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The assembly file is queried using [[Reflection (computer science)|reflection]] to obtain the list of [[Class (computer science)|class]]es, [[Method (computer science)|method]]s, etc. The XML file is parsed for the documentation text.
The assembly file is queried using [[Reflection (computer science)|reflection]] to obtain the list of [[Class (computer science)|class]]es, [[Method (computer science)|method]]s, etc. The XML file is parsed for the documentation text.


NDoc supports several different output formats, including [[Microsoft Compressed HTML Help|CHM]], [[Microsoft Developer Network|MSDN]]-style web pages, and [[Javadoc]]-style web pages. NDoc also comes with a [[graphical user interface]] to ease the generation process.
NDoc uses [[Plug-in (computing)|plug-in]]s to support several different output formats, including [[Microsoft Compressed HTML Help|CHM]], [[Microsoft Help Viewer]], [[Microsoft Developer Network|MSDN]]-style web pages. Incomplete plug-ins are also included as starting points for developers, like the [[LaTeX]] plug-in and [[Javadoc]]-style web pages. NDoc comes with a [[graphical user interface]] to ease the generation process.


== Limitations and future development ==
== Limitations and future development ==

Revision as of 01:11, 26 February 2013

NDoc
Developer(s)Downs, Kackman, et al.
Stable release
1.3.1 / 25 January 2005
Operating systemCross-platform (?)
TypeDocumentation generator
LicenseGNU GPL
Websitendoc.sourceforge.net

NDoc is a code documentation generator for the Common Language Infrastructure created by Jason Diamond, Jean-Claude Manoli and Kral Ferch. It is licensed under the GNU General Public License.

How it works

NDoc uses two sources to generate documentation. The first is an assembly file produced by compiling the source code. The other is a pre-generated XML documentation file, usually produced by parsing the source code for special comments (C# compilers from .NET Framework and Mono support this using the "/doc" command-line argument).

The assembly file is queried using reflection to obtain the list of classes, methods, etc. The XML file is parsed for the documentation text.

NDoc uses plug-ins to support several different output formats, including CHM, Microsoft Help Viewer, MSDN-style web pages. Incomplete plug-ins are also included as starting points for developers, like the LaTeX plug-in and Javadoc-style web pages. NDoc comes with a graphical user interface to ease the generation process.

Limitations and future development

The latest release version of NDoc does not support .NET Framework version 2.0. Although there are internal alpha versions[1][2] that support .NET 2.0, as of 2006, there is very little activity on the NDoc project. The developer of NDoc, Kevin Downs, has said that he is not working on NDoc anymore due to lack of funding and threats against him, and that he is willing to hand over administration of the project.[3] More recently, Kim Christensen picked up the ball and continues development of the original NDoc as NDoc3[4]

See also

  • Doxygen - a mature document generation tool that can also build class diagrams and produce documentation from many other languages.
  • Sandcastle — a similar application by Microsoft.
  • Sandcastle Help File Builder — a freeware GUI front-end for Sandcastle that provides Ndoc-like features.
  • Comparison of documentation generators

References