docs/04-faqs.markdown @ 895de4f8db57

FAQs
====

Maybe not "frequently asked", but hopefully these answers will be useful.

[TOC]

Should I use d for my project?
------------------------------

If you want lots of control over the resulting documentation: **no**.

If you want to hook in API docs and such: **no**.

If you want to write in something other than Markdown: **no**.

If you have a large project and need more than one level of organization for
your documentation: **no**.

If you have a small project and want to quickly write some docs that don't look
like ass: **yes!**

What if I Outgrow d?
--------------------

If your documentation starts to need some more structure or functionality, you
can easily switch over to [Sphinx][] in a few minutes:

1. Use [Pandoc][] to convert your Markdown to reStructuredText.  There's
   a [web-based version][pandocweb] if you don't want to bother building
   Haskell.
2. Create a new Sphinx project in the usual manner.
3. Copy your converted documentation into it.
4. That's it.

There's nothing tricky about this process because `d` has almost no
process/configuration of its own.  All you do when using `d` is create pure
content.  This makes switching to other tools simple a matter of converting this
content to their preferred format.

[Sphinx]: http://sphinx.pocoo.org/
[Pandoc]: http://johnmacfarlane.net/pandoc/
[pandocweb]: http://johnmacfarlane.net/pandoc/try

Web Servers and File Layout
---------------------------

### Do I need to do anything special with my webserver?

Your webserver should add a trailing slash to directories.  Most sane ones do
that by default these days, so you should be all set.

If you're using a server that doesn't, you might need to add a rewrite rule so
URLs like `/foo` redirect to `/foo/`.

### Why does d use page/index.html instead of page.html?

`d`'s goal is to be quick, easy, and get out of your way.  Most web servers will
serve the folder structure `d` creates sanely without any extra configuration.

This also lets you type links such as `[installation guide](/installation/)`,
instead of requiring you to add the `.html`.

### Can I serve the documentation at a URL other than /?

Sure.  You'll need to use relative links in your content pages though:

    :::markdown
    See the [installation guide][ig] for more information.

    [ig]: ../installation/


### Why can't I use <base\> to have normal-looking links?

The `<base>` tag is a clusterfuck.  Just add the dots.  Trust me.

### Can I reorder the pages?

Sure, make the filenames start with numbers and a dash, like this:

    :::text 
    01-installation.markdown
    02-usage.markdown

`d` will order the files properly, but ignore the number when creating the
URLs, so you still get nice links like `/installation/`.

### Can I create multiple folders/sections?

No, use a different tool.

Page Content
------------

### Can I add a Google Analytics script?

Sure.  Remember that Markdown lets you add raw HTML anywhere.  Just put the HTML
in `footer.markdown` and you're all set.

### Can I add media?

Not yet, but it's on my radar.

### Can I display a table of contents for a single page?

Put `[TOC]` wherever you want it to appear.  It will parse the headings in the
document, remove the first level (the page title) and output a nice list for
you.

### Can I have syntax highlighting for code snippets?

Yep, just put `:::lang` at the beginning of your code blocks, like this:

    :::text
    :::python
    for i in range(10):
        print i

### Can I add HTML into the <head\> of the docs?

Not yet, but it's on my radar.


Writing Tools
-------------

### How can I preview the documentation locally?

You need a real web server to preview the generated files effectively.  Luckily,
you already have one: Python comes with a built-in server that's great for
viewing local files.

Build your docs, then in a separate terminal:

    :::bash
    cd myproject/docs
    cd build
    python -m SimpleHTTPServer

Now open <http://localhost:8000> and view your docs!

### Can I make d auto-rerender when my files change?

Yes, use [peat](https://github.com/sjl/peat) to watch for changes and run `d`.

### Can I write in something other than Markdown?

No, use a different tool.

### Can I add auto-generated documentation into d's docs?

No, auto-generated docs are a cop out.  Sit down and write some real,
hand-crafted documentation for humans.

### Can I output to PDF/ePub/man pages/etc?

No, use a different tool.

### Can I make a "theme" for d?

No, use a different tool.