Expand documentation for QgsAuxiliaryLayer class

qgis · Oct 9, 2017 · 191f2a7 · 191f2a7
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diff --git a/python/core/qgsauxiliarystorage.sip b/python/core/qgsauxiliarystorage.sip
@@ -65,7 +65,25 @@ class QgsAuxiliaryLayer : QgsVectorLayer
 %Docstring
 
 
- Class allowing to manage the auxiliary storage for a vector layer
+ Class allowing to manage the auxiliary storage for a vector layer.
+
+ Such auxiliary data are data used mostly for the needs of QGIS (symbology)
+ and have no real interest in being stored with the native raw geospatial
+ data.
+
+ The need arises from the restrictions existing in the manual placement of
+ labels. Manual placement of labels are possible in QGIS by setting some
+ labeling properties (X and Y position, and rotation angle optionally) as
+ being "data-defined", meaning that values come from a column (or an
+ expression). But setting this up on an existing layer requires either to
+ add new columns to the source layer, while it is not always possible or
+ desirable.
+
+ This QgsAuxiliaryLayer provides the solution to this limitation. Actually
+ it's an editable join to the original vector layer with some
+ synchronisation mechanisms activated such as "Upsert On Edit" or "Delete
+ Cascade". Thus, auxiliary fields are editable even if the
+ source layer is not and edition of a joined field is also possible.
 
 .. versionadded:: 3.0
 %End

diff --git a/src/core/qgsauxiliarystorage.h b/src/core/qgsauxiliarystorage.h
@@ -90,7 +90,25 @@ typedef QList<QgsAuxiliaryField> QgsAuxiliaryFields;
  *
  * \ingroup core
  *
- * \brief Class allowing to manage the auxiliary storage for a vector layer
+ * Class allowing to manage the auxiliary storage for a vector layer.
+ *
+ * Such auxiliary data are data used mostly for the needs of QGIS (symbology)
+ * and have no real interest in being stored with the native raw geospatial
+ * data.
+ *
+ * The need arises from the restrictions existing in the manual placement of
+ * labels. Manual placement of labels are possible in QGIS by setting some
+ * labeling properties (X and Y position, and rotation angle optionally) as
+ * being "data-defined", meaning that values come from a column (or an
+ * expression). But setting this up on an existing layer requires either to
+ * add new columns to the source layer, while it is not always possible or
+ * desirable.
+ *
+ * This QgsAuxiliaryLayer provides the solution to this limitation. Actually
+ * it's an editable join to the original vector layer with some
+ * synchronisation mechanisms activated such as "Upsert On Edit" or "Delete
+ * Cascade". Thus, auxiliary fields are editable even if the
+ * source layer is not and edition of a joined field is also possible.
  *
  * \since QGIS 3.0
  */