Utilizing a schema for documenting managed code

• US 8,316,351 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nene, Tushar S., Ainslie, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phillip H
• Application Number:
  US11/801,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 717120-123, 715/239, 715/249
• US Class Current: 717/123
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/73 Program documentation

Abstract

A schema is provided that supports documenting API elements that is flexible and captures current technologies as well as evolves without interfering or breaking the definitions of the existing elements. The schema utilizes a flexible and extensible element that can be used to define various elements of the APIs and can be extended to define new technology when it is introduced.

Claims

1. A method for documenting managed code, comprising:

defining an element structure for each element of managed code to be documented that is incorporated in an Assistance Markup Language (AML) schema including defining element structures for each of;

a class;

a method;

a constructor; and

an Interface;

defining semantically-marked content for documenting elements of managed code that are Application Programming Interface (API) elements, wherein the semantically-marked content follows the Assistance Markup Language (AML) schema;

including definitions for the elements of the managed code to be documented within the AML schema;

transforming the semantically-marked content to create presentational content for display according to a definition specifying the display of the content.

2. The method of claim 1, where the semantically-marked content is in an XML format.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the element structure for each element of managed code to be documented that is incorporated in an Assistance Markup Language (AML) schema further comprises defining element structures for each of:

a delegate;

a property;

an enumeration;

an event;

a namespace;

a field;

an overloads page; and

a structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the AML schema includes a page type that may be used for defining at least one of the elements of the managed code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the page type includes elements comprising:

a title element;

an introduction element;

a syntax element;

a remarks element; and

a requirements element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the elements further comprise an examples element and a related links element.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the syntax element is extended to support a new a managed reference type.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the AML schema includes a default element type that is substituted in order to support at least one of the element types.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for documenting managed code, comprising:

defining an element structure for each element of managed code to be documented including defining element structures for each of;

a class;

a method;

a constructor; and

an Interface and incorporating each of the element structures into an Assistance Markup Language (AML) schema;

obtaining semantically-marked content that provides documentation for documenting elements of managed code, wherein the semantically-marked content follows the Assistance Markup Language (AML) schema; and

obtaining definitions for the elements of the managed code that follow the AML schema.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising transforming the semantically-marked content to create presentational content.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising creating an extension to the AML schema for at least one of the elements.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein at least one of the definitions is an extension to the AML schema.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the AML schema includes a page type that may be used for defining at least one of the elements of the managed code.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the page type includes elements comprising:

a title element;

an introduction element;

a syntax element;

a remarks element; and

a requirements element.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein at least one of the elements within the page type is extended to support a new managed reference type.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the AML schema includes a default element type that is substituted in order to support at least one of the element types.

17. A system for using an AML schema for documenting managed code, comprising:

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor;

a mass storage device that is configured to store semantically-marked content that documents elements of managed code, wherein the semantically-marked content follows an Assistance Markup Language (AML) schema that includes element structure for each element of managed code to be documented including defining element structures for each of;

a class;

a method;

a constructor; and

an Interface; and

a content transformation manager operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to;

accessing the semantically-marked content;

obtaining definitions for the elements of the managed code from the AML schema; and

transforming the semantically-marked content to create presentational content.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the definitions is an extension to the AML schema.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the AML schema includes a page type that may be used for defining at least one of the elements of the managed code;

wherein the page type includes elements comprising;

a title element;

an introduction element;

a syntax element;

a remarks element; and

a requirements element.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the elements within the page type is extended to support a new a managed reference type.