Alternate tool for a GhostDoc type of tool

Question

Is there a tool for .NET which will generate explanations (comments) of code if we give it function or event handlers (like GhostDoc which we feel is not a good tool)?

Answer 1

Actually, /// doesn't generate any documentation, just empty XML tags. Where GhostDoc shines is in generating MSDN style documentation (including the verbiage) automatically, based on contextual information such as property, class, visibility, usages etc.

Here are some true alternatives:

• Atomineer (bit cheaper than GhostDoc)
• Resharper (works only if you enable XML Comments for the project, but is nowhere near as good as above two. can also copy XML comments from base classes/interfaces).

Now, whatever you do, please do not produce undocumentation! :)

Answer 2

If you start a comment with /// in VS2010, it'll create basic parameters in XML for you based on the function you're commenting.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd722812.aspx

So typing /// before the function startMonitor(ManagementScope scope) gives...

/// <summary>
/// 
/// </summary>
/// <param name="scope"></param>
static void startMonitor(ManagementScope scope)

If you're wanting to generate decent documentation from these, I suggest https://github.com/EWSoftware/SHFB as your first stop. It's pretty ace.

Answer 3

Take a look at Sandcastle. It will work with Visual Studio 2005 projects. There are also downloads still available for nDoc. It had its heyday around 2005, but I think little or no development has taken place since.

If you're looking for something that will actually prepopulate code comments for you, I'm not sure you can do much better than GhostDoc.