Documenting the XML

[wigwam]

Here's a little project I started on today to overcome my inability to understand the structure of a ruleset. I intend to graphically document the various calls and definitions. Area by area I will show on a diagram what templates and window classes are in what files. I will then go on to cross link the references (if there are any). After that I hope to show what functions are called by what.
I'm using the SWSE_II/4E_RPG rule set to start with.
Attached is my first attempt.
Please let me know if this will be of any use - or even if from your experience it would be a total waste of time..

I hope that as I go on I will get to know the structure of a ruleset and others will be able to more easily work on their own projects.

Thanks.

[wigwam]

Here's a second one.

(Lower resolution this time.)

[RuzeII]

Wow. I could have really used this when I started. I went through and had to work out what each layer did. I use my own terminology, cause I don't know the real stuff, but I broke down how each .xml fed on each other .xml, starting from the first layer, base.xml, and going into the actual sheets.

Looks like you took it a step further ... nice ..

[Sigurd]

Keep it up as long as you want to do it. You'll find readers for this.

You could also share your method so others can help and perhaps save you some work.

Sigurd

[wigwam]

Method?! Method?! You assume too much! :D

All I do is read through the source code and update an MSVisio document. It's slow, tedious and ultimately unfulfilling. But, hey! When it's done it'll help soooo much.

If anyone else wants to help, great! ;)

[PneumaPilot]

You know what I was thinking would also be useful today was something that mapped the procedure calls between all the various script files. You really have to dig around to find where some of those procedures are. Some procedures in one .lua file call a procedure within <script> tags in an XML file, which rely on still further procedures in a different .lua file. Crazy!

I'm not suggesting that you do that, wigwam, I just think it might be helpful. Of course, patience, eidetic memory, and hard work function well too.