[drupal-docs] Idea - move help text out of code into database

[puregin]

On 12 May 2005, at 11:34 PM, Charlie Lowe wrote:

> I think whether or not the documentation is hardcoded or not is up to
> the development team. What we need to do is facilitates the process by
> which we can hand off to them the documentation that they need.
> They can then decide whether to handcode it or not.

      I disagree that it's a development-team-only issue.

I think that it's important from the standpoint of process:
If making changes to internal documentation/
helptexts is burdensome, then it's not very likely that any
documentation team member will take on these tasks,
even if they are important.

If the helptexts are just Drupal nodes, then it's relatively
easy for documentation team members to add and edit
changes.

Currently, we would need to submit patches
against code, probably a bit daunting for any writers and
editors who are not accustomed to the using
tools such as diff, patch, and cvs, etc.

    Having to submit patches also means that helptext
changes could accidentally introduce errors in the code.
Help text additions and edits would have to
go through code review, which is a burden for developers.



> This is sort of why I suggested a sort of single-sourcing
> approach. Previously (although I can't find it now), someone
> suggested an outline for the handbook for modules.
> This is what I would do (sorry I can't find the other one;
> google desktop failed me ;)

     I think you mean Anisa's post of Mar 29, 2005

http://lists.drupal.org/archives/drupal-docs/2005-03/msg00309.html

Seems like a good idea to have such a standard template
for help texts  and module documentation.

>
> Charlie
>
> puregin wrote:
>>      I'm going to re-float here on both lists the idea of having each
>> module's help texts provided within the Drupal database, as opposed to
>> being hardcoded in.
>>


    Djun