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Getting started using VBXC

Adding XML comments to the code
This add-in solution recognizes comments with three ' (comment start) characters at the start of the line as XML comments. The XML comment prefix is by default ''' but it can be changed in the configuration window. It also is possible to make the add-in recognize regular comments above code elements as XML comments by modifying the general settings.

Example:

''' <summary> ''' Event test ''' </summary> Public Event MyUseOfEvents() For more information how to comment your code, please see MSDN

Generating commenting stubs
The add-in has a feature that generates XML comment stubs for you like the C# editor does. To create a new stub, place the cursor on the first blank line above an element and press ''' followed by return. Now you see that the add-in has inserted a stub for you. It also inserts the properties for functions, subs and properties if the element has any. (The XML comment prefix is by default ''' but it can be changed in the configuration window).

Example:

'''<press return> Public Function Test1(ByVal psValTrans As String, ByRef poRefTrans As Integer) As String Would result in: ''' <summary> ''' ''' </summary> ''' <param name="psValTrans"></param> ''' <param name="poRefTrans"></param> ''' <returns></returns> Public Function Test1(ByVal psValTrans As String, ByRef poRefTrans As Integer) As String Also the add-in adds ''' to the start of a new line if you create a new empty line at the end of or inside an XML comment. ''' <summary><press return> ''' ''' </summary> Would result in: ''' <summary> ''' ''' ''' </summary>

Changes to the property grid
The add-in adds three new properties to the property grid for VB.NET projects.
The grid should look something like this when the add-in is correctly installed:



Here you can choose the name of the XML file that will be generated at build time by setting the XMLDocFileName property, and also select if you want XML documentation generated for this project or not by changing the GenerateXMLDoc property.

New items on the tools menu
The add-in adds the a few new items to the Tools menu under 'VBXC - VB.NET XML Commentor'

General configuration ... The add-in let's you configure some of it's behaviour in the window you get by using Tools->VBXC - VB.NET XML Commentor->General Configuration. For a description on what the different settings do, please highlight the line in the window and look at the area near the bottom of the window for a description.



The current version of the add-in does provide quite a few configurable options , but if you want something to be configurable send a mail to mail

Configure solution ...
You can choose on a build configuration basis for each project if you want to generate XML documentation or not. It can be configured in the window you get by selecting Tools->VBXC - VB.NET XML Commentor->Configure olution. The window looks like this:



Templates ...
VBXC has support for templates on the stubs that gets inserted automatically. For more information about this feature look at the templates page.

About
Shows a simple about screen.

Build XML comment file for solution
Generates the XML comment file on demand and updates any information contained in the task-list.

Generated XML files
The add-in generates an XML file with the name given in the project properties and places it in the project folder and in the output folder for the active build configuration.

Questions?
If you have any questions please send me a mail on vbxc@tor-erik.net

Looking for the download link?
You can find the download link on the download page. Click here to go to the download page.




Tor-Erik Hagen © 2002-2003