• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
  • Ron McLeod
  • Paul Clapham
  • Liutauras Vilda
Sheriffs:
  • paul wheaton
  • Rob Spoor
  • Devaka Cooray
Saloon Keepers:
  • Stephan van Hulst
  • Tim Holloway
  • Carey Brown
  • Frits Walraven
  • Tim Moores
Bartenders:
  • Mikalai Zaikin

Help and documentation in the project

 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi, I'm currently doing the sun certified java developer certification.... I'm required to produce documentation.
It can be text documentation (a bit ugly)
html documentation (a bit better)
or embedded documentation (the best one in my opinion)
I think that I will integrate the documentation in the application.
With tooltips, an help menu with an about menuItem, an index menuItem and a Contents menuitem. A bit like windows applications help in fact...
My question is :
Since I'm a really lazy person, I don't want to have to create a whole bunch of classes just to manage my index, documentation pages, etc... Is there any set of classes available in the standard java packages that manages program help for me in a really standard way?
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 319
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi Yanick.
You won't at all get a better score for one help system over another!
IMO, just write your docs well and put it in a text file.
I used a text file and got full score for documentation.
Unless you really want to learn how to do it, the integrated help system is not worth the effort. Even the HTML is overkill for this project.
Basically, for this assignment, go for the simplest valid solution every time and you should do well.
But that's just IMHO...
J
[ March 28, 2004: Message edited by: Jacques Bosch ]
 
Yanick Labelle
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi, Jacques, I will follow your advice and to the text file (maybe the html file). But, just for my personnal information, can you give me the name of one of the classes of the help system, because when I checked on sun's website, I didn't find anything. Thanks!
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 619
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi Yanick,

Originally posted by Yanick Labelle:
My question is :
Since I'm a really lazy person, I don't want to have to create a whole bunch of classes just to manage my index, documentation pages, etc... Is there any set of classes available in the standard java packages that manages program help for me in a really standard way?


I'm not aware of anything in the standard java packages that manages program help. I think you have to build it out of rather basic classes. For example, use JEditorPane to display the userguide.html file, add a hyperlink listener, maybe a back button to return to a previously visited hyperlink, etc.
I must agree with Jacques that the examiner will be perfectly happy to see a text help file and so the online help is above and beyond the call of duty.
 
Yanick Labelle
Ranch Hand
Posts: 50
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Great! since I'm a lazy person, I will be happy to use the text or html file, much more simple than online help.
 
Greenhorn
Posts: 20
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
http://java.sun.com/products/javahelp/downloads/index.html
 
With a little knowledge, a cast iron skillet is non-stick and lasts a lifetime.
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic