Re: Fwd: Gnucap Comprehensive Help System Implementation Details

On Wed, Jun 04, 2014 at 11:21:59AM +0200, Rishabh Yadav wrote:

> 1.User should have the source file of a plugin to get the help manual of
> that plugin.

no. just store the extra/extended manual in texinfo format, then look it
up there. e.g. (after installation) from
/usr/share/gnucap/doc/texinfo.whatever. don't access the C++ source code
at runtime. 

something like this might make sense. (similar for other base classes).

COMPONENT::help(cmd) {
	print synopsis (device name, ports etc.);
	if cmd.umatch("extended"){ // or any other keyword?
		if (lookup texinfo){
			print it.
		} else {
			print no extended manual available
		}
	} else {
		if (lookup texinfo){
			tell user how to get it.
		} else {
			print no help avaiable
		}
	}
}

(custom plugins that are not part of gnucap should carry their full
documentation, and so do not fallback to a texinfo manual).

hth
felix