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I have an API library that I need to publish for my costumers. Looking for a tool that I can use to generate an online help manual. something like MSDN or android dev site.

It needs to be a little more then just comments-based generated help. preferably, the ability to add some foreground about every class and some instruction pages that are not class-based (but containing auto generated links for mentioned objects).

The code is written in C#.

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Is your API written with Visual Studio? If you have added the code info blocks (XML) on top of each class, you should be able to generate the code documentation automatically. If not... Good luck ! –  Uw Concept Jul 26 '11 at 8:36
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4 Answers

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Sandcastle with Sandcastle Help File Builder is what I use. MAML (Microsoft Assistance Markup Language) is what you will need to use for creating additional content outside of the usual auto-generated documentation.

http://shfb.codeplex.com/ - Help file builder

This includes a built in MAML editor and various templates which are fairly easy to insert your content into. The documentation for the adding additional content like this can be found here: http://www.ewoodruff.us/shfbdocs/html/3d4edd2d-7883-4508-b9d2-bd7b4d848b0d.htm

MAML is kind of a cross between HTML and the markup that the documentation comments use in C#, so easy enough to pick up.

EDIT: http://sandcastlestyles.codeplex.com/ - This has a HTML to MAML convertor which works reasonably well, and might be useful.

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Aside Sandcastle for the straight Code to API documentation I use HelpNDoc as well. This allows me to add better examples to the API documentation.

After a sandcastle .chm build, you are able to import this into HelpNDoc and manage the extra needed examples within. I am still looking for a better workflow to keep the added examples when building a new release of the API.

Look at: http://www.helpndoc.com/

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** Disclosure : I work for Innovasys, the producer of the documentation tool mentioned below *

Have you taken a look at Innovasys Document! X? Document! X will generate reference documentation (.NET, COM, Database, XSD Schemas) and you also get a WYSIWYG authoring environment to add additional content (expansive descriptions, examples, additional index keywords, See Also links etc.) to the automatically generated reference content. It also includes conceptual (free format topic) authoring too - including a hyperlink designer that makes it simple to link between your conceptual and reference docs.

Document! X also includes a Visual Comment Editor integrated with Visual Studio - so you can work with your Xml source comments in a visual editor. Document! X will use all your existing Xml source comments.

Document! X generates output to web ready Html, Html Help 1.x, Help 2.x (the Visual Studio 2002-2008 format) and Visual Studio 2010 (the Visual Studio 2010 format). The output is all template based so you can adapt and extend the default look and feel if you need to.

It's used by Infragistics, Dundas, Xceed, GrapeCity etc. to do their commercial .NET documentation (both reference and user guides) so it has a good pedigree.

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