[pmwiki-users] Wiki SSI to include a Program File

[Sivakatirswami]

I would like to use PMWiki for documentation, but not duplicated  
program code, which could change.

I'm sure this is an ancient "problem" and solutions have already been  
worked out -- a philosophical search for the best way to manage  
software development and documentation:

OK, a concrete scenario envisioned...  has

Page A on PMwiki details a series of processes. Or a completed  
functional specification where some body of the code that implements  
that plan has already been written and is in use.

_among them are references to a CGI (s and other "live" programs on a  
web server) in the ./cgi-bin which is one level up from the docroot  
where pmwiki lives and is being served.

-- I would like to be able to make some kind of link that would  
dynamically pull in that code from that CGI for viewing the wiki, 

Page B we see the code but
   a) the code cannot be tampered with directly.
b) if the person in charge of that CGI (or any program for that  
matter) makes a change, the next time you go to the wiki and click on  
the above link you will see the same CGI but with its' updates...  
this is kind of like an SSI inside a non-editable wiki page or  
section of a page.

I think you get the idea... responses to this could also suggest  
other strategies for the achieving the same goal. I find RCS a good  
model, for programmers who are actually modifying the code, checkin,  
checkout, checkin with comment.... But it requires cmd line check  
savvy and a terminal session if you want to review comments.

The bigger issue is: the program code is completely disconnected from  
the larger body of documentation surrounding the project, of which a  
small program or CGI is only a part.  Sometimes "documentation" is  
more properly placed as comments in the code itself, duplicating this  
documentation in another context means two instances of the same data  
= headache...

if I go in and work on a major upgrade to the CGI, where comments are  
critical for all to understand what it does...I would then have to  
duplicate this explanation outside in the documentation. But then it  
become unintelligible without the code itself forcing you copy the  
entire CGI to the wiki... but then if you edit the CGI...  go back  
and update the docs...  you get the picture. There's got to be an  
easier way.

Thanks
Sivakatirswami