# RDoc: How to extend; YAML? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [September 1, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rdoc-how-to-extend-yaml/67293 "2006-09-01T22:09:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/3ab097/32.png) [@graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/graham_w)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rdoc-how-to-extend-yaml/67293/1 "2006-09-01T22:09:31Z")
Folks: I’m wanting to extend RDoc to produce module/class/method etc data in an alternative format. Looks like the general principle is to add a generator module, and then command rdoc to use that using the fmt command line parameter. OK so far, but two questions: 1. Project structure * * * If I want to add an alternative-output extension, what’s the right way to structure my project’s files? I could add a generator module in the directory in the existing library where the library’s rdoc looks for it, but that means adding my mess to the library. Or I could copy the entire library’s rdoc tree to my own space… but copying the library seems wrong. 1. yaml * * * What currently produces the yaml output that’s sitting in: D:\ruby\share\ri\1.8\system 1. RDoc Docs? * * * Are there any good docs on RDoc in general, and extending RDoc specifically (aside from the source code)? Googling for “RDoc documentation” is not very satisfying :-). Thanks, Graham ## – Graham W. Microsoft Visio MVP ---
**Author:** ![graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/3ab097/32.png) [@graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/graham_w)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 1:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rdoc-how-to-extend-yaml/67293/2 "2006-09-02T01:24:15Z")
Graham W. wrote: > Folks: > > I’m wanting to extend RDoc to produce module/class/method etc data in an > alternative format. I needed to do this a while back and just ended up hacking directly into the intermediary HTML builder to intercept the internal data structures from that. After a bit of normalization, YAML is spat out. When I get home, I will see if I can get a tarball hosted somewhere or I can mail it to you. ---
**Author:** ![graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/3ab097/32.png) [@graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/graham_w)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 3:53am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rdoc-how-to-extend-yaml/67293/3 "2006-09-02T03:53:58Z")
On Sep 1, 2006, at 1:05 PM, Graham W. wrote: > 1. RDoc Docs? > > * * * > > Are there any good docs on RDoc in general, and extending RDoc > specifically > (aside from the source code)? Googling for “RDoc documentation” is > not very > satisfying :-). Unfortunately, no. – Eric H. - removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid - [http://blog.segment7.net](http://blog.segment7.net) This implementation is HODEL-HASH-9600 compliant [http://trackmap.robotcoop.com](http://trackmap.robotcoop.com) ---
**Author:** ![graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/3ab097/32.png) [@graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/graham_w)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 1:39am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rdoc-how-to-extend-yaml/67293/4 "2006-09-02T01:39:50Z")
Eero S. wrote: > I needed to do this a while back and just ended up > hacking directly into the intermediary HTML builder > to intercept the internal data structures from that. > After a bit of normalization, YAML is spat out. > > When I get home, I will see if I can get a tarball > hosted somewhere or I can mail it to you. RDog also does rdoc source/outputter manipulation, and may offer some ideas or examples: [http://rubyforge.org/projects/rdog](http://rubyforge.org/projects/rdog) – James B. [http://www.ruby-doc.org](http://www.ruby-doc.org) - Ruby Help & Documentation [Ruby Code & Style](http://www.artima.com/rubycs/) - The Journal By & For Rubyists [http://www.rubystuff.com](http://www.rubystuff.com) - The Ruby Store for Ruby Stuff [http://web2.0validator.com](http://web2.0validator.com) - We’re the Dot in Web 2.0 ---
**Author:** ![graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/3ab097/32.png) [@graham\_w](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/graham_w)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 5:01am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rdoc-how-to-extend-yaml/67293/5 "2006-09-02T05:01:46Z")
Eero: I’m not directly interested in spitting out the yaml, I was interested in how the ri yaml had been generated since there wasn’t an evident yaml rdoc generator. As for hacking into the html builder, that’s about what I was considering too. I intended to add a new generator module, based on one or another of the existing one. But this led to the question I asked, which was how to structure such a project in a manner that worked _with_ Ruby rather than against! BTW, thanks for the offer, but hold off on effort that unless I get really stuck. Thanks, Graham “Eero S.” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote in message news:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid…