X-Git-Url: https://gerrit.automotivelinux.org/gerrit/gitweb?a=blobdiff_plain;ds=sidebyside;f=docs%2Fconcepts.rst;h=b0fd43aab75e9f1f125e5c70f054e587e71cf0e9;hb=a57831acfabef58dd00dad557cbb340f49c3f30a;hp=2ae76521555bd7a93e3ff458733f5fb0811f961f;hpb=6e9e5329278b04a8e76d63f06fed2f3bfa80e2f8;p=apps%2Fagl-service-can-low-level.git diff --git a/docs/concepts.rst b/docs/concepts.rst index 2ae76521..b0fd43aa 100644 --- a/docs/concepts.rst +++ b/docs/concepts.rst @@ -256,6 +256,69 @@ generates this field description array for the structure *Person_PhoneNumber*:: }; +Extension fields +================ +Protocol Buffers supports a concept of `extension fields`_, which are +additional fields to a message, but defined outside the actual message. +The definition can even be in a completely separate .proto file. + +The base message is declared as extensible by keyword *extensions* in +the .proto file:: + + message MyMessage { + .. fields .. + extensions 100 to 199; + } + +For each extensible message, *nanopb_generator.py* declares an additional +callback field called *extensions*. The field and associated datatype +*pb_extension_t* forms a linked list of handlers. When an unknown field is +encountered, the decoder calls each handler in turn until either one of them +handles the field, or the list is exhausted. + +The actual extensions are declared using the *extend* keyword in the .proto, +and are in the global namespace:: + + extend MyMessage { + optional int32 myextension = 100; + } + +For each extension, *nanopb_generator.py* creates a constant of type +*pb_extension_type_t*. To link together the base message and the extension, +you have to: + +1. Allocate storage for your field, matching the datatype in the .proto. + For example, for a *int32* field, you need a *int32_t* variable to store + the value. +2. Create a *pb_extension_t* constant, with pointers to your variable and + to the generated *pb_extension_type_t*. +3. Set the *message.extensions* pointer to point to the *pb_extension_t*. + +An example of this is available in *tests/test_encode_extensions.c* and +*tests/test_decode_extensions.c*. + +.. _`extension fields`: https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/docs/proto#extensions + +Message framing +=============== +Protocol Buffers does not specify a method of framing the messages for transmission. +This is something that must be provided by the library user, as there is no one-size-fits-all +solution. Typical needs for a framing format are to: + +1. Encode the message length. +2. Encode the message type. +3. Perform any synchronization and error checking that may be needed depending on application. + +For example UDP packets already fullfill all the requirements, and TCP streams typically only +need a way to identify the message length and type. Lower level interfaces such as serial ports +may need a more robust frame format, such as HDLC (high-level data link control). + +Nanopb provides a few helpers to facilitate implementing framing formats: + +1. Functions *pb_encode_delimited* and *pb_decode_delimited* prefix the message data with a varint-encoded length. +2. Union messages and oneofs are supported in order to implement top-level container messages. +3. Message IDs can be specified using the *(nanopb_msgopt).msgid* option and can then be accessed from the header. + Return values and error handling ================================