Documentation with Microsoft Sandcastle

Requirements:

1. Windows XP SP2 (minimum);
2. Microsoft Sandcastle (latest version);
3. Microsoft HTML Help Workshop (latest version);
4. Microsoft Sandcastle Help File Builder GUI (latest version);

Steps:

1. Preparing the assembly file. Ensure the assembly file has the completed XML documentations in each class, property, methods, etc. And also ensure the assembly file has XML documentation file.

Picture description: Set the project to generate XML documentation file.

Picture description: Explorer directory that contain the assembly file.

2. Run application: Sandcastle Help File Builder GUI.

Picture description: Application view.

3. Create the new project of documentation. Choose menu: File > New Project (Ctrl + N)

Open the existing project of documentation. Choose menu: File > Open Project (Ctrl + 0)

Picture Description: Application View after create new project

4. Add documentation sources, with right click and choose “Add Documentation Source...”.

Picture Description: Select the documentation source(s)

5. After choose the documentation source, then the standard requirement for create the documentation with Microsoft Sandcastle are completed. Choose Documentation >> Build Project (Ctrl + Shift + B) to build the help documentation. All processing can see on Build Output tag.

Note: If the source has references to other sources, then ensure that references also available on the same folder of the Documentation Sources.

If not on the same folder, then add manually that references.

Picture Description: Add reference manually

Picture Description: Build Output tag

6. The help documentation and log build can found on sub-folder with name “Help” on the project folder.

Picture Description: The Help Documentation/ Result

Other Requirement Settings

A. Category - Comments

1. Namespace Summaries

Picture Description: Namespace Summaries editor

Picture Description: Namespace Description

2. Project Summary, example: The Ronald.Libs.Database supported Import; Export; and Generic Scenario and Scripting.

B. Category - Help File

1. Copyright Href, example: http://stevanusronald.blogspot.com
2. Copyright Text, example: Copyright © 2009 StevanusRonald, All rights reserved.
3. Help Title, example: Ronald.Libs.Database Documented Class Library
4. HTML Help Name, default: Documentation
5. Root Namespace Container, default: False
6. Root Namespace Title, example: Ronald.Libs.Database

Note: If want to active (B.6), then (B.5) set to True.

Picture Description: The Help Documentation with Enabled Root Namespace Title

C. Category – HTML Help 1

1. Include Favorites, default: False

D. Category – Paths

1. Output Path, default: .\Help\