VisDoc generates html documentation from ActionScript 2.0, 3.0 and Java class files
- VisDoc integrates a smart processor to parse class files - you don't need to prepare or rewrite your classes. Even if you don't use doc comments, you can generate handy class documentation with a Table of Contents.
- Class relations mean everything. VisDoc links interfaces, superclasses and their methods and properties to give a quick overview how classes are connected.
- Flexibility is built in: documentation pages are formatted with editable templates (XSL and CSS). Just customize to have your own layout and style.
- Changed some classes? Start up the application and hit the Process button - VisDoc remembers all your settings from the last time. You can also save these settings in a project file, so you can use multiple projects without changing settings inbetween.
- For even more speed, update only modified or added files. VisDoc detects which files have been updated since the last run, and can process only those.
Documentation
Writing doc comments General introduction to Javadoc, and a practical guide how to write Javadoc comments for VisDoc.Features
- NEW Universal Binary
- Parses methods, properties, class type, superclasses, interfaces
- Groups Class methods, Instance methods, Event handlers, Class properties, Constants and Instance properties
- Optionally lists private members
- NEW Creates overview pages of classes, methods, properties, constants and deprecated members.
- ActionScript 2.0: Parses "get" and "set" methods as property variables; recognizes cases when get and set use different variable types get/set example
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Parses Javadoc-style comments, with additional tags tags example
See also overview of supported tags - Links superclasses and interfaces Interface examples
- Links inherited methods and properties from all superclasses MediaController example
- Links classes in member definitions (parameters and return types)
- Inherits comments from superclasses inheritDoc example
- Lists component metadata metadata example
- Processes multiple documents, multiple folders, recursively
- Resolves included scripts, recursively
- Recognizes duplicate files (duplicate class paths) - only uses the newest
- No additional markup needed: @class, @method and @property tags are not required
- Support for html formatted text inside doc comments html example
- You can use leading asterisks in comments or leave them out and save typing.
- White space in code examples is preserved; example XML text is preserved Input variations example
- Cleanly designed default layout of documentation
- ... with scalable font sizes
- ... fully customizable, based on XSL
- ... skinnable with CSS
- ... default output is XHTML strict, W3C validated
- XSL and CSS are editable within the app
- Full code colorizing support
- Optionally generate index page (frameset) with Table of Contents
- ... set custom index page title index/TOC example
- NEW Adds a customizable main page
- Optionally save as xml
- Shows modification date of the class file
- Shows creation date of the documentation file
- Add your own copyright to the pages
- Save and load project files
- Update added and modified files only - file modifications are detected automatically
- View parsing results in a Log window, to get notified of invalid files or broken @see and @link references. Save log reports to a file. See example log file (RTF format).
- Immediately view output in browser
- Edit your custom CSS and XSL styles in the application
- NEW Command-line interface (launches VisDoc UI app with parameters)
Example documentation
- Example class: Macromedia's mx.controls.MediaController class, and the processed documentation file
- Example class: Macromedia's mx.controls.CalendarLayout class, and the processed documentation file
- All Macromedia Flash classes - this also illustrates the generated frameset and Table of Contents page.
Screenshots
| Application window with log drawer | Application window: Settings |
Supported tags
VisDoc supports Javadoc tags, and some new tags that are commonly used or otherwise useful, such as @exclude. See the complete list below.
Javadoc is a commonly used tool for generating Java class documentation. The Javadoc format has become a code documenting standard.More information about Javadoc: see the Javadoc Tool Home Page and How to Write Doc Comments for the Javadoc Tool.
| Implemented Javadoc tags | |
|---|---|
| @author | |
| {@code} | |
| @deprecated | |
| @exception | |
| {@inheritDoc} | |
| {@link} | |
| {@linkplain} | Identical to @link as all links are rendered as plain text (no code font). |
| {@literal} | |
| @param | |
| @return | |
| @see | |
| @since | |
| @throws | |
| @version | |
| Javadoc tags that are not implemented | |
| {@docRoot} | Not implemented |
| @serial | |
| @serialData | |
| @serialField | |
| {@value} | Not implemented |
| FlashDoc tags | |
| @class | Not implemented: classes are detected automatically |
| @method | Not implemented: methods are detected automatically |
| @private | Explicitly marks property or method as private |
| @helpid | Not implemented: not useful for documentation |
| @tiptext | Not implemented |
| Implemented tags not in Javadoc spec, but commonly used | |
| @description | Explicit field name for the description - normally you don't have to specify the description text |
| @example | Code example how to use the class or method. Part of the Javadoc proposed tags. |
| @returns | Synonym for @return |
| @usage | Synonym for @use |
| @use | Code example how to use the class or method |
| Implemented useful tags | |
| @exclude | Excludes (hides) a property, method or class from the documentation. Part of the Javadoc proposed tags. |
| @history | List of changes |
| @implementationNote | Point of attention about the implementation, targeted to class developers |
| @overload | To mark methods that are overloaded by as2lib's Overload class. |
| @sends | To document messages that are broadcasted to listeners |
| @todo | Part of the Javadoc proposed tags |
| @usageNote | Point of attention when using a class or class member, targeted to class users |
| {@img} NEW | Include images in your documentation |
Pricing
A VisDoc single user license is available for USD 40.00. A company license is available for USD 140.00. You can purchase an individual license from within the app, or by visiting the Kagi store. Company licenses are available through Kagi.
With a license you are entitled to dot upgrades (feature releases) and of course dot dot upgrades (bug fixes).
Download
Try VisDoc before you buy. In trial mode, the application is fully functional, but will reverse one out of four documentation files.
| VisDoc 2.1.5 for Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 (G4 and Mac Intel) | 8.4 MB |
Still available for Mac OS X 10.3.9 is VisDoc 1.5.3 (15.6 MB)
This release's changes
| 2.1.5 | 12 October 2008 |
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| 2.1.4 | 06 October 2008 |
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| 2.1.3b | 01 October 2008 |
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| 2.1.3 | 29 September 2008 |
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| 2.1.2 | 10 April 2008 |
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| 2.1.1 | 6 March 2008 |
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| 2.1 | 16 December 2007 |
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| 2.0.6 | 17 November 2007 |
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| 2.0.5 | 28 October 2007 |
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| 2.0.4 | 26 October 2007 |
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| 2.0.3 | 9 October 2007 |
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| 2.0.2 | 7 October 2007 |
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| 2.0.1 | 21 August 2007 |
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| 2.0 | 17 March 2007 |
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