Re: [boost] [chrono] Documentation suggestions

Subject: Re: [boost] [chrono] Documentation suggestions
From: vicente.botet (vicente.botet_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-06-23 17:39:55

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roland Bock" <rbock_at_[hidden]>
To: <boost_at_[hidden]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 3:27 PM
Subject: [boost] [chrono] Documentation suggestions

> 
> Hi,
> 
> I have a few remarks/suggestions for the documentation of Boost.Chrono:
> 
> *General:
> *http://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/chrono/libs/chrono/doc/html/index.html
> 
> There are several sections which attract my attention when trying to get
> a grip on the library:
> 
>    * Getting Started
>    * Tutorial
>    * Examples
> 
> Each of those looks a bit like a random collection of valuable hints to
> me (sorry, if I missed the pattern). My personal troubles in
> understanding the basics are documented in the mail referenced in the
> tutorial section.

I have try to follow the structure of Boost.Proto. Getting started include just the associated Hello World example.
The follows the tutorial that tries to explain to the user how to use the library. Last, the examples section should contain complete examples without too much explanation on how the things are done. I will see if there are some Examples that could be better in the Tutorial section. 

 
> I think it would be worth it to reorganize all three into one section
> (e.g. tutorial) which shows how to utilize the different parts of the
> library. For instance with the following subsections:
> 
>    * Clocks (including stopwatch and thread_clock)
>    * Formatters
>    * Reporters
>    * Conversions (see also Tutorial section below)
>    * ...?

I will see if this decomposition makes clearer the tutorial.
 
> Each section would contain usage patterns and complete sample programs.

As I said before, I reserve the complete sample programs to the Examples section.
 
> *Users Guide:
> *http://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/chrono/libs/chrono/doc/html/boost_chrono/users_guide.html
> 
>    * Personally, I would move the references section to the appendices
>      (I clicked there several times when I really wanted to see the
>      Reference section)

I hope you don't loose to much time. I think that this is due to the fact I have decomposed the Reference section and the header files are not visible from the root table of contents. What about renaming it "External Resources"?

> *Reference:
> *http://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/chrono/libs/chrono/doc/html/boost_chrono/reference.html
> 
>    * thread_clock is missing in the reference section

Oups. I missed that. I will add.

>    * typo "chorno.hpp>" on several pages

done. 

> 
> *Examples:*
> http://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/chrono/libs/chrono/doc/html/boost_chrono/examples.html
> 
>    * There are several hints like "See the file
>      i_dont_like_the_default_duration_behavior.cpp". It would be nice
>      to have a working link to the file instead
>
>    * Some examples are not linked to a file. I think it would be good
>      to have a working sample file for each example

I will add the links for all the examples. 
 
> *Tutorial:*
> http://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox/chrono/libs/chrono/doc/html/boost_chrono/users_guide/tutorial.html
> 
>    * The section "How to define a thread clock" is now obsolete, isn't
>      it? thread_clock is now integral part of chrono.

Yes, now thread_clok is part of the library. Even in this case I find that this is good way to show how to define a clock.

>    * An example on how to use the thread_clock would be very helpful.
There is no difference respect to other Clocks. I will add an example.

>    * An example on how to obtain a duration in some unit would be helpful
> See here (http://lists.boost.org/boost-users/2010/04/58204.php) for what
> I meant with the last item. The answers by Howard Hinnant in this mail
> were extremely helpful and could probably be re-used in the tutorial.

Yes the answer of Howard was very clear. I will add a section based on the Howard response.;
 
> Regards,
> 
> Roland

Thanks for your comments,
Vicente