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Installing ALab

The only thing you have to do to make ALab work is to compile the source files. The sourcecode is documented with javadoc comments, so the whole class documentation can be done by running javadoc. And if you want to include new packages to ALab you only have to re-compile and re-autodoc the source files with other javac and javadoc parameters.

Compiling ALab

To create the class files of ALab you have to run javac the java compiler. There is an MS-DOS batch file included, that automatically creates all class files. All non windows users have to run javac the following way: PATH is the path into the ALab folder docs/source/ALab. DIR is the path where the classes should be placed (usually docs/.. is used).
  javac -O -d %DIR% %PATH%/*.java
If you have run javac the right way, there should be a new folder at path DIR with all class files in it. These class files can be used by your java code.

Creating documentation

To create the class documentation you have to run javadoc. There is an MS-DOS batch file included, that automatically creates all documentation files. All non windows users have to run javadoc the following way: PATH is the path into the ALab folder named docs.
  javadoc -sourcepath %PATH%/source -d %PATH%/class
          -stylesheetfile %PATH%/tutorial/ALab.css
          ALab                    // or ALab/*.java
If you have run javadoc the right way, the class documentation of all classes of ALab will be placed to the ALab folder docs/class. You can use the link Package documentation now.

Including new packages

To include new packages to ALab exactly follow this installation guide. New packages will always be named this way:
ALab.packageName

If you create your own new package you have to create a directory named packageName and put all your source files to it (don't forget to put the line 'package ALab.packageName;' at the beginning of every source file). If you want your package documentation be included to ALab documentation, these source files should be commented in javadoc comment style and a HTML file called package.html explaining the functionality of your package should be included (in all these files you can access the ALab logo: ../point.gif). If you don't write a new package by yourself, but get it from somewhere else, you will get exactly the same: a folder called packageName and the source files and HTML file in it.

Move this folder to the ALab source directory docs/source/ALab. Now you have to compile this package using javac. You have to change the command you used for compiling ALab to the following code: PATH is the path into the ALab folder docs/source/ALab. DIR is the path where the classes should be placed (usually docs/.. is used).
  javac -O -d %DIR% %PATH%/packageName/*.java
To create the documentation files you have to run javadoc changing the code you used to create ALab documentation to the following: PATH is the path into the ALab folder named docs.
  javadoc -sourcepath %PATH%/source -d %PATH%/class
          -stylesheetfile %PATH%/tutorial/ALab.css
          ALab                    // or ALab/*.java
          ALab.packageName        // or ALab.packageName/*.java
Now package ALab.packageName is fully integrated into ALab. If you have any problems writing or including new packages to ALab and need informations you can send a mail to the support address.

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