The LAML SchemeDoc Software Homepage

LAML SchemeDoc is primarily a tool for extraction of interface documentation (API documentation) from specially marked comments in Scheme source files. LAML SchemeDoc can be controlled from an XML language, or from properties in the top-level comment in a source file.

Secondarily, LAML SchemeDoc allows you to author your manuals from scratch, using the XML language mentioned above. It is also possible to document XML DTDs with LAML SchemeDoc. This is especially relevant in a LAML context, because LAML represents XML DTDs as a collection of Scheme functions. Finally, SchemeDoc is bundled with the Scheme Elucidator - a tool for internal program documentation.

The SchemeDoc distribution is a (relatively small) subset of the LAML distribution. The distribution includes the relevant documentation. If you already have either the full or the slim LAML distribution, you also have SchemeDoc.

LAML SchemeDoc works on both Windows and Unix (Linux), and together with a number of different Scheme systems. You must install LAML SchemeDoc before you can use it. See the installation guide. The installation procedure is exactly the same as for LAML.

Resources in the SchemeDoc distribution

• A Reference Manual (made with SchemeDoc itself and based on the XML DTD of the SchemeDoc language).
• A SchemeDoc tutorial (made via the Scheme Elucidator, which is closely related to SchemeDoc, and therefore part of this distribution).
• A number of SchemeDoc examples
• Indexed versions of the R4RS and R5RS Scheme Reports. Applied names in Scheme source programs can be linked to appropriate places in these manuals. Use the SchemeDoc front matters attributes scheme-report-version and rnrs-url to setup the access the R4RS/R5RS information.

See also the LAML SchemeDoc home page on the web, which contains additional examples, description of related work, and other useful information.

How to use LAML SchemeDoc

SchemeDoc can be activated in several different ways, here ordered after the amount of control that can be exercised:

• Via a LAML script
  From a LAML script written in the SchemeDoc XML language.
• From Emacs with LAML support.
  In a Scheme-mode buffer use M-x schemedoc or the Emacs menu entry Scheme > SchemeDoc > Run SchemeDoc. A neighbor menu entry offers SchemeDoc help. Please notice that the Emacs Tools menu also have som useful SchemDoc menu entries.
• From a Scheme Interpreter in which LAML is loaded.
  From Emacs with LAML support, say M-x run-laml-interactively to start such an interpreter. Call the schemedoc procedure to run SchemeDoc. Call the xml-dtd-manual procedure to document an already parsed XML DTD.
• From a shell
  From an operating system prompt (command prompt/shell):

      schemedoc file.scm

  As of LAML version 27 this only works with MzScheme on Unix (Linux and Solaris). The shell script accepts no options, but processing options can be given in the initial comment of the Scheme source program.

In case you use Emacs, please be aware of a number of SchemeDoc menu entries in Emacs. The Tools menu has a SchemeDoc entry which holds commands that help you construct SchemeDoc scripts. When you are in Scheme mode, the Scheme > SchemeDoc menu entry holds a menu item that activates SchemeDoc, and entries that insert useful documentation comment templates.