include

The <include> tag lets you refer to comments in another file that describe the types and members in your source code.

<include file='filename' path='tagpath[@name="id"]' />

where:

filename: The name of the file containing the documentation. The file name can be qualified with a path. Enclose filename in single quotation marks (' ').
tagpath: The path of the tags in filename that leads to the tag name. Enclose the path in single quotation marks (' ').
name: The name specifier in the tag that precedes the comments; name will have an id.
id: The ID for the tag that precedes the comments. Enclose the ID in double quotation marks (" ").

Applies To

All Types and Members.

Remarks

This is an alternative to placing documentation comments directly in your source code file.

The <include> tag uses the XML XPath syntax. Refer to XPath documentation for ways to customize your <include> use.

Example

This is a multi-file example. The first file, which uses <include>, is listed below:

[C#]
/// <include file='xml_include_tag.doc' path='MyDocs/MyMembers[@name="test"]/*' />
class Test
{
   public static void Main()
   {
   }
}

/// <include file='xml_include_tag.doc' path='MyDocs/MyMembers[@name="test2"]/*' />
class Test2
{
   public void Test()
   {
   }
}

The second file, xml_include_tag.doc, contains the following documentation comments:

<MyDocs>

<MyMembers name="test">
<summary>
The summary for this type.
</summary>
</MyMembers>

<MyMembers name="test2">
<summary>
The summary for this other type.
</summary>
</MyMembers>

</MyDocs>

Compiler XML Output

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<doc>
    <assembly>
        <name>t2</name>
    </assembly>
    <members>
        <member name="T:Test">
            <summary>
The summary for this type.
</summary>
        </member>
        <member name="T:Test2">
            <summary>
The summary for this other type.
</summary>
        </member>
    </members>
</doc>

<include>

Applies To

Remarks

Example

Compiler XML Output

See Also