TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:use of word: "programmatic" From:Frank Kronberg <frank -at- kronberg -dot- com> To:TechWriter List recipients <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 25 Feb 2000 11:47:49 -0800
Hello
I want a word to identify the following process--
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To create API documentation:
1) I am greping through C++ source code header files,
extracting all method/function prototypes,
as well as typedefs and enums.
2) I am collecting all of these data in a
relational database, along with my hand-written
descriptions and notes (also in RDB)
3) From the RDB, I create output with
specific formatting conventions and I serve
this output as PDF files and HTML files which
are accessed by a variety of users' browsers.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My question to all of you good people <grin>:
May I call my approach, a "programmatic" approach to
the development of the the API documentation?
I want to use a word like "automatic" to distinguish my
approach from "manual" development (typing into a file, etc).
Any suggestions or feedback or opinions are appreciated!
thanks,
frank kronberg
BTW, here are a couple definitions of "programmatic":
Following an overall plan or schedule: a step-by-step,
programmatic approach to problem solving.
www.dictionary.com
advocating or adhering to a specific aim or policy