The goal of dbdoc is the same as javadoc's:  to produce documentation
and make it accessible via a web browser.  Forcibly then there must exist
similarities between the two.  dbdoc actually uses javadoc at runtime to
generate the in-memory object model of java packages.  so i see it more as
an
evolution or customization of javadoc rather than a replacement of javadoc.

> I think that this is Javadoc with modifications.  The Javadoc license
doesn't
> allow one to release the modified source code.

I use the doclet mechanism to extract documentation information.
The doclet api provides a clear demarcation between the
javadoc code and the customizations.

One essential design difference between dbdoc and javadoc
is the fact that dbdoc uses a database.  this creates two
significant advantages in dbdoc:

  1. the ability to build api documentation incrementally, where a
   single repository is used for multiple api's and where the various
   api's are actually cross-referenced.

  2. content becomes searchable

i understand that these may not be significant differences to many
developers.  but have you ever wondered why the sun site does not
provide a single location to browse their javadocs?

the other major difference i do not mention is that if you view the
gui using ie 5.5 or 6.0, you will see a radically different implementation
of the gui.  this is another by-product of the design difference between
javadoc and dbdoc.  the dbdoc gui is jsp/template-based, which makes
it much easier to maintain, revise, and/or enhance.  i believe
that javadoc's html doclet suffers from the same problems of the servlet
days (before template mechanisms were introduced) where the html is
generated using inline println() statements.

/ eitan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kevin A. Burton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Jakarta General List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 3:20 PM
Subject: Re: a tool for java api documentation


> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Jon Scott Stevens <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
> > on 2/3/02 10:12 PM, "Eitan Suez" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > > if you have the time, i would be very interested in
> > > (and would very much appreciate) your thoughts
> > > and feedback on dbdoc.
> > >
> > > Sincerely,
> > > Eitan Suez
> > > Programmer
> <snip/>
>
> > Other than that, cool software...I don't see a link to download the
source
> > code though...:-( Until you provide that link, it is useless to
advertise it
> > here as it makes you look kind of funny...:-)
>
> I think that this is Javadoc with modifications.  The Javadoc license
doesn't
> allow one to release the modified source code.
>
> PS... thanks SUN! :(
>
> Kevin
>
> - --
> Kevin A. Burton ( [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED] )
>              Location - San Francisco, CA, Cell - 415.595.9965
>         Jabber - [EMAIL PROTECTED],  Web - http://relativity.yi.org/
>
> The dawn is rising on a new day!
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