Customize Documentation on actor with documentation gives dialog with blank fields

[cxbrooks]

Note: the issue was created automatically with bugzilla2github tool

Original bug ID: BZ#328 From: Derik Barseghian <barseghian@nceas.ucsb.edu> Reported version: 8.1.devel CC: pt-dev@chess.eecs.berkeley.edu

[cxbrooks]

Customize Documentation on an actor with documentation doesn't show existing documentation, which makes it difficult if you simply want to modify documentation slightly.

Steps to reproduce: Start vergil, drag out a Const actor Right click on actor, Documentation => Get Documentation. note existing doc Right click on actor, Documentation => Customize Documentation. All the fields are blank.

If you add text to one of the fields, then Get Documentation again, you'll see the original doc has been modified to show the change.

[cxbrooks]

Edward and I discussed this and basically, it is a design choice. The idea of Customize Documentation is to describe in detail how the actor is being used. In the Ptolemy documentation viewer, the documentation of the parent class is accessible via the "See Also: Class Documentation" link at the bottom.

If a user wants to modify the documentation for the class, then they should edit the Java file and rebuild the database. Another idea would be to copy and paste.

Another possible solution would be to have a "populate" button that would copy the docs into the customize window. I'm leaving this open as an rfe.