I stored a preliminary version of the presentation model in the masterm
directory at isi in subdirectory Models. The relevant files are
- presentation.idl: the IDL file
- presentation.maker: A reference manual for the presentation model,
automatically generated from the idl file (FrameMaker 4 file).
- presentation.ps: a postscript file for the manual, in case your FrameMaker
refuses to read presentation.maker.
I used a program that comes with the Fresco distribution called i2mif, that
reads idl files and generated mif files to document the idl. This program
assumes that comments are added in a partcular format (see presentation.idl
for details).
Please follow the same format in defining your idl files. Essentially you
have to use //- and //. to add your comments, instead of just plain //. If we
follow these conventions, our reference manual will be generated
automatically, and it will always be up to date (if the comments inthe file
are up to date).
I think it is a good idea for everyone to document their idl carefully so that
we can all understand what it means.
The instructions for generating the FrameMaker file are as follows.
- run i2mif from the fresco distribution. I left a copy in
~masterm/bin.sun4/i2mif, in case you don't have it.
- add a line at the top of the generated file to tell framemaker that the file
is a framemaker file. I don't know why that line is missing. I encapsulated
this step in a shell script. THe line is:
<MIFFile 4.00> # Generated by FrameMaker xm4.0.1P1m
- Setup a container document where you are going to include the mif file. You
can use the presentation.maker file (just delete all the text).
- Use the import command in framemaker to import the automatically generated
file into the container file. You want to use a container file that has all
the paragraph styles already defined.
- You are done.
It is a simple process and the generated reference manual looks very good. It
can even generate an index for all the interfaces, attributes and methods. I
think i2mif also understands plain C++.
Pedro Szekely
USC/ISI, 4676 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Phone: 310/822-1511, Fax: 310/823-6714
URL: http://www.isi.edu/isd/HUMANOID-HOME.html