Reveal.js & Arc42 from Scratch

The following procedure describes how to set up the arc42 template and a sample Asciidoctor reveal.js presentation from scratch.

It uses the docToolchain as suggested by docs-as-co.de.

This tutorial has been tested with an Apple Silicon based mac. This architecture is not yet supported by the docker based docToolchain. Instead the docToolchain repository branch ng is used.

1 Clone docToolchain and Git Submodules

git clone https://github.com/docToolchain/docToolchain.git
cd docToolchain
git submodule init
git submodule update

The default branch ng should be used.

Now add the bin folder to your PATH. You might need to restart your shell.

2 Create an arc42 Based Documentation Repository

mkdir <your-doc-folder>
cd <your-doc-folder>

# Setup the correct Java and Gradle versions in .sdkmanrc
# For more information, see https://sdkman.io
cat << EOF > .sdkmanrc
# Enable auto-env through the sdkman_auto_env config
# Add key=value pairs of SDKs to use below
java=11.0.14-ms
gradle=6.9.2
EOF

# Activate the configured Java and Gradle versions for the current shell
sdk env

# Initialize arc42 in your current directory
docToolchain . downloadTemplate

Now answer all the questions, the tool prints. Make sure to read the highlighted lines - they are printed in between the other output of the docToolchain command.

Config file '.../Config.groovy' does not exist
do you want me to create a default one for you? (y, n)

Install arc42 documentation template.
Which language do you want to install? (EN, DE, ES, IT, NL)

Do you want the template with or without help?

Finally, generate the HTML version of the template

docToolchain . generateHTML
open open build/html5/arc42/arc42.html

3 Create the AsciiDoctor Reveal.js Presentation

  1. Create a presentation.adoc file

cat << EOF >> src/docs/presentation.adoc
= Title Slide

== Slide 1

* This is the first slide

== Slide 2

* This is the second slide

EOF

  1. Add the following entry into the inputFiles section of Config.groovy (note the , at the end of the line):

[file: 'presentation.adoc', formats: ['revealjs']],

  1. Generate the slide deck

docToolchain . generateDeck

  1. Host the slides in a server, e.g. using browsersync:

browser-sync start --server --files "build/**/*.html" --startPath /build/decks/html5/presentation.html

Troubleshooting

If docToolchain reports an error like

BUG! exception in phase 'semantic analysis' in source unit 'script16562611848591859871238.groovy'
Unsupported class file major version 61

you are probably using a newer version of Java and / or Gradle than supported by the tool. Please make sure you have configured sdkman to use the correct versions of Java and Gradle (see above).