ixDoc - IX Publishing's Quick Documentation Tool

ixDoc is the short name for the IX Publishing's Quick Documentation Tool.

ixDoc Information Page

1. ixDoc - FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1.1 What is ixDoc?
1.2 Why do you use ixDoc?
1.3 Can I purchase a copy of ixDoc?
1.4 Where can I get a copy of MakeDoc?
1.5 Are there other tools/scripts like MakeDoc that I can use?
1.6 Where can I find more info. about MakeDoc, MakeDocPro, NicomDoc, etc.?
2. See also

1. ixDoc - FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

If you have questions about ixDoc, you came to the right spot.

1.1 What is ixDoc?

ixDoc is a publishing tool that allows us to quickly edit documents using a simple text editor, and then transform them into HTML pages. ixDoc is actually composed of several Rebol scripts, some HTML templates, and a CSS stylesheet. ixDoc is similar to MakeDoc from Rebol Technologies. At IX Publishing, we use ixDoc to edit and publish the Instant Expert Guides.

1.2 Why do you use ixDoc?

There are several reasons why we decided to begin publishing our documents with ixDoc:

We wanted something that would be quick and easy to install, use, and modify. Since ixDoc is based on MakeDoc and uses Rebol to run the scripts, it was quick and easy to install. Similar tools are available like text2html (which uses Perl to run the scripts), but whenever possible we take the minimalist approach. Rebol and ixDoc (or MakeDoc) and 100 documents still fit on one floppy disk (which might help you understand how simple the install is). The Rebol scripts, HTML templates, and CSS stylesheets are also easy to modify as our needs change for various projects.
We needed a tool that would allow us to quickly create documentation with minimum of HTML tag fiddling and without the overhead of 'fancy' -- but bloated -- HTML page composers.

1.3 Can I purchase a copy of ixDoc?

Sorry, ixDoc is not for sale. It's only for internal use by IX Publishing.

1.4 Where can I get a copy of MakeDoc?

Go to Rebol's MakeDoc page. Follow the instructions for installation. It's free and only takes a few minutes to install.

1.5 Are there other tools/scripts like MakeDoc that I can use?

Yes, there are several popular variations or branches of MakeDoc.

MakeDocPro by Robert Munch - is very powerful (and popular).
Christopher Ross-Gill offers an online service - called Make-Doc Anywhere that allows you try out MakeDoc like editing, composing, and HTML creation features without having to install any new software. You can use Make-Doc Anywhere from any computer/browser that is connected to the internet. (If you're reading this, we assume you already have access to the internet.)
NicomDoc by John Niclasen is similar in concept to MakeDoc.

1.6 Where can I find more info. about MakeDoc, MakeDocPro, NicomDoc, etc.?

Have you tried searching Google for NicomDoc?
Have you tried searching Yahoo for MakeDoc or searching Yahoo for MakeDoc+Rebol?
Also try the search engines with keyword 'MakeDoc2'.
Other places to look are the rebol mailing list, or the rebol script library.

2. See also

Here's a few related tools that we have found useful.

NoteTab - Great HTML text editor / plain text editor, and/or general purpose programmer's editor. We use this to edit HTML pages, HTML templates, and the HTML templates used by ixDoc.
HTML Tidy - Cleans up your HTML and lots more...
Rebol - You haven't downloaded Rebol yet?

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