Intellisense Xml Comments

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Ryan - 06 Mar 2008 17:14 GMT

Hi,

I have a class library dll with an xml help file. In the same
solution I have a windows application which references the dll. The
xml help file is in the same location and has the same filename as the
dll (it was automatically generated by Visual Studio).

In the windows application project I don't get the xml comments
appearing in intellisense. Any ideas why?

I'm using V.S. 2005 (8.0.50727.762), with C#.

Thanks in advance

Ryan

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Scott M. - 07 Mar 2008 12:48 GMT

I don't believe that the XML file has anything to do with intelliSense. The
XML comments get embedded as metadata into the assembly and that is where
the intelliSense information comes from. Also, you'll only see the contents
of the <summary> element as a tooltip next to the class member in the
intelliSense dropdown list. You'll see the other comments if you look at
the class in the Object Browser.

Also, it is imperative that your XML comments appear on the immediate line
preceding the class or class member - don't even leave a blank line between
the comment and the code.

-Scott

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Ryan

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Peter Macej - 08 Mar 2008 17:39 GMT

While I don't know the reason why it doesn't work for OP, I have to
correct some things.

> I don't believe that the XML file has anything to do with intelliSense.

Indeed, it has. IntelliSense comes from XML documentation file. This
file must be present for any assembly if you want IntelliSense support.
Even framework assemblies have this file used for IntelliSense. Just try
to remove c:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\mscorlib.xml
(version may be different) and IntelliSense for e.g. Int32 will be gone.

> XML comments get embedded as metadata into the assembly and that is where
> the intelliSense information comes from.

Again, IntelliSense is not embedded as assembly metadata. You probably
mean System.ComponentModel.Description attribute. This is embedded as
metadata and it is used for property description in Properties Window.
See http://tinyurl.com/2ej8a2

> Also, you'll only see the contents
> of the <summary> element as a tooltip next to the class member in the
> intelliSense dropdown list. You'll see the other comments if you look at
> the class in the Object Browser.

IntelliSense uses also <param> tags for parameter tooltips. See
http://tinyurl.com/yo36qr

More about all of this at http://tinyurl.com/ywtomx

Signature

Peter Macej
Helixoft - http://www.helixoft.com
VSdocman - Commenter and generator of class documentation for C#, VB
.NET and ASP .NET code

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Scott M. - 09 Mar 2008 02:07 GMT

Thanks Peter.

> While I don't know the reason why it doesn't work for OP, I have to
> correct some things.
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> More about all of this at http://tinyurl.com/ywtomx

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