diff -r 6bbf7aee2cdf -r ea95ee97c805 misc/quazip/doc/usage.dox --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/misc/quazip/doc/usage.dox Sun Sep 04 10:58:42 2011 +0400 @@ -0,0 +1,69 @@ +/** \page usage Usage + * + * This page provides general information on QuaZIP usage. See classes + * QuaZip and QuaZipFile for the detailed documentation on what can + * QuaZIP do and what can not. Also, reading comments in the zip.h and + * unzip.h files (taken from the original ZIP/UNZIP package) is always a + * good idea too. After all, QuaZIP is just a wrapper with a few + * convenience extensions and reimplementations. + * + * QuaZip is a class representing ZIP archive, QuaZipFile represents a + * file inside archive and subclasses QIODevice as well. + * + * \section terminology Terminology + * + * "QuaZIP" means whole this library, while "QuaZip" (not case + * difference) is just one class in it. + * + * "ZIP/UNZIP API" means the original API of the Gilles Vollant's + * ZIP/UNZIP package. I did not alter it in any way to make it easier to + * port to the future ZIP/UNZIP versions. + * + * "ZIP", "ZIP archive" or "ZIP file" means any ZIP archive. Typically + * this is a plain file with ".zip" (or ".ZIP") file name suffix. + * + * "A file inside archive", "a file inside ZIP" or something like that + * means file either being read or written from/to some ZIP archive. + * + * \section error-handling Error handling + * + * Almost any call to ZIP/UNZIP API return some error code. Most of the + * original API's error checking could be done in this wrapper as well, + * but it would cause unnecessary code bloating without any benefit. So, + * QuaZIP only checks for situations that ZIP/UNZIP API can not check + * for. For example, ZIP/UNZIP API has no "ZIP open mode" concept + * because read and write modes are completely separated. On the other + * hand, to avoid creating classes like "QuaZipReader", "QuaZipWriter" + * or something like that, QuaZIP introduces "ZIP open mode" concept + * instead, thus making it possible to use one class (QuaZip) for both + * reading and writing. But this leads to additional open mode checks + * which are not done in ZIP/UNZIP package. + * + * Therefore, error checking is two-level (QuaZIP's level and ZIP/UNZIP + * API level), which sometimes can be confusing, so here are some + * advices on how the error checking should be properly done: + * + * - Both QuaZip and QuaZipFile have getZipError() function, which return + * error code of the last ZIP/UNZIP API call. Most function calls + * reset error code to UNZ_OK on success and set error code on + * failure. Some functions do not reset error code. Most of them are + * \c const and do not access ZIP archive in any way. Some, on the + * other hand, \em do access ZIP archive, but do not reset or set + * error code. For example, QuaZipFile::pos() function. Such functions + * are explicitly marked in the documentation. + * - Most functions have its own way to report errors, by returning a + * null string, negative value or \c false. If such a function returns + * error value, call getZipError() to get more information about + * error. See "zip.h" and "unzip.h" of the ZIP/UNZIP package for error + * codes. + * - If the function returns error-stating value (like \c false), but + * getZipError() returns UNZ_OK, it means that you did something + * obviously wrong. For example, tried to write in the archive open + * for reading or not open at all. You better just do not do that! + * Most functions also issue a warning using qWarning() function in + * such cases. See documentation for a specific function for details + * on when it should not be called. + * + * I know that this is somewhat messy, but I could not find a better way + * to do all the error handling. + **/