Improve hierarchical block documentation.

git-svn-id: http://gnuradio.org/svn/gnuradio/trunk@7718 221aa14e-8319-0410-a670-987f0aec2ac5

3 files changed, 87 insertions, 6 deletions

diff --git a/gnuradio-core/src/lib/runtime/gr_hier_block2.h b/gnuradio-core/src/lib/runtime/gr_hier_block2.h
index d04acb970..5e67a9010 100644
--- a/gnuradio-core/src/lib/runtime/gr_hier_block2.h
+++ b/gnuradio-core/src/lib/runtime/gr_hier_block2.h
@@ -60,20 +60,75 @@ protected:
 public:
   virtual ~gr_hier_block2();
   
+  /*!
+   * \brief Add a stand-alone (possibly hierarchical) block to internal graph
+   *
+   * This adds a gr-block or hierarchical block to the internal graph
+   * without wiring it to anything else.
+   */
   void connect(gr_basic_block_sptr block);
 
+  /*!
+   * \brief Add gr-blocks or hierarchical blocks to internal graph and wire together
+   *
+   * This adds (if not done earlier by another connect) a pair of gr-blocks or 
+   * hierarchical blocks to the internal flowgraph, and wires the specified output 
+   * port to the specified input port.
+   */
   void connect(gr_basic_block_sptr src, int src_port, 
 	       gr_basic_block_sptr dst, int dst_port);
 
+  /*!
+   * \brief Remove a gr-block or hierarchical block from the internal flowgraph.
+   *
+   * This removes a gr-block or hierarchical block from the internal flowgraph,
+   * disconnecting it from other blocks as needed.
+   *
+   */
   void disconnect(gr_basic_block_sptr block);
 
+  /*!
+   * \brief Disconnect a pair of gr-blocks or hierarchical blocks in internal
+   *        flowgraph.
+   *
+   * This disconnects the specified input port from the specified output port
+   * of a pair of gr-blocks or hierarchical blocks.
+   */
   void disconnect(gr_basic_block_sptr src, int src_port,
 		  gr_basic_block_sptr dst, int dst_port);
 
+  /*!
+   * \brief Disconnect all connections in the internal flowgraph.
+   *
+   * This call removes all output port to input port connections in the internal
+   * flowgraph.
+   */
   void disconnect_all();
+
+  /*!
+   * Lock a flowgraph in preparation for reconfiguration.  When an equal
+   * number of calls to lock() and unlock() have occurred, the flowgraph
+   * will be restarted automatically.
+   *
+   * N.B. lock() and unlock() cannot be called from a flowgraph thread
+   * (E.g., gr_block::work method) or deadlock will occur when
+   * reconfiguration happens.
+   */
   virtual void lock();
+
+  /*!
+   * Unlock a flowgraph in preparation for reconfiguration.  When an equal
+   * number of calls to lock() and unlock() have occurred, the flowgraph
+   * will be restarted automatically.
+   *
+   * N.B. lock() and unlock() cannot be called from a flowgraph thread
+   * (E.g., gr_block::work method) or deadlock will occur when
+   * reconfiguration happens.
+   */
   virtual void unlock();
 
+  // This is a public method for ease of code organization, but should be
+  // ignored by the user.
   gr_flat_flowgraph_sptr flatten() const;
 };
 
diff --git a/gnuradio-core/src/lib/runtime/gr_top_block.h b/gnuradio-core/src/lib/runtime/gr_top_block.h
index 28814a9a0..0209546fe 100644
--- a/gnuradio-core/src/lib/runtime/gr_top_block.h
+++ b/gnuradio-core/src/lib/runtime/gr_top_block.h
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public:
   virtual void lock();
 
   /*!
-   * Lock a flowgraph in preparation for reconfiguration.  When an equal
+   * Unlock a flowgraph in preparation for reconfiguration.  When an equal
    * number of calls to lock() and unlock() have occurred, the flowgraph
    * will be restarted automatically.
    *
diff --git a/gnuradio-core/src/python/gnuradio/gr/hier_block2.py b/gnuradio-core/src/python/gnuradio/gr/hier_block2.py
index 1c096b709..b6dd40cd5 100644
--- a/gnuradio-core/src/python/gnuradio/gr/hier_block2.py
+++ b/gnuradio-core/src/python/gnuradio/gr/hier_block2.py
@@ -30,16 +30,36 @@ from gnuradio_swig_python import hier_block2_swig
 # It also allows us to intercept method calls if needed
 #
 class hier_block2(object):
+    """
+    Python wrapper around the C++ hierarchical block implementation.
+    Provides convenience functions and allows proper Python subclassing.
+    """
+
     def __init__(self, name, input_signature, output_signature):
+        """
+        Create a hierarchical block with a given name and I/O signatures.
+        """
 	self._hb = hier_block2_swig(name, input_signature, output_signature)
 
     def __getattr__(self, name):
+        """
+        Pass-through member requests to the C++ object.
+        """
 	return getattr(self._hb, name)
 
     def connect(self, *points):
-        '''connect requires one or more arguments that can be coerced to endpoints.
-        If more than two arguments are provided, they are connected together successively.
-        '''
+        """
+        Connect two or more block endpoints.  An endpoint is either a (block, port)
+        tuple, or just a block type.  In the latter case, the port number is assumed
+        to be zero.
+
+        To connect the hierarchical block external inputs or outputs to internal block
+        inputs or outputs, use 'self' in the connect call.
+
+        If multiple arguments are provided, connect will attempt to wire them in series,
+        interpreting the endpoints as inputs or outputs as appropriate.
+        """
+
         if len (points) < 1:
             raise ValueError, ("connect requires at least one endpoint; %d provided." % (len (points),))
 	else:
@@ -65,9 +85,15 @@ class hier_block2(object):
                 raise ValueError("unable to coerce endpoint")
 
     def disconnect(self, *points):
-        '''connect requires one or more arguments that can be coerced to endpoints.
+        """
+        Disconnect two endpoints in the flowgraph.
+
+        To disconnect the hierarchical block external inputs or outputs to internal block
+        inputs or outputs, use 'self' in the connect call.
+
         If more than two arguments are provided, they are disconnected successively.
-        '''
+        """
+        
         if len (points) < 1:
             raise ValueError, ("disconnect requires at least two endpoints; %d provided." % (len (points),))
         else: