Specador Documentation Generator - How to Generate Documentation From the Terminal

Overview

Specador generates accurate HTML documentation from source code and comments, including type and design hierarchies, class, module and finite-state machine diagrams, as well as review-oriented sections like coverage or checks.

This video focuses on how to use the Specador command line executable: the basic switches are explained and exemplified.

By automating the documentation process using Specador, you can always keep the documentation in sync with the source code.

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Details

Overview

Specador generates accurate HTML documentation from source codes and comments, including:

  • type and design hierarchies
  • class, module, and finite state machine diagrams
  • review-oriented sections, like coverage or checks

Specador helps keep the documentation in sync with the source code by automating the documentation process.

Generating Documentation From the Terminal

A simple Specador invocation takes two arguments: -lang, to specify the language (for example, vlog for SystemVerilog), and the actual compilation arguments you would pass to any simulator using -cmd.

When done, the path to the index.html file is printed. Open it in a web browser to visualize the generated documentation.

To customize the generated documentation, use -preferences to indicate a preferences XML file. The available preferences are documented in the Specador User Guide. For example, you may filter out elements and specify what diagrams to generate.

By default, if your code doesn't compile without errors, Specador stops in order to prevent inaccurate documentation. You may choose to force the documentation generation by passing the -ignore_compile_errors argument.