Re: Suggestion for improvement..

Bart Massey <[email protected]> Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:11:20 -0800
Newsgroups gmane.comp.freedesktop.xcb
Message-ID <CAA6gtpkGAdvWu3SQ-ttTykpaKAtf4SMnxs4F73OwAh1HNUcmGg@mail.gmail.com>
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https://www.x.org/releases/X11R7.7/doc/xproto/x11protocol.html

Probably could populate all the missing doc strings in the XML from this
(maybe using AI) and call it a day. PR welcome.

On Thu, Feb 12, 2026, 05:34 Michael Jensen <[email protected]>
wrote:

> This is very interesting.  For the record, could you clarify what you are
> referring to when you say: "the Protocol doc".  I can, of course, google
> this, and have, but throwing darts at search results links, and hoping th=
at
> I hit the one you have in mind, is not a good way to hit the bulls-eye.
>
> On Thu, Feb 12, 2026 at 2:17=E2=80=AFAM Bart Massey <[email protected]> wro=
te:
>
>> The other things to keep in mind is that the XCB API is an extremely thi=
n
>> layer on top of the X Protocol. Generally the Protocol doc will tell you
>> everything you need to know to use an XCB request.
>>
>> On Wed, Feb 11, 2026, 08:47 Robert Knutsson <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> I can=E2=80=99t speak for why the request in question is t documented, =
but in
>>> general as the documentation part of the XML protocol descriptors was a
>>> later addition (roughly 10 years after the initial implementation if me=
mory
>>> serves), it=E2=80=99s a matter of someone just doing the work and migra=
ting any
>>> existing documentation or writing new.
>>>
>>> Glad you found what you where looking for.
>>>
>>> If you feel important documentation is missing do create a merge
>>> request, that=E2=80=99s the only way it will ever be improved
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Robert
>>>
>>>
>>> ons 11 feb. 2026 kl. 17:33 skrev Michael Jensen <
>>> [email protected]>:
>>>
>>>> ya, google's ai has now provided an answer that at least seems
>>>> plausible.  I suppose that's why you don't get more complaints, nobody=
 uses
>>>> the manual anymore?
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 1:17=E2=80=AFPM Michael Jensen <
>>>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Greetings..
>>>>>
>>>>> The Arch website tells me to contact you if I have any suggestions fo=
r
>>>>> improvement.
>>>>> Such suggestions are not hard to come by when there are large numbers
>>>>> of things listed as: "TODO: NOT YET DOCUMENTED"
>>>>>
>>>>> The one I am particularly interested in is "exposures", from this
>>>>> page: https://man.archlinux.org/man/xcb_clear_area.3.en
>>>>>
>>>>> I assume that this is not documented because people assume that it is
>>>>> obvious.  Or people are using ai to scour the web for the info.  I gu=
ess
>>>>> I'll try that next, seeing as an ordinary search doesn't seem to be
>>>>> working.  I can find the "official documentation" just fine..
>>>>>
>>>>> -Michael..
>>>>>
>>>>

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<div dir=3D"auto"><a href=3D"https://www.x.org/releases/X11R7.7/doc/xproto/=
x11protocol.html">https://www.x.org/releases/X11R7.7/doc/xproto/x11protocol=
.html</a><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Probably could popul=
ate all the missing doc strings in the XML from this (maybe using AI) and c=
all it a day. PR welcome.=C2=A0</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gm=
ail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, Feb 12, =
2026, 05:34 Michael Jensen &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]=
">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"g=
mail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-l=
eft:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">This is very interesting.=C2=A0 For the record, c=
ould you clarify what you are referring to when you say: &quot;the Protocol=
 doc&quot;.=C2=A0 I can, of course, google this, and have, but throwing dar=
ts at search results links, and hoping that I hit the one you have in mind,=
 is not a good way to hit the bulls-eye.</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote=
"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, Feb 12, 2026 at 2:17=E2=80=
=AFAM Bart Massey &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank" =
rel=3D"noreferrer">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote clas=
s=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid r=
gb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"auto">The other things to kee=
p in mind is that the XCB API is an extremely thin layer on top of the X Pr=
otocol. Generally the Protocol doc will tell you everything you need to kno=
w to use an XCB request.</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"lt=
r" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 11, 2026, 08:47 Robert Knutsson &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">zybr=
[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" sty=
le=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);paddi=
ng-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"auto">I can=E2=80=99t speak for why the request in=
 question is t documented, but in general as the documentation part of the =
XML protocol descriptors was a later addition (roughly 10 years after the i=
nitial implementation if memory serves), it=E2=80=99s a matter of someone j=
ust doing the work and migrating any existing documentation or writing new.=
</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Glad you found what you=
 where looking for.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">If y=
ou feel important documentation is missing do create a merge request, that=
=E2=80=99s the only way it will ever be improved=C2=A0=C2=A0</div><div dir=
=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Regards,</div><div dir=3D"auto">Rober=
t</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div=
 dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">ons 11 feb. 2026 kl. 17:33 skrev Michael =
Jensen &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer =
noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt;:<br></div>=
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-=
left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">ya, goog=
le&#39;s ai has now provided an answer that at least seems plausible.=C2=A0=
 I suppose that&#39;s why you don&#39;t get more complaints, nobody uses th=
e manual anymore?</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" clas=
s=3D"gmail_attr">On Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 1:17=E2=80=AFPM Michael Jensen &lt=
;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer=
" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blo=
ckquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left=
:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Greetin=
gs..</div><div><br></div><div>The Arch website tells me to contact you if I=
 have any suggestions for improvement.</div><div>Such suggestions are not h=
ard to come by when there are large numbers of things listed as: &quot;TODO=
: NOT YET DOCUMENTED&quot;</div><div><br></div><div>The one I am particular=
ly interested in is &quot;exposures&quot;, from this page: <a href=3D"https=
://man.archlinux.org/man/xcb_clear_area.3.en" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer"=
 target=3D"_blank">https://man.archlinux.org/man/xcb_clear_area.3.en</a></d=
iv><div><br></div><div>I assume that this is not documented because people =
assume that it is obvious.=C2=A0 Or people are using ai to scour the web fo=
r the info.=C2=A0 I guess I&#39;ll try that next, seeing as an ordinary sea=
rch doesn&#39;t seem to be working.=C2=A0 I can find the &quot;official doc=
umentation&quot; just fine..</div><div><br></div><div>-Michael..</div></div=
>
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