AutoManual Complete Manual

Introduction

AutoManual is a robust, customizable platform for creating and rendering technical manuals, guides, and documentation. It supports advanced features like Markdown rendering, YAML metadata parsing, collapsible accordions, and multiple templates inspired by popular design styles (e.g., GitHub, Google, Dribbble).

Check out this amazing video:

Features Overview

1. Markdown Rendering

• Converts Markdown into clean, responsive HTML
• Supports standard Markdown syntax with extensions

2. YAML Metadata

• Parses YAML front matter to extract and display metadata like title, description, and keywords

3. Accordion Blocks

• Collapsible sections to organize content
• Customizable titles and initial states (expand/collapse)
• Global accordion control (Expand All/Collapse All/Ignore)

4. Templates

• Multiple UI templates inspired by industry leaders like GitHub, Google, Dribbble
• Dark-light mode toggle for improved accessibility

5. External and Local Content

• Fetch and render content from local files or external URLs

6. Theme and Template Management

• Easy switching between templates with an intuitive dropdown menu

Setup Guide

Requirements

• PHP 7.4 or higher
• Composer for dependency management
• Web server (Apache, Nginx, etc.)

Installation Steps

1. Clone the repository to your server
2. Run composer install to set up dependencies
3. Configure the config.txt file with your preferences:

   enable_template_selector=true
   enable_navigation=true
   default_template=github
   default_manual=help

4. Place your Markdown files in the /manual/ directory

Directory Structure

/automanual
    /manual          # Markdown content files
    /templates       # UI templates (e.g., github.php, google.php)
    /vendor         # Composer dependencies
    index.php       # Main entry point
    show.php        # Core content rendering logic
    config.txt      # Configuration file

Markdown Syntax

Basic Markdown

# Header 1
## Header 2
### Header 3

**Bold Text**
*Italic Text*
[Link Text](https://example.com)

- Bullet Item 1
- Bullet Item 2

Accordion Syntax

: : :accordion
🐢🐇 Tortoise & Hare
Once upon a time, a boastful hare challenged a tortoise to a race, mocking the tortoise's slow pace. The tortoise accepted, and on race day, the hare quickly sprinted ahead while the tortoise plodded along steadily. Confident in his lead, the hare decided to nap under a tree. 
Meanwhile, the tortoise kept moving forward without pause. When the hare awoke, he was shocked to see the tortoise crossing the finish line. The tortoise's persistence and consistency had beaten the hare's raw speed, teaching that steady dedication trumps natural talent when paired with arrogance.
: : :

👇👇👇 Here's output sample

Accordion Control

Controller Options:

1. Expand All: Expands all accordion sections
2. Collapse All: Collapses all accordion sections
3. Ignore Accordion: Renders content as standard Markdown

YAML Metadata

---
title: "User Guide"
description: "A complete guide to using AutoManual."
keywords: "guide, AutoManual, documentation"
---

Templates

Available Templates

• GitHub: Clean, developer-friendly style
• Google: Modern and accessible
• Dribbble: Creative, visually appealing design
• Minimal: Inspired by Apple for clean documentation
• Custom: Easily add your own templates

Dark-Light Mode

• Automatically detects system preference
• Manual toggle button available

Advanced Features

Fetching External Content

Pass a valid URL to the show.php script:

http://yourdomain.com/show.php?external=true&url=https://example.com/file.md

Dynamic Navigation

• Back and Home links are auto-generated

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Content Not Rendering

   • Check file permissions
   • Ensure manual directory contains valid Markdown files

2. Invalid Template

   • Verify template name in config.txt or dropdown selection

3. External URL Errors

   • Ensure URL is publicly accessible and correctly formatted

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Submit a pull request with your changes

Future Enhancements

• Integrated search functionality
• Real-time Markdown preview
• Advanced analytics for template usage

Support

For questions or issues, contact us via support@automanual.com

Acknowledgments

AutoManual is inspired by leading documentation tools and design principles, aiming to deliver an exceptional user experience.