The .NET Documentation Tool contains the following
features:
Supports the following project types:
ASP.NET
Windows Forms
Console Applications
Class libraries
More than one project can included in the documentation,
making it possible to document entire Visual Studio "Solutions".
For ASP.NET projects, the file parser extracts content
from files written in either VB.NET or C#. Supported file types are:
ASP.NET files (.aspx, .asax).
User Controls (.ascx).
Master pages (.master).
Web Services (.asmx).
HTTP Handlers/Web Handlers (.ashx).
Code Behind Files containing the code
associated with ASP.NET files and User Controls.
Custom components (.vb and .cs).
Web.config files.
Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) files.
ASP.NET 2.0 site map files.
For Windows Forms projects and other non-ASP.NET projects,
the file parser extracts content from files written in either VB.NET or C#. Supported file
types are:
Windows Forms (.vb, .cs).
Custom components/classes (.vb and .cs).
App.config files.
Supports most C# and VB.NET XML Comments used by Visual Studio.NET and other code
editors.
Compatible with .NET Framework 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 code.
Silverlight/WPF files are also supported. Note that this technology is still in the
early stages of development by Microsoft and may be subject to change.
Configuration of the .NET Documentation Tool is through the editing of a
plain text configuration file [sample].
Can be scheduled to automatically update project documentation by making use of the
Windows AT command or the Task Scheduler.
Can be integrated with Visual Studio.NET through the Tools menu bar.
Detailed product documentation in Microsoft's HTML Help format.
Log file creation shows a comprehensive summary of the .NET Documentation Tool's
actions.
Report shows the following for both VB.NET and C#:
Namespaces: What namespaces are in the
project, and which classes are in each namespace.
Classes: What classes are in the project,
which namespace they belong to and what constructors, functions and subroutines are
defined within each class. Partial classes are also supported.
Enumerators and their properties.
Properties.
Constructors: Where they are defined, and
which arguments they use.
Functions: Where they are defined, and
which arguments they use.
Subroutines: Where they are defined, and
which arguments they use.
Additionally for ASP.NET projects:
Where Application and Session
variables are used.
Which User Controls are used in the
project.
Which Web Controls are used in the
project.
Which Validation Controls are used in the
project.
What web.config files are used on the project.
For Windows projects:
What app.config files are used on the project.
What controls are used on Windows Forms.
Where email addresses are located in the project.
SQL Server 7.0, 2000 and 2005 databases associated with
the .NET project can also be documented, with the following features:
Shows a list of tables within the
database.
Shows a list of views within the
database.
Shows a list of column names, type and
length associated with each table.
Shows a list of stored procedures,
including the full text of each stored procedure and its input parameters.
Shows where the stored procedure is called from in code
(provided the EXEC keyword is used in SQL statements or the stored procedures are
prefixed with "sp_").
Shows which stored procedures are used in each VB.NET or
C# file.
If you required it, the SQL Documentation Tool can be used to
generate even more detailed database developer documentation for SQL Server databases - generous discounts are available if you purchase the
SQL Documentation Tool at the same time as the .NET Documentation Tool.
There are a number of output options:
Standard HTML: This can be viewed in any web browser [sample],
including Internet Explorer and Netscape.
Microsoft's HTML Help format: This format [sample] has the
advantages of:
The project documentation is contained within a single, compressed .chm file.
The project documentation is searchable.
There is an index of project items.
The project documentation can be further modified using Microsoft's freely available
HTML Help Workshop application.
If the project makes use of Namespaces and Classes, an additional "Class
browser" HTML Help file is created in Microsoft's HTML Help format [sample].
RTF: This documentation is compatible with document processing tools
such as Word processors, and make it much easier to print copies of an application's
technical documentation. The RTF documents take advantage of the XML comments code
commenting system.
Plain Text: This is a text file containing a summary of the project. As
such it can be used as the basis of custom documentation written in a word processor [sample].
XML: This creates XML documentation in a similar format to that
provided using Visual Studio's "XML document file" option (or the /doc:file
compiler option). The .NET Documentation Tool does, however have a number of advantages
over the facility provided in Visual Studio:
XML is created for all members, even if they do not have XML comments associated with
them.
It is possible to generate a XML file for any type of project that uses namespaces (even
web applications!).
Members are listed alphabetically.
Members not in Namespaces are included in a "NoNamespace" RTF and XML file.
Visual Studio is not required!
The HTML format reports contain full copies of all files which have the following
features:
Optional color coding and syntax highlighting of source code, making it easier to read.
Optional line numbering of source code.
There is the option to either colour code or hyperlink all of the following in the
source code:
User Control usage.
Web Control usage.
Validation Control usage.
Application and Session variable usage.
VB.NET and C# functions and subroutines.
Suggested uses of the .NET Documentation Tool:
Use it as an alternative to NDoc, which was a popular
documentation tool for the .NET Framework, but it has not been updated since 2005 and has
no support for versions 2.0 and above of the .NET Framework.
Use it on newly acquired projects to assist in obtaining an overview of that project.
In this competitive market, why not produce project documentation for your clients? This
shows you treat project documentation seriously.
The .NET Documentation Tool can assist with code reviews and source code audits.
When making large scale changes to a project, use it to find out where a function or a
subroutine is called from.
Don't let your new hires loose on a project without them having the .NET Documentation
Tool's report to help them on their way!
The color coded, syntax highlighted source code created by the .NET Documentation Tool
can be copied and pasted into other documents, making code much easier to read.
