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Title	Practical uses of the ASP Documentation Tool
Description	The ASP Documentation Tool is a utility for creating technical documentation for web applications written in ASP 2.0 and 3.0 using either the VBScript or JScript scripting languages
Keywords	asp, documenting, document, tool, utility, vbscript, jscript, classic asp, documentation
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Page Content	ASP Kitchen Search: Go Home \| ASP Articles \| ASP.NET Articles \| Tools \| Table Of Contents \| What's New ASP Kitchen : Classic ASP Articles : Practical uses of the ASP Documentation Tool Practical uses of the ASP Documentation Tool How to determine which ActiveX objects are used on a site \| Modifying ASP function or subroutine parameters Tidying up the code of a web application \| Determining where a particular stored procedure is used My boss/project manager/client wants technical documentation in Word format \| Migrating a site from Classic ASP 2.0 or 3.0 to ASP.NET Introduction This article describes some of the practical uses of the ASP Documentation Tool . The ASP Documentation Tool is a utility for creating technical documentation for web applications written in ASP 2.0 and 3.0 using either the VBScript or JScript scripting languages. Three different type of report The ASP Documentation Tool creates three types of report about an ASP web application: The standard HTML report can be viewed in any web browser that supports frames. The Microsoft HTML Help format is the format used by most Windows applications for their help files. The plain text report can be viewed in any text editor or word processing application. Standard HTML report Microsoft's HTML Help report Plain text report Click on any of the images above to view an example of that report. How to determine which ActiveX objects are used on a site ASP web applications commonly make use of ActiveX objects to perform tasks such as connecting to databases or sending email. When moving websites between web servers, it is critical to know which objects are used on the site, as it may be necessary to install these objects on the new web server or to rewrite the code. For example, ASP code that sends email can use any one of a number of third party objects. The ASP Documentation Tool looks for the instantiation of ActiveX objects through the use of the CreateObject and Server.CreateObject functions. The report produced by the ASP Documentation Tool contains a list of the objects used, and shows where each object is used in the web application: Figure 1. The ASP Documentation Tool shows which ActiveX objects are used in a web application The ASP Documentation Tool is able to show the source code of public Functions and Properties of any custom ActiveX objects written in Visual Basic 6.0. This is shown in Figure 1 above (the custom ActiveX object is called Samplewebcomobject). Modifying ASP function or subroutine parameters A common task in development is modifying the parameters associated with a particular function or subroutine. Typically this would be to add additional parameters to the function and subroutine. This involves two processes: Modifying the function or subroutine's parameters. Changing all the calls to the function or subroutine to reflect the changes made to the parameters. The ASP Documentation Tool contains a list of all the VBScript functions and subroutines, and JScript functions. Clicking on a function or subroutine name will show where the function or subroutine is to be found within the site. There is a also a list of where in the site the function or subroutine is used. This makes it a straightforward task to change the function or subroutine's parameters, as well as all of the calls made to the function or subroutine. Figure 2. The ASP Documentation Tool shows where functions and subroutines are found, and where they are used Tidying up the code of a web application The ASP Documentation Tool can be useful when tidying up the ASP code of a web application. For example, it is able to assist with the following: Rationalisation of duplicate functions and subroutines . The ASP Documentation Tool lists all of the VBScript functions and subroutines and JScript functions used in the web application. It is, therefore, straightforward to remove duplicate instances of these functions and subroutines. Duplicated functions and subroutines could probably be moved to a global include file. Removal of email addresses used for testing purposes. The ASP Documentation Tool displays where email addresses are used on a site, so it can be useful for ensuring that functionality that sends email will send the messages to the correct recipients. Determining where a particular stored procedure is used The ASP Documentation Tool is also able to document SQL Server 7 and SQL Server 2000 databases. The resulting documentation for the database is fully integrated with the documentation of the ASP files within the web application. The documentation includes a list of stored procedures within the databases documented. Clicking on the name of a stored procedure will show the details of that procedure. It will also show where in the ASP code that stored procedure is called from ( provided that the name of the stored procedure has been preceded with the EXEC keyword ). Figure 3. The ASP Documentation Tool will also document SQL Server 7.0 and SQL Server 2000 databases associated with a web application Alternatively, it is possible to use the integrated search facility within the HTML Help report to search for the name of the stored procedure. A list of all the occurrences of the search query will be displayed. HTML Help report produced by the ASP Documentation Tool allows all of the source code of the web application to be searched. Because HTML Help files are compiled, searching them is much faster than using the search facility within a development package such as Visual InterDev. My boss/project manager/client wants technical documentation in Word format The ASP Documentation Tool is able to create a text report of the ASP web application and associated SQL Server 7.0 or SQL Server 2000 databases or Microsoft Access databases. This text report can, therefore, be used as the basis for the technical documentation of a project. The ASP Documentation Tool's text report contains lists of: ASP Pages ASP VBScript functions ASP VBScript functions (with arguments) ASP VBScript subroutines ASP VBScript subroutines (with arguments) ASP JScript functions ASP JScript functions (with arguments) Client-side JavaScript functions Client-side JavaScript functions (with arguments) ActiveX Objects used Functions within custom Visual Basic 6.0 ActiveX objects Functions within custom Visual Basic 6.0 ActiveX objects (with arguments) Application variables used Session variables used Request.QueryString variables used Request.Form variables used Request.ServerVariables variables used VBScript Constants HTML Forms Email Addresses Include files SQL Server 7.0 or SQL Server 2000: Tables Views Stored Procedures Triggers Microsoft Access database: Tables Views (Queries) Stored Procedures (i.e. Queries that aren't Views) Composition of ASP each file (i.e. amount of ASP [VBScript], ASP [JScript], client-side JavaScript and HTML). An ASP Documentation Tool sample text report is available. Migrating a site from Classic ASP 2.0 or 3.0 to ASP.NET The ASP Documentation Tool can also assist in the migration of web applications from ASP to ASP.NET. This is a topic that has been covered on the Microsoft website (see Migrating to ASP.NET: Key Considerations ). The ASP Documentation Tool can assist the migration process by: Listing the ASP pages associated with the web application. Showing a list of VBScript functions and subroutines that will need to be converted to a language such as VB.NET Showing a list of JScript functions. Showing which pages make use of the ADO objects - these pages could be candidates for conversion to ADO.NET. Note that a ASP.NET Documentation Tool is also available, should you also wish to document your ASP.NET web applications. System Requirements The ASP Documentation Tool will run on any Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. If you want the ASP Documentation Tool to create a report in HTML Help format then you will need to download and install the HTML Help Workshop. This is a free download from Microsoft.com. At the time of writing the download URL was http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33071 . Availability Pricing Download the ASP Documentation Tool trial version, documentation and sample files (3.5 Mb ZIP file). This trial version is fully functional, but has a few limitations. Purchase the full version of the ASP Documentation Tool ($49.99). Purchase both the ASP Documentation Tool and the ASP.NET Documentation Tool and make valuable savings. Resources ASP Documentation Tool website . An ASP.NET Documentation Tool is also available. This creates project documentation for ASP.NET web applications written in VB.NET and C#. Useful Development Tools ASP Documentation Tool Automatically creates developer documentation for ASP 2.0 and 3.0 web applications written in VBScript and JScript. Documentation for Microsoft Access, SQL Server 7/2000 databases and Visual Basic 6.0 components associated with the web application can also be incorporated into the reports. Documentation is created in HTML, HTML Help and plain text formats. View Sample Output (HTML Help format). View Sample Output (HTML Format). Download Trial Version (5.2Mb ZIP file). Index Server Companion The Index Server Companion is a Windows application that extends the functionality of Microsoft Index Server so that it is able to index content from remote websites and also from ODBC databases. As such it can be used as a low cost alternative to Site Server 3.0 Search. View Product Documentation (119K ZIP file). Try Sample Search Facility . Download Trial Version (1.7Mb ZIP file). ASP.NET Documentation Tool Automatically creates developer documentation for ASP.NET web applications written in C# or VB.NET. Documentation for SQL Server 7/2000 databases and C#/VB.NET components associated with the web application can also be incorporated into the reports. Documentation is created in HTML, HTML Help and plain text formats. View Sample Output (HTML Help format). View Sample Output (HTML Format). Download Trial Version (727K ZIP file). SQL Documentation Tool The SQL Documentation Tool creates technical documentation for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 and 2000 databases. Technical documentation is created in HTML and HTML Help formats. The HTML Help format documentation is fully searchable and cross referenced. The SQL Documentation Tool documents SQL Server Tables, Views, Stored Procedures, Triggers and Table Relationships. View Sample Output (HTML Help format). View Sample Output (HTML Format). Download Trial Version (10.3Mb ZIP file). The Website Utility The Website Utility examines websites for errors and areas that need to be optimised for search engines by using a built in web crawling engine. Errors checked for include broken or moved hyperlinks, missing page titles and missing meta tags. It also generates HTML for use in creating website site maps (table of contents pages - like this one ), and is able to create both client-side JavaScript Search Engines and server-side ASP Search Engines for a website. View Sample Output (HTML Format). Download Trial Version (3Mb ZIP file). Text Workbench Text Workbench is a file search and replacement utility for text files and Microsoft Office documents. Make rapid file replacements on multiple files and folders full of files. Advanced replacement options include regular expressions support. It even works on remote file systems via FTP. A Regular Expression Laboratory allows advanced pattern matching and replacement expressions to be built and tested. This great utility will make your everyday development tasks much easier! Download Trial Version (3Mb ZIP file; you have the option to either install directly from this link or save the file for later installation). Author details Brett Burridge spent two years working in the University of Essex Computing Service, before moving to The Internet Applications Group in the Autumn of 1999, where he developed e-Business applications for a range of corporate clients and dot-com start ups. Brett is presently employed as an Internet developer and technical writer through his own company, Winnersh Triangle Web Solutions Limited . The company produces a number of innovative products, including the popular ASP Documentation Tool , the Index Server Companion , the ASP.NET Documentation Tool , the SQL Server Documentation Tool and The Website Utility . The company is also available for web application design and development at reasonable rates, primarily using Microsoft technologies (ASP, ASP.NET, Visual Basic, SQL Server) but also using open source technologies such as PHP, MySQL and Perl. Specialist services include development of search solutions using Microsoft's Index Server and Site Server 3.0 Search. As well as the ASPAlliance, Brett has written articles for Ariadne.ac.uk and ASPToday , and has contributed recipes to the ASP.NET Developer's Cookbook . links Outside web development, Brett is interested in digital photography (here's my photo gallery ), tropical fishkeeping and collecting contemporary works of art by artists such as Doug Hyde . Article history Practical uses of the ASP Documentation Tool published on ASPAlliance.com on 07 January 2003, revised 17 August 2004. ASP Kitchen : Classic ASP Articles : Practical uses of the ASP Documentation Tool page content copyright Brett Burridge 1998 - 2004.
Image Alt Tags	ASPAlliance Screenshot of the standard HTML output report produced by the ASP Documentation Tool Screenshot of the Microsoft HTML Help output report produced by the ASP Documentation Tool Screenshot of the plain text output report produced by the ASP Documentation Tool Screenshot of the HTML Help output produced by the ASP Documentation Tool, showing which ActiveX objects are used in a web application Screenshot of the HTML Help output produced by the ASP Documentation Tool, showing how the ASP Documentation Tool makes it straightforward to modify the arguments of a particular ASP function or subroutine Screenshot of the HTML Help output produced by the ASP Documentation Tool, showing how the documentation of a SQL Server 7.0 or SQL Server 2000 database is fully integrated with the documentation of the ASP files associated with the web application View Sample Output (HTML Help format) View Sample Output (HTML Format) Download Trial Version View Product Documentation Try Sample Search Facility Download Trial Version View Sample Output (HTML Help format) View Sample Output (HTML Format) Download Trial Version View Sample Output (HTML Help format) View Sample Output (HTML Format) Download Trial Version View Sample Output (HTML Format) Download Trial Version Download Trial Version of Text Workbench Download a free ASP Documentation Tool now!!! Download a Free ASP Documentation Tool Now! Google Search Engine Builder - Build a search engine for your website!
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