Document! X and HelpStudio 2021
Getting Started / Java Reference Documentation / Java Documentation
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    Java Documentation
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    The Document! X Java documentation support allows you to create documentation for Java source code. The Document! X Java Documentation support fully leverages Javadoc source comments, adding features and functionality to what is possible with the Standard Javadoc generator.

    What is generated

    A full documentation set is generated including pages for each class, interface, enumeration, constructor, method and field you choose to include. Inheritance hierarchies, cross topic links, Object Model diagrams, Syntax sections are all automatically generated and combined with content from Javadoc source comments and any additional content you choose to author in a Document! X Content File.

    Integrating generated documentation with a Java Development Environment

    Java documentation generated by Document! X can be published and associated with your Java Projects in Java Development tools in order to drive both tooltip and Shift+F1 help functionality, thereby providing developments who use your Java Projects with instant access to the documentation.

    Refer to the Deploying Java Documentation topic for more information on publishing your Java documentation.

    Why should I use Document! X rather than standard Javadoc output

    1. Content: Document! X generates object model diagrams, automatically providing a powerful illustration of the object models within your Java Projects. A separate cross linked page is generated for each class, interface, enumeration, constructor, method and property - making the documentation easier to read, navigate and quicker to load. The default style of the generated pages is modern, consistent, easy to read and uses filtering functionality on member pages to make documentation easier to filter and scan.
    2. Customization: Document! X output is driven by Html based templates which can be easily adapted, extended and branded. Standard Javadoc output is not easily customizable.
    3. Authoring Environment: Document! X provides a powerful authoring environment in which you can review documentation (including Javadoc comment content) and author additional content outside of the source code. This authoring ability allows technical writers to contribute to the documentation process without requiring access to the source and provides an option for authoring more complex and lengthy documentation such as examples outside of the source.
    4. Localization: You can author for multiple languages within a single Document! X Project. Standard Javadoc only supports a single set of source comments so is limited to generating documentation only for a single language.
    5. Conceptual Topics: Document! X includes powerful conceptual topic authoring features that allow you to author those vital additional pages that provide conceptual background to your reference documentation. The style and structure of those conceptual topics is automatically consistent with the automatically generated reference topics.
    6. Choice of output formats: You can output your Java documentation to web ready plain Html or compiled CHM. Standard Javadoc does not natively output to CHM.
    7. Modern Web Output: The web ready output generated by Document! X includes a wealth of functionality to make your documentation easier to use, including a full text search, "as you type" lookup in the index, a collapsible/expandible Table of Contents, Favorites and Printing functions.
    See Also