Elucidative program tutorials

  • Authors:

  • Thomas Vestdam

  • Affiliations:

  • Aalborg University, Department of Computer Science Fredrik Bajers Vej 7E, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark

  • Venue:
  • Nordic Journal of Computing
  • Year:
  • 2002

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Abstract

In this paper we present a tool for creating elucidative program tutorials. An elucidative program tutorial explains a program through textual explanations that address relevant places in a program by using hyperlinks or by in-lining fragments of the program in the tutorial text. We present a means for specifying the fragments of a program that are to be in-lined in the tutorial text. These in-line fragments are defined by addressing named syntactical elements, such as classes and methods, but it is also possible to address individual code lines. The fragment specifications help maintaining consistency between the program tutorial and the program. The tool also detects when a program tutorial is addressing program fragments that do not exist. The program tutorials are presented in a web-browser where navigation is provided to other documents such as reference manuals, other tutorials, and to presentations of source code fragments in their original context. We have produced three example program tutorials in order to get some experience with the tool, and we see potential in using the tool to produce program tutorials for frameworks, libraries, and for use in educational contexts.