[Opensync-devel] OpenSync glossary

[Chris F. <cd...@fo...>]

Hi,

It would be very helpful for someone more knowledgeable in the OpenSync
framework to define a glossary of terms that are used in the
library, and what they mean, and where they fit in the greater
scheme of things.

Unfortunately, the descriptions in the doxygen docs are usually one
liners, and don't really give a helpful overview.

For example... what do the following terms mean, and what is the difference
between them?

	plugin
	plugin info
	sink
	object format
	object type
	object type sink?
	format
	xml format
	environment
		- subquestion: why are there two OpenSync Environments
			listed in the doxygen docs?
	format environment
	merger
	mapping
	capability
	xml field
	database  (what does the db/ directory do?)
	group
	what is the difference between engine and client?
	anchor
	archive
	change
	converter
	hashtable
	error
	data
	discovery

I list all these here in the hopes that it will inspire someone
to answer via email.  Once it's been answered in email, it could
be copied by someone else to the wiki, or used to expand the
doxygen docs. :-)

I have a hazy grasp of what some of the above terms mean, but I'm
sure it would help to have them defined by someone who really knows,
and to have them linked to other terms, such as:

	"plugin info is a structure that defines a plugin and its
	related discovery functions."

Then:
	"Discovery is the process of finding out what functions to call,
	what formats a plugin supports, what sinks it provides, what version
	it supports, what capabilities it has, etc."

The recent FOSDEM PDF file was a great help in putting some of these
terms in the right order in the hierarchy, but it didn't go into
enough detail.

Many huge thanks to anyone who can help with documenting these things! :-)

Thanks in advance,
- Chris