Can Sandcastle generate HTML documentation with the latest MSDN style?

Question

I have been using Sandcastle along with the Sandcastle Help File Builder and by default it offers three presentation styles: hana, prototype and vs2005.

Although the vs2005 style looks okay, I particularly like the latest lightweight MSDN style. Is there a way to configure Sandcastle so that is generates documentation with this style?

Answer 1

The respective Microsoft product policies/strategies are indeed a bit weird and to some extend at odds with the move to a more open development process over recent years - Documentation comments, SandCastle and new documentation transforms is a good rant summarizing the official state of affairs.

That said, there appears to be an unofficial (and thus legally questionable challenged, see below) solution available: Project sandcastle-presentation aims to create new presentation template for Sandcastle that will generate documentation in the style of MSDN Lightweight branding.

In particular, it aims at integration with the highly recommended Sandcastle Help File Builder (SHFB), which addresses other deficits mentioned in aforementioned rant, namely it was created to fill in the gaps, provide the missing NDoc-like features that are used most often, and provide graphical and command line based tools to build a help file in an automated fashion.

Please review the SHFB discussion thread MSDN presentation style available on google code! for different viewpoints regarding the legality of sandcastle-presentation usage and make your own judgement accordingly.