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RE: [ndoc-devel] Custom documentation topics with NDoc and MsdnDocumenter
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From: Heath S. <clu...@ho...> - 2005-12-29 17:19:58
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<html><div style='background-color:'><P>You don't need NDoc to do this job. If you're compiling CHMs you can decompile them using the HTML Help Workshop available from msdn.microsoft.com (this can even be automated) change the TOC (it's an HTML file - maybe even well-formed enough to be XML...I don't remember off hand) and add in your other HTML pieces. If you're using the Msdn2 documentor you can create your own HxS and HxI files and integrate them per instructions for HTML Help2. The Visual Studio Combined Collection, for example, merges many TOCs and content files for VS itself, and the MSDN Library merge itself into the VSCC. Third parties can also do this.</P> <P>HTML Help (CHM) can do this with the proper application. Old MSDN Library used to do this.</P> <P>My point is don't make NDoc do something for which it's not intended when ways of doing this already exist. The tools exist and can be called via automation (like a batch script) to do what you need. This also allows you to decouple your other, non-API documentation from your API documentation which will, of course, change over time (though your other content may not...at least as much).</P> <P>My recommendation is to use HTML Help 2 if you can. Currently this does require either the .NET Framework SDK 1.0+, VS 7.0+, or recent (i.e., the last several years) MSDN Library (a couple other apps may come with it...don't remember off hand) but if you're developing a third-party control for VS or .NET it's likely you can depend on Document Explorer being there.</P> <P>Sorry, but I'm not aware of any plans to yet release Document Explorer as a third-party redist (like HTML Help 1.x).</P> <P>---<BR><STRONG>Heath Stewart<BR></STRONG>Software Design Engineer<BR>Developer Division Customer Product-Lifecycle Experience<BR>Microsoft Corporation<BR><A href="http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths">http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths</A></P> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #a0c6e5 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: tahoma,sans-serif"> <HR color=#a0c6e5 SIZE=1> From: <I>Atanas Ilchev <ata...@gm...></I><BR>To: <I>ndo...@li...</I><BR>Subject: <I>[ndoc-devel] Custom documentation topics with NDoc and MsdnDocumenter</I><BR>Date: <I>Thu, 29 Dec 2005 15:03:34 +0200</I><BR><BR> <DIV>Hi All,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm responsible for a small team, which works on another open source project (<A href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/cybercore">http://sourceforge.net/projects/cybercore</A>). However, as we all know, the whole effort is of a little value without a proper documentation... </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When it comes to documentation, NDoc is the tool which will play the central role (no surprises here). The problem is that currently NDoc can be used for only what I call "API refernce", which is far away from what I consider to be the necessary minimum. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So I've assigned to one of the developers the task to "upgrade" the msdn documenter in such a way, which will permit us to create custom topic trees in the TOC - they will lead to not-directly-code-related info (but with possible liks to the API reference). Here is the place to say, that she started to show some quite serious pregress... </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Regarding all this, I would like to ask 2 questions:</DIV> <DIV>- Is there something like this already realized? I do not like the possibility to come out with a re-invented wheel at the end...</DIV> <DIV>- Because this "enchancement" seems like a very serious candidate for contribution, is there such planned feature (i.e. - is there a need for such a contribution)?</DIV><BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></div></html> |
