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Command Line Menu

You don't have to be a command-line wizard to use Spec-Up-T. There's a menu, so all you have to do is type in a number.

Still, it can be confusing. And if you're used to a regular application you control with your mouse, it takes some getting used to.

Start command line menu​

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Currently, the menu is only tested on MacOs and has not been tested on Windows OS.

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Some of these menu items are available in the GitHub Web-based version (based on Github Actions). But since GitHub Actions cannot be interactive, the “Configure” option for example is not available. That, you will have to do manually.

Assuming you already installed Spec-Up-T, here you find further instructions.

To start, run this command in the terminal:

npm run menu

You will now see this menu:

  ,---.                  .   .        --.--
  `---.,---.,---.,---.   |   |,---.     |
      ||   ||---'|    ---|   ||   |---  |
  `---'|---'`---'`---'   `---'|---'     `
       |                      |


  Please choose one of the following options:

    [0] Add content
    [1] Render specification
    [2] Export to PDF
    [3] Collect external references (cache, faster)
    [4] Collect external references (no cache, slower)
    [5] Add, remove or view xref source
    [6] Configure
    [7] Open documentation website
    [8] Freeze specification
    [Q] Quit

    An xref is a reference to another repository.

    Enter your choice:

These menu options act as shortcuts to the below commands, such as npm run render and others. You can choose between using the menu or entering the direct commands yourself.

[0] Add content​

Gives info on how to add content.

[1] Render specification​

Creates the specification, an index.html, in the docs directory, as specified in the specs.json file.

To view the index.html file, you can:

  • Open it via file:/// in your file manager or
  • Access it via HTTP by placing it on a web server.

The easiest way is to double-click the file in your file manager, which should open it in your browser.

By the way, there are three modes for rendering the specification:

CommandBehavior
npm run editRenders the site and watches for changes, re-rendering automatically when you save a file.
npm run renderRenders the site once without watching for changes.
npm run devEnables debugging features.

[2] Export to PDF​

Creates a PDF. The PDF will be created in the same directory as the index.html file.

[3] Collect external references (cache, faster)​

Also runs [1].

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External references (xrefs) are references to external glossaries (specifications).

The info will be taken from the local cache. This only works if there is a cache already, so the first time you run this, it will do the same as option [4]

[4] Collect external references (no cache, slower)​

Also runs [1].

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External references (xrefs) are references to external glossaries (specifications).

You need a GitHub Token when looking up xref's.

[5] Add, remove or view xref source​

See an overview of all external references, or add or delete

[6] Configure​

Configure a new installation.

[7] Open documentation website​

This command will redirect to the documentation website (the site you are reading right now).

[8] Freeze specification​

Makes a copy of the index.html file and adds a version number to the file name.

Example: index-v1.html, index-v2.html etc. These files are placed in the same folder as the index.html but in a subfolder called versions.

[Q] Quit​

This command will take you out of the menu.