builddocsearchdb

Build searchable documentation database

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Syntax

builddocsearchdb(folder)

Description

example

builddocsearchdb(folder) builds a searchable database, also referred to as a search index, from HTML files in the specified folder.

The builddocsearchdb function creates a subfolder, helpsearch-v3, to contain the database files. The database enables MATLAB® to search for content within the HTML files assuming the MATLAB version is the same version used to create the database.

Beginning with MATLAB R2014b, you can maintain search indexes side by side. For instance, if you already have a search index for MATLAB R2014a or earlier, run builddocsearchdb against your help files using MATLAB R2014b or later. Then, when you run any MATLAB release, the help browser automatically uses the appropriate index for searching your documentation database.

Examples

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Build a search database for custom help files.

MATLAB includes a set of sample files to demonstrate how to create a custom toolbox and supporting documentation. This sample toolbox is called the Upslope Area Toolbox. The upslope folder includes a file named info.xml, which is required to display custom documentation, and a subfolder named html, which contains HTML documentation and supporting files.

Copy the sample files to a temporary folder, and add the copied files to the path.

sample = fullfile(...
         matlabroot,'help','techdoc','matlab_env',...
         'examples','upslope');
tmp = tempname;
mkdir(tmp);
copyfile(sample,tmp);
addpath(tmp);

Create a search database.

folder = fullfile(tmp,'html');
builddocsearchdb(folder)

Open the Help browser and search for the term tarboton, which appears in several of the example help files. The search returns the results in the MathWorks® documentation.

On the left side of the page, under Refine by Source, select Supplemental Software to view the results for the Upslope Area Toolbox.

Remove the temporary example files.

rmpath(tmp)
rmdir(tmp,'s')

Input Arguments

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Full path to a folder with HTML files, specified as a character vector. The folder must be:

  • On the MATLAB search path

  • Outside the matlabroot folder

  • Outside any installed Hardware Support Package help folder

To include a particular HTML document in the search database, the builddocsearchdb function requires that:

  • The document has a title.

  • The content is different from the title.

Example: builddocsearchdb('c:\myfiles\html')

See Also

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Topics

Introduced in R2007a

MATLAB Documentation

Support