Docs: Add documentation about other language bindings to API overview.

[libguestfs.git] / guestfs.pod

diff --git a/guestfs.pod b/guestfs.pod
index bfd472e..3aa806a 100644 (file)
--- a/guestfs.pod
+++ b/guestfs.pod
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ guestfs - Library for accessing and modifying virtual machine images
 =head1 SYNOPSIS
 
  #include <guestfs.h>
 =head1 SYNOPSIS
 
  #include <guestfs.h>

-
+ 

  guestfs_h *handle = guestfs_create ();
  guestfs_add_drive (handle, "guest.img");
  guestfs_launch (handle);
  guestfs_h *handle = guestfs_create ();
  guestfs_add_drive (handle, "guest.img");
  guestfs_launch (handle);


@@ -60,35 +60,37 @@ and finally closing the handle.  So the general structure of all
 libguestfs-using programs looks like this:
 
  guestfs_h *handle = guestfs_create ();
 libguestfs-using programs looks like this:
 
  guestfs_h *handle = guestfs_create ();

-
+ 

  /* Call guestfs_add_drive additional times if there are
   * multiple disk images.
   */
  guestfs_add_drive (handle, "guest.img");
  /* Call guestfs_add_drive additional times if there are
   * multiple disk images.
   */
  guestfs_add_drive (handle, "guest.img");

-
+ 

  /* Most manipulation calls won't work until you've launched
   * the handle.  You have to do this _after_ adding drives
   * and _before_ other commands.
   */
  guestfs_launch (handle);
  /* Most manipulation calls won't work until you've launched
   * the handle.  You have to do this _after_ adding drives
   * and _before_ other commands.
   */
  guestfs_launch (handle);

-
+ 

  /* Now you can examine what partitions, LVs etc are available.
   */
  char **partitions = guestfs_list_partitions (handle);
  char **logvols = guestfs_lvs (handle);
  /* Now you can examine what partitions, LVs etc are available.
   */
  char **partitions = guestfs_list_partitions (handle);
  char **logvols = guestfs_lvs (handle);

-
+ 

  /* To access a filesystem in the image, you must mount it.
   */
  guestfs_mount (handle, "/dev/sda1", "/");
  /* To access a filesystem in the image, you must mount it.
   */
  guestfs_mount (handle, "/dev/sda1", "/");

-
- /* Now you can perform filesystem actions on the guest disk image. */
+ 
+ /* Now you can perform filesystem actions on the guest
+  * disk image.
+  */

  guestfs_touch (handle, "/hello");
  guestfs_touch (handle, "/hello");

-
+ 

  /* You only need to call guestfs_sync if you have made
   * changes to the guest image.
   */
  guestfs_sync (handle);
  /* You only need to call guestfs_sync if you have made
   * changes to the guest image.
   */
  guestfs_sync (handle);

-
+ 

  /* Close the handle. */
  guestfs_close (handle);
 
  /* Close the handle. */
  guestfs_close (handle);
 


@@ -253,7 +255,7 @@ It's often the case that you want to write a file or files to the disk
 image.
 
 For small, single files, use C<guestfs_write_file>.  This call
 image.
 
 For small, single files, use C<guestfs_write_file>.  This call

-currently contains a bug which limited the call to plain text files
+currently contains a bug which limits the call to plain text files

 (not containing ASCII NUL characters).
 
 To upload a single file, use C<guestfs_upload>.  This call has no
 (not containing ASCII NUL characters).
 
 To upload a single file, use C<guestfs_upload>.  This call has no


@@ -417,6 +419,60 @@ yourself, and then pass them to C<libhivex> functions.  See also the
 programs L<hivexml(1)>, L<hivexget(1)> and L<virt-win-reg(1)> for more
 help on this issue.
 
 programs L<hivexml(1)>, L<hivexget(1)> and L<virt-win-reg(1)> for more
 help on this issue.
 

+=head2 USING LIBGUESTFS WITH OTHER PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
+
+Although we don't want to discourage you from using the C API, we will
+mention here that the same API is also available in other languages.
+
+The API is broadly identical in all supported languages.  As an
+example, in Python the handle itself is replaced by an object, but we
+don't try to "object orientify" any other parts of the API.
+
+=over 4
+
+=item B<C++>
+
+You can use the I<guestfs.h> header file from C++ programs.  The C++
+API is identical to the C API.
+
+=item B<Haskell>
+
+This is the only language binding that is incomplete.  Only calls
+which return simple integers have been bound in Haskell, and we are
+looking for help to complete this binding.
+
+=item B<Java>
+
+Full documentation is contained in the Javadoc which is distributed
+with libguestfs.
+
+=item B<OCaml>
+
+For documentation see the file C<guestfs.mli>.
+
+=item B<Perl>
+
+For documentation see L<Sys::Guestfs(3)>.
+
+=item B<Python>
+
+For documentation do:
+
+ $ python
+ >>> import guestfs
+ >>> help (guestfs)
+
+=item B<Ruby>
+
+Use the Guestfs module.  There is no Ruby-specific documentation, but
+you can find examples written in Ruby in the libguestfs source.
+
+=item B<shell scripts>
+
+For documentation see L<guestfish(1)>.
+
+=back
+

 =head1 CONNECTION MANAGEMENT
 
 =head2 guestfs_h *
 =head1 CONNECTION MANAGEMENT
 
 =head2 guestfs_h *