Documentation Automation
I am using SWC and MXP files to create a code library [see this post]. It occurred to me that when I put all the pieces together I would have more of an undocumented API than a library on my hands. I vaguely remembered reading about an ActionScript documentation tool that was similar to JavaDoc that could automate and frame out API Documentation. A couple of Google searches and I realized I already had the tool installed – ASDoc, part of the free Flex API.

ASDoc is a command-line tool that expects to be told where a class or library is located and where to put the generated HTML documentation. It parses the class syntax and outputs pages exactly like those in the Flex documentation. That’s because Adobe developers use the tool to create Flex Documentation. Adobe documentation.

I am not a fan of CLI tools.

A search for a GUI for ASDoc turned up this little gem by OneByOne Design. Field inputs are persistant so most of the time I only need to click the go button to regen a complete set of documentation.

One advantage to the CLI is that you can see feedback on why documentation may not have been generated. ASDoc parser logic sometimes requires dependant classes to be available and will specify which ones are missing, for example.