[fpc-pascal] can we have fpc's doc in chm format?

[Adrian Maier]

On Dec 2, 2007 6:25 PM, Michael Van Canneyt <michael at freepascal.org> wrote:
>
> On Sun, 2 Dec 2007, Bisma Jayadi wrote:
>
> > Can we have fpc's doc in chm format? It's easier to navigate and search
> > compare to other formats. :)
>
> The reference material: If you complete the chm backend of fpdoc, yes.
> The manuals: definitely out.
>
> But I don't see how CHM is better than PDF. PDF offers all that CHM offers,
> plus well-formatted printed output.

PDFs are great for printing , but when reading them on-screen the
page-oriented-ness
is a little awkward .

Probably the people who are asking for CHM docs are hoping to experience better
search capabilities , although the CHM format itself might not guarantee it .

Also , it would be nice to be able to copy-paste procedure names and
source code examples
from the docs .


The truly painful experience with the fpc docs is finding a
class/procedure that is
performing a certain function and that you haven't used before and
that you are not
even sure it exists .  The functionality is fragmented into units and
the navigation
links requires an advanced understanding about one can expect to find in each
unit : before reaching the reference page of a procedure you need to
know its exact
name or at least the unit is belongs to .

For instance :  some string-related procedures are in the System unit, some in
StrUtils , and God knows where else.  I am sure that there is some
logic (and/or heritage)
in separating them that way, but it's difficult to hunt down all those
procedures and
functions  throughout the RTL reference manual  without proper search and
browsing capabilities .


Cheers,
Adrian Maier