very frustrating.
Really love the videos you made but there needs to be lots more!!!!. Think your people should all make 1 video per day on something. If they refuse, have them start writing documentation. Would be glad to assist with more feedback if it would help.
Hello Everyone,
Although creating a sample will speed up the process for Developer Support we are here to work with you. Please email me if you find that you are "immediately being asked for a sample". Our practice is to create a sample for the functionality you are working to achieve.
DSManager@infragistics.com
Support response times are listed here:http://es.infragistics.com/support/policies.aspx#SupportPolicies
You should let the Developer Support Engineer know about your project, timeframe and deadlines so that we can be sure to make you successful.
The ideas and issues you mentioned are taken seriously and we have a team of people that work on your experience with us. Our goal is to make it a pleasant one and my job is to make sure you are happy.
Please contact me directly the instant you need any assistance with Developer Support, so I can help you.
Have a safe holiday season,Stephani
I entirely agree with nlehman. I have tried using support a couple of times and I am immediately asked to create a sample. As hesays it can take days of time to extract the failing code in order to create a sample, and then it takes days to get a response. This means that the quickest way is to forget support and to create some work-around or even a re-design. My support history shows similar things.
I agree withhis other points too including the emergency support idea.
Sorry about some typos but the cursor in the Quick Reply box vanishes if you move the box.....
Hi,
This looked like a great place to raise some of my issues too. Here goes:
1) The forums are great when someone works it till the end. It's so weird how sometimes a serious question is never addressed and sometimes just left in the middle. I bet everyone loses their mind trying to search the forums when the same thread comes up a dozens times in a search if there are matches in several posts.
2) Phone support is also funny. Most support people don't answer questions on first call. They need to "research it" or need to "create a sample." That process can take days to weeks. Look at my support case record. Mike D. is the only one who will figure it out right there. If he can't, he's IM ing the guys who can. The last time I had such a good guy, he was promoted to team lead and I lost him.
3) There are too many places to find information. Documentation, videos, blogs, forums, articles, knowledgebase, samples.
4) There needs to be an emergency support system even if it's charged for. Maybe per incident, maybe per hour. If we get stuck at a dead end and we need to finish a project, there is no way around the system. There needs to be somehow someway to get a problem solved when it has to be solved immediately. Sort of like a bat phone to Alex or David. We're running line of business systems which can run into a problem anytime. I'm sure everyone agrees that our deadlines are meaningless now because we can never be confident about our time needs.
I have some more issues but these are some of the biggest ones.
Ed
Craig,
Very nice to hear that you guys are making a concerted effort. If I could throw my 2 cents out there the biggest thing missing, at least for aspx, is a matrix with the combination of different properties and how turning on one will impact the other.
A huge issue is the use of a datasoruce vs. manually databinding and its impact on different propties. It seems that many features/behviours rely on datasource binding but not always and to be totally honest we have senior developers here bascially doing trial and error burning hours trying to figure out why things work or don't work. Then we start regression testing and code that worked with one set of settings now no longer works.
If you have some limitations they need to be clearly documented or have a flag on the control that if I set it to 'manual' databinding then the various properties are disabled.
I pushed to get us to get a couple of licenses to use the controls and I have lost all clout after the problems we have had.
Also the forum responses are so spotty that I'm not sure if they are really for support or not. I understand how difficult it can be to support forums, especially with cultural and language challenges, but getting answers, especially to theoretical/best practice ones, is not great.
Thanks
jack