Is there any help for the XML challenged?

[Jeff_M]

I look at XML and for some unexplained reason, my brain turns to mush. I have read all the things I've found on creating a ATC & PKT files for custom assemblies, but I have yet to be able to create one because once the brain is mush nothing gets done.

Would it be too difficult to write a program which creates these for you? So all you have to do is point it to the sub's DLL, fill out a form with the input params, press a button, and BAM there's your ATC & PKT all created for you?

OK, maybe that's asking for too much...how about a step by step walkthrough, starting with "So, you have a custom subassembly DLL, now what?"

Time for more coffee to unmushify this poor old brain. Thanks!

C3D 2010 & 2011, VS2008 C# & VB.NET Express, Vista Ultimate 64-bit

[nzeeben]

Jeff,

You could likely write some kind of parser that generates the atc file directly from the source code of the subassembly if you were so inclined.  Is there something in particular that is turning your brain to mush?  Our atc files that we ship with the product are a little difficult to read because of the resource numbers as opposed to actual strings embedded in them from the resource file.

If you have some specific questions I will provide any answers I have.

[Sinc]

I have to agree with Jeff that the ATC files are nasty.

Not only are they a royal pain to create, they need to duplicate info from the code.  I've created plenty of them, but they are easily the most distasteful part of subassembly creation.

About the only thing that approaches them in annoyance is any attempt to customize one of the stock subassemblies, and then create an altered Help file for the new subassembly.  The existing Help files are mangled, so they can't be used as a starting point, and the entire Help file must be recreated from scratch.