Manpages

NAME

mdoc - Mono Documentation XML Format

DESCRIPTION

The assorted Mono documentation programs generate or manipulate XML files following the mono documentation schema:
mdoc update

Creates or updates mono documentation XML for a set of assemblies.

mdoc validate

Validates the mono documentation XML against the mono documentation XML schema.

mdoc assemble

Converts the mono documentation XML within a directory structure into a set of files for use with monodoc(1).

mdoc export-html

Converts the mono documentation XML within a directory structure into a set of HTML files that can be viewed with a web browser.

All of these tools (and more) use the common XML schema described in this man page.

FILE/DIRECTORY STRUCTURE

There are three sets of Mono documentation XML files:

Examples of ns-*.xml files include: ns-System.xml, ns-System.Collections.xml, and ns-.xml (for the root namespace, though it is recommended to NOT place types into the root namespace, as monodoc(1) doesn’t display them).

The ns-*.xml files contain per-namespace documentation.

Examples include: RootType.xml (if the type has no namespace), System/String.xml, System.Collections/IEnumerable.xml, and System.Collections.Generic/List’1+Enumerator.xml (the ’1 is the number of generic type parameters the type accepts, and everything after the + is a nested type).

Thus, typical directory contents would resemble:

index.xml
ns-System.xml
ns-System.Collections.Generic.xml
System/String.xml
System.Collections.Generic/List’1.xml

DOCUMENTATION FORMAT

index.xml File Format
The index.xml file contains a list of the assemblies nested under the directory containing index.xml and all namespaces and types within those assemblies. It looks something like this:

<Overview>
<Assemblies>
<Assembly Name="mscorlib" Version="2.0.0.0" />
<!-- other <Assembly/> elements... -->
</Assemblies>
<Remarks>To be added.</Remarks>
<Copyright>To be added.</Copyright>
<Types>
<Namespace Name="System">
<Type Name="String" />
<!-- Other <Type/> elements -->
</Namespace>
<Namespace Name="System.Collections.Generic">
<Type Name="List’1" DisplayName="List&lt;T&gt;" />
<!-- Other <Type/> elements -->
</Namespace>
<!-- other <Namespace/> elements -->
</Types>
<Title>DocTest</Title>
</Overview>

Most of this is maintained automatically, in particular the /Overview/Assemblies and /Overview/Types elements.

The //Namespace/@Name attribute corresponds to a directory which contains files named //Type/@Name.xml, while the //Type/@DisplayName attribute contains a C# type name (if //Type/@DisplayName isn’t found, then //Type/@Name is used as the display name). There should also be a ns-[//Namespace/@Name].xml file.

There are three elements of interest to authors: /Overview/Remarks, /Overview/Copyright, and /Overview/Title, which contain assembly-level documentation. These elements can contain any of the following XML elements (documented in the Documentation XML Elements section): block, code, example, list, para, paramref, typeparamref, see, and ul.

ns-*.xml File Format
The ns-*.xml files contain namespace documentation:

<Namespace Name="System">
<Docs>
<summary>To be added.</summary>
<remarks>To be added.</remarks>
</Docs>
</Namespace>

The /Namespace/Docs/summary and /Namespace/Docs/remarks elements should contain namespace documentation.

The remarks and summary elements are documented in the Documentation XML Elements section.

NamespaceName/TypeName.xml File Format
The mono documentation format is similar to the Ecma documentation format, as described in ECMA-335 3rd Edition, Partition IV, Chapter 7. The principal difference from the ECMA format is that each type gets its own file, within a directory identical to the namespace of the type. There is a lot of information that is maintained automatically by mdoc(1); Most of the information within the documentation should not be edited. This includes the type name (/Type/@FullName), implemented interfaces (/Type/Interfaces), member information (/Type/Members/Member/@MemberName, /Type/Members/Member/MemberSignature, /Type/Members/Member/MemberType, /Type/Members/Member/Parameters, etc.).

<Type Name="DocAttribute" FullName="Mono.DocTest.DocAttribute">
<TypeSignature Language="C#" Value="public class DocAttribute : Attribute" />
<AssemblyInfo>
<AssemblyName>DocTest</AssemblyName>
<AssemblyVersion>0.0.0.0</AssemblyVersion>
</AssemblyInfo>
<Base>
<BaseTypeName>System.Attribute</BaseTypeName>
</Base>
<Interfaces />
<Attributes>
<Attribute>
<AttributeName>System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.All)</AttributeName>
</Attribute>
</Attributes>
<Docs>
<summary>To be added.</summary>
<remarks>To be added.</remarks>
</Docs>
<Members>
<Member MemberName=".ctor">
<MemberSignature Language="C#" Value="public DocAttribute (string docs);" />
<MemberType>Constructor</MemberType>
<AssemblyInfo>
<AssemblyVersion>0.0.0.0</AssemblyVersion>
</AssemblyInfo>
<Parameters>
<Parameter Name="docs" Type="System.String" />
</Parameters>
<Docs>
<param name="docs">To be added.</param>
<summary>To be added.</summary>
<remarks>To be added.</remarks>
</Docs>
</Member>
</Members>
</Type>

The only elements that normally need to be edited are children of the //Docs elements, which usually contain the text To be added. The /Type/Docs element contains type-level documentation, while the /Type/Members/Member/Docs element contains per-member documentation.

The //Docs elements can contain the following elements: altcompliant, altmember, example, exception, param, permission, remarks, returns, since, summary, threadsafe, typeparam, and value.

Nested types are not members; they are types, and are documented in their own file. Consequently, the NamespaceName/TypeName.xml files are not recursive; you do not store a <Type/> element within a <Type/> element.

Documentation XML Elements
The contents of the Docs element is identical in semantics and structure to the inline C# documentation format, consisting of these elements (listed in ECMA-334 3rd Edition, Annex E, Section 2). The following are used within the element descriptions:

XML_TEXT

Free-form text and XML, so that other XML elements may be nested.

The following elements are used in documentation:
<altmember cref="CREF" />

<altmember/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

Allows an entry to be generated for the See Also section. Use <see/> to specify a link from within text.

<altmember cref="P:System.Exception.Message" />

<block subset="SUBSET" type="TYPE">XML_TEXT</block>

Create a block of text, similar in concept to a paragraph, but is used to create divisions within the text. To some extent, a <block/> is equivalent to the HTML <h2/> tag.

SUBSET should always be the value "none".

TYPE specifies the heading and formatting to use. Recognized types are:

behaviors Creates a section with the heading Operation.

note Creates a section with the heading Note:.

overrides Creates a section with the heading Note to Inheritors.

usage Creates a section with the heading Usage.

The block element can contain the following elements: block, c, code, list, para, paramref, see, subscript, sup, and typeparamref.

<c>XML_TEXT</c>

Set text in a code-like font (similar to the HTML <tt/> element).

The c element can contain the following elements: code, para, paramref, see, and typeparamref.

<code lang="LANGUAGE" src="SOURCE">TEXT</code>

Display multiple lines of text in a code-like font (similar to the HTML <pre/> element).

LANGUAGE is the language this code block is for. For example, if LANGUAGE is C#, then TEXT will get syntax highlighting for the C# language within the Mono Documentation Browser.

SOURCE is only interpreted by mdoc-update(1). If the src attribute is present when mdoc-update(1) is run, then SOURCE is a file (relative to mdoc-update(1)’s --out directory) that should be inserted as the value for TEXT. The contents of TEXT will be ignored by mdoc-update(1) and replaced on every invocation. SOURCE can also contain an "anchor", e.g. src="path/to/file.cs#RegionMarker". If an anchor is present, and LANGUAGE is C#, then #region RegionMarker will be searched for, and the contents between the #region and the following #endregion will be inserted as the value for TEXT element.

<example>XML_TEXT</example>

Indicates an example that should be displayed specially. For example:

<example>
<para>An introductory paragraph.</para>
<code lang="C#">
class Example {
public static void Main ()
{
System.Console.WriteLine ("Hello, World!");
}
}
</code>
</example>

The example element can contain the following elements: c, code, list, para, and see.

<exception cref="CREF">XML_TEXT</exception>

Identifies an exception that can be thrown by the documented member.

<exception/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

CREF is the exception type that is thrown, while XML_TEXT contains the circumstances that would cause CREF to be thrown.

<exception cref="T:System.ArgumentNullException">
<paramref name="foo" /> was <see langword="null" />.
</exception>

The exception element can contain the following elements: block, para, paramref, see, and typeparamref.

<format type="TYPE">XML_TEXT</format>

The <format/> element is an "escape hatch," for including (possibly XML) content that is not valid mdoc(5) content. It’s the moral equivalent of perlpod(1) =begin format blocks.

TYPE is the mime type of XML_TEXT. mdoc(5) processors may skip format/> blocks of they use a type that isn’t supported.

For example:

<format type="text/html">
<table width="100%">
<tr><td style="color:red">Hello, world!</td></tr>
</table>
</format>

would cause the embedded HTML <table/> element to be inserted inline into the resulting HTML document when mdoc-export-html(1) processes the file. (Likewise, it may be skipped if processed by another program.)

format/> is intended to simplify importing documentation from existing documentation sources. It should not be relied upon, if at all possible.

<list>XML</list>

Create a list or table of items. <list/> makes use of nested <item>XML</item>, <listheader>XML</listheader>, <term>XML_TEXT</term>, and <description>XML_TEXT</description> elements.

Lists have the syntax:

<list type="bullet"> <!-- or type="number" -->
<item><term>Bullet 1</term></item>
<item><term>Bullet 2</term></item>
<item><term>Bullet 3</term></item>
</list>

Tables have the syntax:

<list type="table">
<listheader> <!-- listheader bolds this row -->
<term>Column 1</term>
<description>Column 2</description>
<description>Column 3</description>
</listheader>
<item>
<term>Item 1-A</term>
<description>Item 1-B</description>
<description>Item 1-C</description>
</item>
<item>
<term>Item 2-A</term>
<description>Item 2-B</description>
<description>Item 2-C</description>
</item>
</list>

The item and description elements can each contain text and the following elements: block, c, para, paramref, see, sup, and typeparamref.

<para>XML_TEXT</para>

Insert a paragraph of XML_TEXT. For example,

<para>
This is a paragraph of text.
</para>

The para element can contain the following elements: block, c, example, link, list, onequarter, paramref, see, sub, sup, typeparamref, and ul.

<param name="NAME">XML_TEXT</param>

<param/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

Describes the parameter NAME of the current constructor, method, or property:

<param name="count">
A <see cref="T:System.Int32" /> containing the number
of widgets to process.
</param>

The param element can contain the following elements: block, c, example, para, paramref, see, and typeparamref.

<paramref name="NAME" />

Indicates that NAME is a parameter.

This usually renders NAME as italic text, so it is frequently (ab)used as an equivalent to the HTML <i/> element. See the <exception/> documentation (above) for an example.

<permission cref="CREF">XML_TEXT</permission>

Documents the security accessibility requirements of the current member.

<permission/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

CREF is a type reference to the security permission required, while XML_TEXT is a description of why the permission is required.

<permission cref="T:System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermission">
Requires permission for reading and writing files. See
<see cref="F:System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermissionAccess.Read" />,
<see cref="F:System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermissionAccess.Write" />.
</permission>

The permission element can contain the following elements: block, para, paramref, see, and typeparamref.

<remarks>XML_TEXT</remarks>

Contains detailed information about a member.

<remarks/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

<remarks>
Insert detailed information here.
</remarks>

The remarks element can contain the following elements: block, c, code, example, list, para, paramref, see, and typeparamref.

<returns>XML_TEXT</returns>

<returns/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

Describes the return value of a method:

<returns>
A <see cref="T:System.Boolean" /> specifying whether
or not the process can access
<see cref="P:Mono.Unix.UnixFileSystemInfo.FullName" />.
</returns>

The returns element can contain the following elements: c, format, list, para, paramref, see, and typeparamref.

<see cref="CREF" />, <see langword="LANGWORD" />

Creates a link to the specified member within the current text:

<see cref="M:Some.Namespace.With.Type.Method" />

or specifies that LANGWORD is a language keyword:

<see langword="null" />

<seealso cref="CREF" />

Do not use seealso, use altmember.

<since version="VERSION" />

<since/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

Permits specification of which version introduced the specified type or member.

<since version="Gtk# 2.4" />

This generally isn’t required, as the //AssemblyInfo/AssemblyVersion elements track which assembly versions contain type or member.

<summary>XML_TEXT</summary>

<summary/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

Provides a (brief!) overview about a type or type member.

This is usually displayed as part of a class declaration, and should be a reasonably short description of the type/member. Use <remarks/> for more detailed information.

The summary element can contain the following elements: block, list, para, paramref, see, and typeparamref.

<typeparam name="NAME">XML_TEXT</typeparam>

<typeparam/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

This is used to document a type parameter for a generic type or generic method.

NAME is the name of the type parameter, while XML_TEXT contains a description of the parameter (what it’s used for, what restrictions it must meet, etc.).

<typeparam name="T">
The type of the underlying collection
</typeparam>

The typeparam element can contain the following elements: block, c, para, paramref, see, and typeparamref.

<typeparamref name="NAME">

Used to indicate that NAME is a type parameter.

<value>XML_TEXT</value>

<value/> is a top-level element, and should be nested directly under the <Docs/> element.

Allows a property to be described.

<value>
A <see cref="T:System.String" /> containing a widget name.
</value>

The value element can contain the following elements: block, c, example, list, para, paramref, see, and typeparamref.

CREF FORMAT

String IDs (CREFs) are used to refer to a type or member of a type. String IDs are documented in ECMA-334 3rd Edition, Annex E.3.1. They consist of a member type prefix, the full type name (namespace + name, separated by .), possibly followed by the member name and other information.

Member type prefixes:

Examples: M:System.Object..ctor, M:System.String..ctor(System.Char[]), M:System.String.Concat(System.Object), M:System.Array.Sort’’1(’’0[]), M:System.Collections.Generic.List’1..ctor, M:System.Collections.Generic.List’1.Add(’0).

To make matters more interesting, generic types & members have two representations: the "unbound" representation (shown in examples above), in which class names have the count of generic parameters appended to their name. There is also a "bound" representation, in which the binding of generic parameters is listed within ’{’ and ’}’ or ’<’ and ’>’. (Use of ’<’ and ’>’ is less common, as within an XML document their escaped character entities must instead be used, leading to ’&lt;’ and ’&gt;’.)

Unbound:

Bound:

As you can see, bound variants can be arbitrarily complex (just like generics).

Furthermore, if a generic parameter is bound to the generic parameter of a type or method, the "index" of the type/method’s generic parameter is used as the binding, so given

class FooType {
public static void Foo<T> (System.Predicate<T> predicate)
{
}
}

The CREF for this method is M:FooType.Foo’’1(System.Predicate{’’0}), ’’0 is the 0th generic parameter index which is bound to System.Predicate<T>.

SEE ALSO

mdoc(1), monodocer(1)

MAILING LISTS

Visit http://lists.ximian.com/mailman/listinfo/mono-docs-list for
details.

WEB SITE

Visit http://www.mono-project.com for details