updated function interface documentation

1 files changed, 67 insertions, 38 deletions

diff --git a/doc/lz4_manual.html b/doc/lz4_manual.html
index c7c5763..6ebf8d2 100644
--- a/doc/lz4_manual.html
+++ b/doc/lz4_manual.html
@@ -110,45 +110,67 @@ int LZ4_compress_fast_extState (void* state, const char* src, char* dst, int src
 </b><p>    Same compression function, just using an externally allocated memory space to store compression state.
     Use LZ4_sizeofState() to know how much memory must be allocated,
     and allocate it on 8-bytes boundaries (using malloc() typically).
-    Then, provide it as 'void* state' to compression function.
+    Then, provide this buffer as 'void* state' to compression function.
 </p></pre><BR>
 
 <pre><b>int LZ4_compress_destSize (const char* src, char* dst, int* srcSizePtr, int targetDstSize);
-</b><p>    Reverse the logic : compresses as much data as possible from 'src' buffer
-    into already allocated buffer 'dst' of size 'targetDestSize'.
-    This function either compresses the entire 'src' content into 'dst' if it's large enough,
-    or fill 'dst' buffer completely with as much data as possible from 'src'.
-        *srcSizePtr : will be modified to indicate how many bytes where read from 'src' to fill 'dst'.
-                      New value is necessarily <= old value.
-        return : Nb bytes written into 'dst' (necessarily <= targetDestSize)
-                 or 0 if compression fails
+</b><p>  Reverse the logic : compresses as much data as possible from 'src' buffer
+  into already allocated buffer 'dst', of size >= 'targetDestSize'.
+  This function either compresses the entire 'src' content into 'dst' if it's large enough,
+  or fill 'dst' buffer completely with as much data as possible from 'src'.
+  note: acceleration parameter is fixed to "default".
+
+ *srcSizePtr : will be modified to indicate how many bytes where read from 'src' to fill 'dst'.
+               New value is necessarily <= input value.
+ @return : Nb bytes written into 'dst' (necessarily <= targetDestSize)
+           or 0 if compression fails.
 </p></pre><BR>
 
 <pre><b>int LZ4_decompress_fast (const char* src, char* dst, int originalSize);
-</b><p>This function is a bit faster than LZ4_decompress_safe(),
-but it may misbehave on malformed input because it doesn't perform full validation of compressed data.
-    originalSize : is the uncompressed size to regenerate
-                   Destination buffer must be already allocated, and its size must be >= 'originalSize' bytes.
-    return : number of bytes read from source buffer (== compressed size).
-             If the source stream is detected malformed, the function stops decoding and return a negative result.
-    note : This function is only usable if the originalSize of uncompressed data is known in advance.
-           The caller should also check that all the compressed input has been consumed properly,
-           i.e. that the return value matches the size of the buffer with compressed input.
-           The function never writes past the output buffer.  However, since it doesn't know its 'src' size,
-           it may read past the intended input.  Also, because match offsets are not validated during decoding,
-           reads from 'src' may underflow.  Use this function in trusted environment **only**.
+</b><p>  This function used to be a bit faster than LZ4_decompress_safe(),
+  though situation has changed in recent versions,
+  and now `LZ4_decompress_safe()` can be as fast and sometimes faster than `LZ4_decompress_fast()`.
+  Moreover, LZ4_decompress_fast() is not protected vs malformed input, as it doesn't perform full validation of compressed data.
+  As a consequence, this function is no longer recommended, and may be deprecated in future versions.
+  It's only remaining specificity is that it can decompress data without knowing its compressed size.
+
+  originalSize : is the uncompressed size to regenerate.
+                 `dst` must be already allocated, its size must be >= 'originalSize' bytes.
+ @return : number of bytes read from source buffer (== compressed size).
+           If the source stream is detected malformed, the function stops decoding and returns a negative result.
+  note : This function requires uncompressed originalSize to be known in advance.
+         The function never writes past the output buffer.
+         However, since it doesn't know its 'src' size, it may read past the intended input.
+         Also, because match offsets are not validated during decoding,
+         reads from 'src' may underflow.
+         Use this function in trusted environment **only**.
+ 
 </p></pre><BR>
 
 <pre><b>int LZ4_decompress_safe_partial (const char* src, char* dst, int srcSize, int targetOutputSize, int dstCapacity);
-</b><p>    This function decompress a compressed block of size 'srcSize' at position 'src'
-    into destination buffer 'dst' of size 'dstCapacity'.
-    The function will decompress a minimum of 'targetOutputSize' bytes, and stop after that.
-    However, it's not accurate, and may write more than 'targetOutputSize' (but always <= dstCapacity).
-   @return : the number of bytes decoded in the destination buffer (necessarily <= dstCapacity)
-        Note : this number can also be < targetOutputSize, if compressed block contains less data.
-            Therefore, always control how many bytes were decoded.
-            If source stream is detected malformed, function returns a negative result.
-            This function is protected against malicious data packets.
+</b><p>  Decompress an LZ4 compressed block, of size 'srcSize' at position 'src',
+  into destination buffer 'dst' of size 'dstCapacity'.
+  Up to 'targetOutputSize' bytes will be decoded.
+  The function stops decoding on reaching this objective,
+  which can boost performance when only the beginning of a block is required.
+
+ @return : the number of bytes decoded in `dst` (necessarily <= dstCapacity)
+           If source stream is detected malformed, function returns a negative result.
+
+  Note : @return can be < targetOutputSize, if compressed block contains less data.
+
+  Note 2 : this function features 2 parameters, targetOutputSize and dstCapacity,
+           and expects targetOutputSize <= dstCapacity.
+           It effectively stops decoding on reaching targetOutputSize,
+           so dstCapacity is kind of redundant.
+           This is because in a previous version of this function,
+           decoding operation would not "break" a sequence in the middle.
+           As a consequence, there was no guarantee that decoding would stop at exactly targetOutputSize,
+           it could write more bytes, though only up to dstCapacity.
+           Some "margin" used to be required for this operation to work properly.
+           This is no longer necessary.
+           The function nonetheless keeps its signature, in an effort to not break API.
+ 
 </p></pre><BR>
 
 <a name="Chapter6"></a><h2>Streaming Compression Functions</h2><pre></pre>
@@ -179,16 +201,23 @@ int           LZ4_freeStream (LZ4_stream_t* streamPtr);
   'dst' buffer must be already allocated.
   If dstCapacity >= LZ4_compressBound(srcSize), compression is guaranteed to succeed, and runs faster.
 
-  Important : The previous 64KB of source data is assumed to remain present and unmodified in memory!
-
-  Special 1 : When input is a double-buffer, they can have any size, including < 64 KB.
-              Make sure that buffers are separated by at least one byte.
-              This way, each block only depends on previous block.
-  Special 2 : If input buffer is a ring-buffer, it can have any size, including < 64 KB.
-
  @return : size of compressed block
            or 0 if there is an error (typically, cannot fit into 'dst').
-  After an error, the stream status is invalid, it can only be reset or freed.
+
+  Note 1 : Each invocation to LZ4_compress_fast_continue() generates a new block.
+           Each block has precise boundaries.
+           It's not possible to append blocks together and expect a single invocation of LZ4_decompress_*() to decompress them together.
+           Each block must be decompressed separately, calling LZ4_decompress_*() with associated metadata.
+
+  Note 2 : The previous 64KB of source data is __assumed__ to remain present, unmodified, at same address in memory!
+
+  Note 3 : When input is structured as a double-buffer, each buffer can have any size, including < 64 KB.
+           Make sure that buffers are separated, by at least one byte.
+           This construction ensures that each block only depends on previous block.
+
+  Note 4 : If input buffer is a ring-buffer, it can have any size, including < 64 KB.
+
+  Note 5 : After an error, the stream status is invalid, it can only be reset or freed.
  
 </p></pre><BR>