| Page Item | Value |
| Title | The ASP.NET Documentation Tool documents ASP.NET (VB.NET and C#) web applications. Reports are created in HTML, HTML Help and plain text formats. |
| Description | The ASP.NET Documentation Tool creates documentation for ASP.NET web applications written in VB.NET and C#. Reports are created in HTML, HTML Help and plain text formats. |
| Keywords | asp.net, vb.net, c#, csharp, functions, subroutines, sub, documentation, automatic, creation, creates, administration, project, perl, script, download, namespaces, classes |
| Robots Meta Tag | |
| Page Content | HOME | ABOUT ME | BIOTECHNOLOGY | ARTICLES | TOOLS | GALLERY | CONTACT Search: Go DEVELOPER TOOLS ASP Doc Tool ASP.NET Doc Tool SQL Doc Tool Index Server Companion The Website Utility TECHNICAL ARTICLES ASP ASP.NET JavaScript Transact SQL PHOTO GALLERIES Canon EOS 300D Samples Red Arrows 2004 Living Coasts Web Page Backgrounds More Galleries... NEW STUFF SQL Color Coder Canon EOS 300D Samples The Website Utility Search Engine Optimisation Build an ASP Search Engine My Tropical Fishtank Savings Other New Stuff... POPULAR STUFF Regular Expressions ASP Documentation Tool Index Server ASP JavaScript Ad Rotator LINKS Business Website ASPAlliance Articles
Home Developer Tools ASP.NET Documentation Tool This article describes the ASP.NET Documentation Tool , a utility I wrote to automate the documentation of ASP.NET web applications written in VB.NET or C#. When developing applications using Java and Perl, I've always been impressed with the JavaDoc and PerlDoc documentation utilities these languages support. When producing work for a client, these utilities take a lot of the hard work out of the mundane (but critically important) work involved with documenting the project. Following the success of the ASP Documentation Tool which I released in May 2002, I decided to release a ASP.NET version. Microsoft have made tentative steps in allowing the automatic documentation of ASP.NET projects, but only if they are written in C#. The ASP.NET Documentation Tool creates documentation for both VB.NET and C#. Features The ASP.NET Documentation Tool scans all the following files of a web project, and outputs a report based on what it finds within the files: ASP.NET 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). Code Behind Files containing the code associated with ASP.NET files and User Controls. Custom components (.vb and .cs). Web.config files. The report contains a list of 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 functions and subroutines are defined within each class. Functions: Where they are defined, and which arguments they use. Subroutines: Where they are defined, and which arguments they use. 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. Email addresses used in the project. SQL Server 2000 databases associated with the ASP.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. There are a number of output options: Standard HTML: This can be viewed in any web browser [ view sample ], including Internet Explorer and Netscape. The documentation is also created in Microsoft's HTML Help format. This format [ view sample and other 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. Plain Text: This is a text file containing a summary of the project [ view sample ]. As such it can be used as the basis of custom documentation written in a word processor. 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. C# and VB.NET functions and subroutines. System Requirements The ASP.NET Documentation Tool requires Windows 95 or above, although Windows 2000 is recommended. The .NET Framework is not required. If you want the ASP.NET 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. Configuring and Running the ASP.NET Documentation Tool The ASP.NET Documentation Tool has a single command line option which specifies the filename of the configuration file. So to create documentation for the Sample ASP.NET project supplied, the following is typed at the command prompt (or run from a .bat file): ASPNETDocumentationTool.exe --c= Config.ini The configuration file [ view sample ] is a plain text file containing the configuration options. The ASP.NET Documentation Tool can of course be scheduled to automatically update project documentation by making use of the Windows AT command or the Task Scheduler. The ASP.NET Documentation Tool creates a log file in plain text format [ view sample ]. Integration With Visual Studio.NET The Visual Studio.NET development environment allows the addition of external tools to the menu bar. This allows the ASP.NET Documentation Tool to be run from within Visual Studio.NET, and therefore makes it straightforward to update the project documentation without leaving the development environment. To integrate the ASP.NET Documentation Tool with Visual Studio.NET, use the following process: Set up a .bat file to run the ASP.NET Documentation Tool and pointing to the required .ini file. For convenience, the .bat file and the ASPNetDocumentationTool.pl Perl script should be in the same folder. For example, to run the ASP.NET Documentation Tool for the SampleWeb.NET project, create a .bat file with the following line: ASPNETDocumentationTool.exe --c= Config.ini In the Visual Studio.NET development environment choose the External Tools option from the Tools menu. Add a new External Tool using the following settings: Give the External Tool a Title , e.g. ASP.NET Documentation Tool (SampleWeb.NET) . Type or paste the full path to the .bat file in the Command field. The Arguments field should be left blank. The Initial directory field should contain the path information previously entered in the Command field. Ticking the Use Output window will cause the output from the ASP.NET Documentation Tool to be displayed in the Visual Studio.NET Output window rather than in a separate command prompt window. Once the new external tool has been added it is visible from the Visual Studio.NET Tools menu. Once the tool has been started, it is possible to stop it running by choosing the menu option a second time. Obtaining the ASP.NET Documentation Tool The evaluation version of the ASP.NET Documentation Tool is available here: ASP.NET Documentation Evaluation Version (2980K ZIP file). The evaluation version is mostly fully functional. The full version of the ASP.NET Documentation Tool is available for online purchase . Purchasing the ASP.NET Documentation Tool allows you to download the current version, and all subsequent versions released up to 18 months from the date of purchase. Specially discounted offers are also available when purchasing the ASP Documentation Tool or Index Server Companion at the same time. Downloads Download the ASP Documentation Evaluation Version (727K ZIP file). Purchase the ASP.NET Documentation Tool ($39.99 - Standard Edition, $49.99 Premium Edition). Further Reading Read the ASP.NET Documentation Tool documentation (70K HTML Help file). Read about the ASP Documentation Tool , which creates documentation for ASP 2.0 and 3.0 sites written in VBScript or JScript. 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). 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 (2.9Mb 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). 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). 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 Help format). View Sample Output (HTML Format). Download Trial Version (3Mb ZIP file). Site Map All content is © 1995 - 2006 Brett Burridge |
| Image Alt Tags | Brettb.Com Microsoft Certified Professional The Visual Studio.NET External Tools Window allows the ASP.NET Documentation Tool to be run from within the Visual Studio.NET development environment 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 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 |
| Internal Links | http://www.brettb.com/redirector.asp (14 links in this page) [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/ASPDocumentationTool.asp (5 links in this page) [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/Default.asp (3 links in this page) [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/DeveloperTools.asp (3 links in this page) [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/TheWebsiteUtility.asp (2 links in this page) [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/IndexServerCompanion.asp (2 links in this page) [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/JavaScriptArticles.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/Website_Search_Engine_Optimisation.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/SearchResults.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/js_banner_ad_rotator.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/web.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/CanonEOS300D_Gallery1.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/BuildingAnASPSearchEngine.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/backgrounds.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/VBScriptRegularExpressions.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/toc.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/ASP.NETArticles.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/Investments_ISAs.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/TransactSQLColorCoder.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/MyTropicalFishtank.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/CanonEOS300D_Gallery3.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/ASPWatchArticles.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/Red_Arrows_2004.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/Living_Coasts_Photos.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/SQL_Help.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/contact.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/Biotechnology.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/Gallery.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/ASPNetDocumentationTool.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/gallery.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/what's_new.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/SearchingIndexServerWithASP.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] http://www.brettb.com/technicalwriting.asp [ Robot View of this URL ] |
Report generated by The Website Utility 2.8