From there, I cannot figure out how to reliably get to the alt menu,
The SX210 has two button that can be used to enter <ALT> mode. By default, it's the Video button but you can change it to the Playback button in the CHDK menus. To enter <ALT>, a short press is required on the button. If you press and hold for more than about 1/2 second, the original function of the button ( start video or enter playback mode) takes over.
and how to get the changes to take effect.
Changes you make to the exposure override settings take effect when you exit <ALT> mode and go back to normal shooting. The Canon on-screen display might not show you this so you can use the CHDK on-screen display icons
I also find it very confusing that everything in the menus seems to be based on disabling overrides.
Seems enabling features would be a more logical way to think.
This has been the subject of many debates that usually end up leaving things the way they are for backwards compatability / documentation reasons.
I was thinking that the program would operate with the normal camera functions, and just extend the options, like where you choose your iso, you just have more numbers to turn to. That would be easy and do what I want.
It might be easy to do but it would be very difficult to program as the Canon firmware has not been hacked deeply enough to allow that. The CHDK source code is available and you are welcome to try.
Meanwhile, you might find this useful - especially if you set it up to run automatically when the camera starts :
CHDKplusMaybe there is a later one hidden away somewhere.
If you simply go to the
CHDK Wiki, a link to the current manual is right in front of you at top of the page :
CHDK_1.2.0_User_Manual
