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AutoDoc

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AutoDoc is a powerful Document! X feature that allows you to author content that is used in the generated output according to rules that you define. For example you might want to author some specific remarks for inclusion in every method with a particular name in order to prevent duplicating the same content in many places.

You can get started with AutoDoc by creating an AutoDoc file (select New AutoDoc File from the Project Ribbon Tab). Once you have created an AutoDoc file you can add any number of AutoDoc Model Items to the file, each with their own content and rules governing where that Model Items content will be applied in the generated output.

AutoDoc content is visible in the same way as other automatically sourced content when you are working in the Content File editor, so you will be able to see whilst you are editing which items have relevant AutoDoc content in order to avoid duplication.

AutoDoc Fundamentals

Create a new AutoDoc File

  1. Click the New AutoDoc File button on the Project Ribbon Tab.
  2. On the displayed New AutoDoc File dialog, select the type of documentation the AutoDoc file will contain content for.
    A single AutoDoc file can contain content for only one type of documentation, but a project can contain as many AutoDoc files as you wish for any of the available documentation types.
  3. Click OK to create the new AutoDoc file.
  4. The new AutoDoc file will be created and added to the Project Explorer.
  5. Double-click the AutoDoc file on the Project Explorer to open it for edit.

Open an AutoDoc file for edit

  1. Select the desired AutoDoc file under the AutoDoc Files section on the Project Explorer.
  2. Click the Edit toolbar button.
  3. The AutoDoc file will be opened for edit.

Add a new Model Item to an AutoDoc file

  1. Open the AutoDoc file for edit.
  2. Click the New Child Model Item button on the toolbar above the left hand side of the AutoDoc editor.
  3. On the displayed New AutoDoc Model Item dialog, choose the Item Type you would like to author content for and type a Name by which this AutoDoc Model Item will be identified.
  4. Click Confirm to create the new AutoDoc Model Item, which will then be selected so you can begin authoring content.
  5. Author content directly in the right hand side of the editor, in the same way as you would in the Content File Editor.
  6. Use the Rules section on the right hand side of the AutoDoc editor to define rules for when the content you author against this AutoDoc Model Item will be used. By default there are no rules and therefore the content you author will be used for all items of a matching type.

Create a child Model Item

Child model items allow you to create more specifically targeted content that is only used if a parent model items rules apply. They allow you to avoid duplicating complex rules by attaching several child model items with more specific rules to a single parent model item with a common rule set defined.

Child model items with the When this item is matched property set to Stop checking can also be used to define "special case" content that prevents other more general child model items from being used.

To create a child model item:

  1. Open the AutoDoc file for edit.
  2. On the AutoDoc explorer, select the model item you would like to create a child model item for.
  3. Click the New Child Model Item button on the toolbar above the left hand side of the AutoDoc editor.
  4. On the displayed New AutoDoc Model Item dialog, type a Name by which this AutoDoc Model Item will be identified.
  5. Click Confirm to create the new AutoDoc Model Item, which will then be selected so you can begin authoring content.

Delete a Model Item

  1. Open the AutoDoc file for edit.
  2. On the AutoDoc explorer, select the model item you would like to delete.
  3. Click the Delete button on the toolbar above the left hand side of the AutoDoc editor.
  4. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

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