ASP Documentation Tool

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ASP Documentation Tool Print E-mail
Contributed by Howell   
Monday, 12 June 2006
The ASP Documentation Tool™ creates comprehensive technical documentation for ASP 2.0 and 3.0 web applications written in VBScript or JScript. It will also document SQL Server 7.0,2000,2005 or Microsoft Access databases associated with the applications, as well as associated Visual Basic 6.0 COM objects that may be used in the web application.

Features:

ASP file parser extracts content from ASP 2.0 or 3.0 files written in VBScript or JScript.
Supports more than one input folder, which is useful if your include files are in a separate folder to the main ASP files.
Optionally supports server-side includes in the format <!--#include file="Global.asp"--> or <!--#include virtual="/includes/Global.asp"-->.
Can be scheduled to automatically update project documentation by making use of the Windows AT command or the Task Scheduler.
Supports external JavaScript files (i.e. those with .js file extensions).
Log file creation shows a summary of the ASP Documentation Tool™'s actions.
Graphical user interface makes it easy to configure the documentation options required to successfully document a web application's ASP pages and its associated Visual Basic 6.0 Component Object Model objects and SQL Server 7, 2000, 2005 and Microsoft Access databases.
The ASP Documentation Tool™ and its associated files are installed using a standard Windows installer.
Report shows the following:
ASP Pages: Line count, code breakdown, whether they are used as include files, which include files are available to each page.
ASP VBScript functions: Where they are defined, and where in the project they are called from.
ASP VBScript subroutines: Where they are defined, and where in the project they are called from.
ASP VBScript constants: Where they are defined, and where in the project they are used.
ASP JScript functions: Where they are defined, and where in the project they are called from.
Client-side JavaScript functions: Where they are defined.
Which server components are used on the site, and where they are instantiated. Both VBScript CreateObject and JScript ActiveXObject commands are supported.
Where Application and Session variables are used in both VBScript and JScript.
Which Request.Form, Request.QueryString and Request.ServerVariables variables are used on the site, and where in the ASP code they are used.
The comments associated with ASP functions and subroutines (provided they are in the ASP source code above the function and subroutine definitions).
HTML Forms: Where they are defined.
Email Addresses: Shows where email addresses are used in the files.
Line Counts: Full line counts of each page in the web application. Line counts are also broken down into code types (ASP VBScript, ASP JScript and client-side JavaScript).
Unused Code: Shows ASP VBScript functions and subroutines and JScript functions that don't appear to be used in the web application.
Under-used Code: Shows ASP VBScript functions and subroutines and JScript functions that aren't used extensively within web application.
Coding language usage: Shows the proportions of JavaScript, HTML and ASP (VBScript and Jscript) within each page within the web application.
The ASP Documentation Tool™ can also document custom built COM components that have been created with Visual Basic 6.0, with the following features:
Report shows the public functions associated with the COM object.
Report shows the public properties associated with the COM object.
Full syntax highlighted source code of Visual Basic 6.0 Class included in report.
SQL Server 7.0, 2000 or 2005 databases associated with the ASP project can also be documented, with the following features:
Shows a list of tables within the database.
Shows a list of views within the database, including the SQL associated with each view.
Shows a list of column names, type and length associated with each table and view and whether the column can contain null values.
Shows a list of stored procedures, including the full text of each stored procedure and its input parameters.
Shows where the stored procedure is called from in ASP (provided the EXEC keyword is used in SQL statements or the stored procedures are prefixed with "sp_") Optional guess mode can detect stored procedure calls even if the EXEC keyword is not used or the stored procedures are not prefixed with "sp_".
Shows the relationships between table primary key and foreign key columns if the database contains relationships.
If you required it, the SQL Documentation Tool can be used to generate even more detailed database developer documentation for SQL Server databases - generous discounts are available if you purchase the SQL Documentation Tool at the same time as the ASP Documentation Tool.
Most Microsoft Access databases (Access 95, Access 97 and Access 2000) associated with the ASP project can also be documented, with the following features:
Shows a list of tables within the database.
Shows a list of views (i.e. "select" Queries) within the database.
Shows a list of column names, type and length associated with each table and view.
Shows a list of stored procedures (i.e. Queries that aren't considered views), including the full text of each stored procedure.
Shows where the stored procedure is called from in ASP (provided the EXEC keyword is used in SQL statements).
There are a number of output options:
Standard HTML: This can be viewed in any web browser, including Internet Explorer and Netscape.
Microsoft's HTML Help format: This format [sample] has the advantages of:
The project documentation is contained within a single, compressed .chm file.
The entire project documentation is searchable.
There is an index of project items.
The project documentation can be further modified using Microsoft's freely available HTML Help Workshop application.
Plain Text: This is a text file containing a summary of the project. As such it can be used as the basis of custom documentation written in a word processor [sample].
The HTML format reports contain full copies of all ASP pages which have the following features:
Optional color coding and syntax highlighting of source code, making it easier to read.
Ability to customise the colors and appearance of the documentation using a Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) file. View samples: [Using Gothic.css], [Using VeryGreen.css], [Using HotPink.css].
Optional line numbering of source code.
There is the option to either colour code or hyperlink all of the following in the source code:
ASP VBScript functions.
ASP VBScript subroutines.
ASP VBScript constant usage.
ASP JScript functions.
Application and Session variable usage from either VBScript or JScript.
ActiveX object calls made using CreateObject (VBScript) and ActiveXObject (JScript).
Stored procedure calls made using the EXEC keyword.
Suggested uses of the ASP Documentation Tool™:
Use it on newly acquired projects to assist in obtaining an overview of that project. What coding style has the development team used? Does the ASP make use of functions and subroutines? Is much use made of client-side JavaScript? Does the site use Application or Session variables? The ASP Documentation Tool™ can help you to determine this... and much more!
The ASP Documentation Tool™ can assist with code reviews and source code audits.
In this competitive market, why not produce project documentation for your clients? This shows you treat project documentation seriously.
When making large scale changes to a project, use it to find out where a function or a subroutine is called from.
Document your existing projects to assist with future code reuse.
Don't let your new hires loose on a project without them having the ASP Documentation Tool™'s report to help them on their way!
The ASP Documentation Tool™ lets you know which ActiveX objects are used in a project, so when migrating the web application to a different server you know which components you'll need to install.
Use it to easily print colour coded and syntax highlighted copies of source code.
The HTML Help format report is fully searchable - this includes the source code as well.
The HTML format documentation can be easily incorporated into a company Intranet or Extranet.
Include an ASP Documentation Tool™ report of an old ASP site you have archived, so if you need to go back to it you'll know where to find things.
The color coded, syntax highlighted source code created by the ASP Documentation Tool™ can be copied and pasted into other documents, making code much easier to read.
Determine the proportions of JavaScript, HTML and ASP (VBScript and JScript) within each page in the web application.
More suggested uses may be found on the detailed overview page.


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