Re: Documentation frustrations
Re: Documentation frustrations
- Subject: Re: Documentation frustrations
- From: Andre <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2005 23:15:15 -0700
I'm wondering, now, please don't take this the wrong way, but is
all of the Cocoa/CoreFoundation stuff in a database?
When I go to a page for documentation, it doesn't seem to be
WebObjects or some other DB served page...
When I mean, all the Cocoa stuff, I mean, everything, the docs,
examples, Q&A's, Technotes etc...
I have a feeling most of its not... at least exposed to the WWW
The documentation is contained in a database internally -- it's
not clear what value would be gained from exposing the database to
the outside world? The site is basically static content, and
there's already a free-text search engine
Well, I suppose I meant exposed to the WWW as a WO app that
dynamically generates content based on what is in the DB. But this
seems to be already what happens as you said...
First, take apart all the docs, sit down, and go over and over,
again and again, find replications of the same data, find the
relationships between them, find old stale references and remove
them,
I'm not aware that there are any repetitions or stale references?
I haven't come across any, but I've seen some posts that say "this
explanation is incorrect/old" or something to that effect.
I didn't mean to insinuate anything...
then organize them logically according to their relations, take
everything, shove it in an extremely well designed database, build
a WO app to organize, abstract, and present those various sources
in a consistent and
easily searchable manner.
Again it's not clear how a WO application would add value here --
in what ways might the consistency and searchability be improved?
Well, I suppose it would come about if the relations between the
different parts (class, hierarchy, framework, tech-note, basically
any metadata) were put together and parsed in such a way, a lot of
dynamic things could be done such as going from tech-note, to the
specific frameworks or objects it mentions or would have relation to
it, it would allow the user to follow a kind of trail of relations...
it can be done now, but it puts the burden of the search on the user,
when it could be listed all automatically.
There certainly may be value in adding this to the web site -- and
please file an enhancement request -- but most of this
functionality is already available in what is IMHumbleO a more
convenient fashion, within Xcode's Class Browser (Project > Class
Browser).
Ok, can I make a suggestion to put the class browser in the help menu
as well?
And maybe make the class browser a possible button on the tool bar.
I would love to have that available as a pane (not a separate window)
like it is now, while editing code...
Also, a spotlight-esqe search could be added to give much more
relevant results than what it gives now...
What would you like in addition to the existing Advanced Search?
As an example, I just searched for "class browser" in XCode
documentation, but found nothing.
Searching in XCode help finds it, but still... it should be smart
enough to say "maybe you were looking for this in another library?"
A better solution would be to create an actual index, and mark
index items in the text. This process is underway, but it is time-
consuming and laborious...
Well, its appreciated and I look forward to it!
At any rate, its good to know we can talk to the guys at apple about
this!
Thanks,
Andre
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