The reason I like Markku's idea is that I could still write my tool and then I could think however that we've hammered it enough. I will do the documentation any way I can. Thanks.

Danie Brink

Yes, I would like to help in this area, when I have the time.

Could a tool be written to create documentation localy, and sync with the database entries that does not exist and request action on etries that does ?

I only have a internet connection at work, and at my friend for now.

What I would suggest is that I would make available the exact format of the database. Then you could use Access or whatever database you have available to enter the data. Then just make an SQL dump from your database, send it to me, and I would insert it into the MySQL database. The only negative about doing it of line like that is you might be trying to write documentation for the exact same section as someone else. It would mean duplicate work. Unless we assign sections of documentation to people.

Somehow this has gotten all confused.

NOTE:

I AM writing the direct access to the MySQL database via PHP and a web page. This is to allow for anyone to do dynamic updates to the documentation database. That was never an issue. This is being done.

However, Danie Brink asked the following question:

"Could a tool be written to create documentation localy" ... "I only have a internet connection at work, and at my friend for now."

All of the SQL dump stuff was for his and ONLY his benefit to allow him to work OFFLINE.

The main database work is to be done ONLINE.

Are we straight on this now???

Now Danie I am confused by your response.

"Yup, that will work, but I like Markku's Sugestion better."

Markku's suggestion is what I original stated in my first email. You said that you don't have internet access and that is why I was mention the other things for you. Are you now saying that you have no problem updating the database from the internet?????

Mike Taylor wrote

Will you be moderating the edits? Would be a shame to lose paragraphs because someone made a posting mistake.

That is why I really don't want to do it any other way then a web page that accesses the MySQL database letting you add/modify the database content. Then the only chance of a mess up is if two people happen to be trying to add documentation for the exact same item. Not to likely that this will happen.

Please note that each record in the database is down to the property, method level. In other words you would be adding information for.

Buttons,TButton.OnClick

Also, you mentioned that you would like to tie this to the IDE. Seems doable in my mind if you create a compound key of say Section + Chapter + Paragraph - then the IDE can be linked to that key with bad sub-keys causing a rollup to a parent key.

Due to the nature of how the HTML files are created it should be easy to determine which file to open based on the item you are looking for. At this point I am not that concerned with working on this since it isn't of much use until we have more detailed documentation available.

Yup, that will work, but I like Markku's Sugestion better.

Thanks Markku.

Danie Brink

Yes it will work, but could lead to changes not being accepted. Assigning documentation will be problematic becuase it will probably lead to things not being love opensource and momentum is an important project driver for task takeup. Stagnant documentation could impact the project negatively.

I am quite prepared to write a tool like this, if you can give me a specification ?
It might take some time, and I currently don't have much. What do you think ?

Danie Brink

Yes it will work, but could lead to changes not being accepted.

Exactly, that is why I was going toward the online web page. Your documentation would be added immediately and there wouldn't be much of a chance of overlaping someone elses work.

Assigning documentation will be problematic becuase it will probably lead to things not being agree. Again that was another reason for the above mentioned

method. One could do as much or as little as they desired and other could fill in the holes.

Also this method ties the documentation to the source code but allows others who might not be all that capable of helping with the development coding but could help with something like documentation. They do not need to get involved with the source or messing with CVS.

I am quite prepared to write a tool like this, if you can give me a specification ?

I'm not sure what you mean by 'tool'. You really wouldn't have to write any kind of tool persay. I would just give you the SQL dump of the database and you would load it into your database locally. You could add to the database and then inturn supply me with a database dump or for that matter I could set it up so that you could supply the SQL dump directly to the web site and have it automatically incorporated.

any kind of tool persay. I would just give you the SQL dump of the database and you would load it into your database locally. You could add

Why make it this complicated? If the material is already in a MySQL database all that is needed is a bunch of PHP scripts to get direct access to the database with updates/inserts. If the records contain timestamps everybody could be able to check the versions as well. Restricting access with login/password is no problem, either, I've done it.

Dumping the database to several people and returning the changed data will become a mess if there are more than one people involved.

Just my 2 eurocents (after finishing a PHP/MySQL project, just before starting a new one).

Markku

Greetings,

I have been working on the documentation this weekend. Not so much writing documentation but writing all of the code required to implement and use documentation.

I have added some features to pasDoc. This is the tool used to generate the Lazarus documentation. I have added the capability to gather documentation out of a MySQL database. So this means we will be able to add documentation without having to modify the source code itself. Also since it is stored in a MySQL database this means that all database additions and modifications can be done via a web site.

At this point I have setup a database and have modified the pasDoc tool so that it will generate the documentation. What I want to know is if there are any individuals out there that are interested in helping to write the documentation for the LCL, IDE, and components. If there are, then I will go to the effort to make a user friendly interface for people to start adding documentation. Please let me know.

In this process I will also be separating the LCL, Lazarus IDE, and component documentation.into separate documentation groups. At this point the complete mix of all code is rather confusing.

As a follow on to this I have been looking at how the documentation can be linked into the IDE itself. The current layout and organization lends itself nicely to the nature of online help in the IDE. It should be a simple matter to have online help link to the correct page of documentation for the item in question. As we get more of the documentation finalized I will look more into what needs to be done to make this work.

Again if you are interested in helping with actual writing of documentation that explains the functionality of the LCL please let me know.

Exactly, that is why I was going toward the online web page. Your documentation would be added immediately and there wouldn't be much of

a

chance of overlaping someone elses work.

Will you be moderating the edits? Would be a shame to lose paragraphs because someone made a posting mistake.

Also, you mentioned that you would like to tie this to the IDE. Seems doable in my mind if you create a compound key of say Section + Chapter
+ Paragraph - then the IDE can be linked to that key with bad sub-keys causing a rollup to a parent key.

Just some thoughts,
bear

you wrote

That is why I really don't want to do it any other way then a web page that accesses the MySQL database letting you add/modify the database content. Then the only chance of a mess up is if two people happen to be

There are a couple of things that popped into my mind immediately:

1) Simple authorization system of some sort - only people with access level Z or Y could be able to send material.

2) A "Commit" feature for the moderator to accept/update/compare several pieces of information.

These features are fairly simple to produce. Additionally, I think that with some reseach one could very easily find an open source PHP/MySQL project with almost the same goals as the problem we are talking about is fairly common.

What I have just finished is a time reservation system with three levels of users: Normal users that can reserve resources, administrators that accept the reservations and new users and a superuser account. Nothing fancy, just a few extra flags in the database a few lines of code in every script. Our next project is a simple Content Management System that has the same type of ideology.

A few hours of work here might save dozens of hours of extra work later.

Markku