[PATCH v3] protocol: warn clients about some wl_output properties

[Simon Ser]

All wl_output properties don't always make sense for all
compositors.

Some compositors might not implement a "global compositor space",
(e.g. 3D compositors) in which case properties like x and y don't
make sense.

Some compositors might expose virtual outputs, in which case modes,
make and model are not relevant.

In a lot of these situations, information from xdg_output is better
suited.

Compositors also expose output refresh rate, which shouldn't be used
for synchronization purposes.

Signed-off-by: Simon Ser <***@emersion.fr>
---

Thoughts?

Changes from v2 to v3: forgot to mention wl_surface.frame.

protocol/wayland.xml | 19 ++++++++++++++++++-
1 file changed, 18 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/protocol/wayland.xml b/protocol/wayland.xml
index 141038b..9a841f8 100644
--- a/protocol/wayland.xml
+++ b/protocol/wayland.xml
@@ -2402,6 +2402,13 @@

The physical size can be set to zero if it doesn't make sense for this
output (e.g. for projectors or virtual outputs).
+
+ Note: wl_output only advertises partial information about the output
+ position and identification. Some compositors, for instance those not
+ implementing a desktop-style output layout or those exposing virtual
+ outputs, might fake this information. Instead of using x and y, clients
+ should use xdg_output.logical_position. Instead of using make and model,
+ clients should use xdg_output.name and xdg_output.description.
</description>
<arg name="x" type="int"
summary="x position within the global compositor space"/>
@@ -2446,7 +2453,17 @@
the output device. This is not necessarily the same as
the output size in the global compositor space. For instance,
the output may be scaled, as described in wl_output.scale,
- or transformed, as described in wl_output.transform.
+ or transformed, as described in wl_output.transform. Clients
+ willing to retrieve the output size in the global compositor
+ space should use xdg_output.logical_size instead.
+
+ Clients should not use the refresh rate to schedule frames. Instead,
+ they should use the wl_surface.frame event or the presentation-time
+ protocol.
+
+ Note: this information is not always meaningful for all outputs. Some
+ compositors, such as those exposing virtual outputs, might fake the
+ refresh rate or the size.
</description>
<arg name="flags" type="uint" enum="mode" summary="bitfield of mode flags"/>
<arg name="width" type="int" summary="width of the mode in hardware units"/>