[REBOL] Re: RFC: Examples in the auto-documentation
From: greggirwin:mindspring at: 24-Dec-2002 10:59
Hi Ammon,
AJ> If you have used REBOL for very long you have probably discovered the
AJ> power of the HELP or ? function. I have noticed, however, that it just
AJ> barely falls short of a true HELP system. There are no examples given.
AJ> I would love it if there was a way to make this happen.
AJ> Maybe by having the first string in the function declaration block be
AJ> the example. For example: ;-)
I'm not sure how well this would work in practice. For some simple
things it might be OK, but then simple things don't need as much
explaining. :) Once you get into things that require more setup
information, contain refinments, or need their output probed to see
the results, the embedded example will overshadow everything else in
the code. It's good stuff to have, don't get me wrong, I just don't
think it belongs *in* the code as it is currently formatted and
spec'd.
I can certainly see where a literate programming model for REBOL could
be very successful, but that's a different story. :)
-- Gregg
