GSoC/GCI Archive
Google Code-in 2014 BRL-CAD

Write manual page documentation (for g-dot)

completed by: shardulc

mentors: Sean, Mihai Neacsu

BRL-CAD has hundreds of tools but they're not all documented. We use the Docbook XML system for documentation, which is very much like HTML, but don't worry -- we have LOTS of examples you can follow. Our build system will even validate your file to make sure you didn't make a mistake.

This task entails briefly learning how this geometry converter application works and then writing initial documentation for it. Look at the other g-*.xml files in the doc/docbook/system/man1/en directory for a couple dozen examples.

Once you've created your new file, you'll want to check your work.

  1. download BRL-CAD from Subversion or use our VM image
  2. compile BRL-CAD: http://brlcad.org/wiki/Compiling
  3. create your new file (doc/docbook/system/man1/en/g-dot.xml)
  4. add it to the build system ( edit doc/docbook/system/man1/en/CMakeLists.txt )
  5. compile again (make) and make sure it doesn't give an error
  6. check the compiled version ( in your build directory, run: bin/brlman g-dot)

A lot of little steps, but it's really very easy.

References:
  • doc/docbook/system/man1/en/g-*.xml
  • http://brlcad.org/VolumeIV-Converting_Geometry.pdf
  • src/conv/g-dot.c
Modify:
  • doc/docbook/system/man1/en/g-dot.xml <-- you'll create this
  • doc/docbook/system/man1/en/CMakeLists.txt <-- add your new file here