Merge pull request #1609 from hannobraun/edge

Update documentation on edges

crates/fj-kernel/src/objects/full/edge.rs

@@ -8,7 +8,42 @@ use crate::{
     storage::{Handle, HandleWrapper},
 };
 
-/// A half-edge
+/// A directed edge, defined in a surface's 2D space
+///
+/// The concept of an "edge" in Fornjot is represented by two structs,
+/// `HalfEdge` and [`GlobalEdge`]. `HalfEdge` has two attributes that make it
+/// distinct from [`GlobalEdge`]:
+///
+/// - `HalfEdge` is directed, meaning it has a defined start and end vertex.
+/// - `HalfEdge` is defined in the 2-dimensional space of a surface.
+///
+/// When multiple faces, which are bound by edges, are combined to form a solid,
+/// the `HalfEdge`s that bound the face on the surface are then coincident with
+/// the `HalfEdge`s of other faces, where those faces touch. Those coincident
+/// `HalfEdge`s are different representations of the same edge. This edge is
+/// represented by an instance of [`GlobalEdge`].
+///
+/// There are some requirements that a `HalfEdge` needs to uphold to be valid:
+///
+/// 1. Coincident `HalfEdge`s *must* refer to the same [`GlobalEdge`].
+/// 2. `HalfEdge`s that are coincident, i.e. located in the same space, must
+///    always be congruent. This means they must coincide *exactly*. The overlap
+///    must be complete. None of the coincident `HalfEdge`s must overlap with
+///    just a section of another.
+///
+/// That second requirement means that a `HalfEdge` might need to be split into
+/// multiple smaller `HalfEdge`s that are each coincident with a `HalfEdge` in
+/// another face.
+///
+/// # Implementation Note
+///
+/// There is no validation code that verifies whether coincident `HalfEdge`s
+/// refer to the same [`GlobalEdge`] or not:
+/// <https://github.com/hannobraun/Fornjot/issues/1594>
+///
+/// Conversely, there is no validation code to verify that coincident
+/// `HalfEdge`s are congruent:
+/// <https://github.com/hannobraun/Fornjot/issues/1608>
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash, Ord, PartialOrd)]
 pub struct HalfEdge {
     curve: Handle<Curve>,
@@ -70,12 +105,15 @@ impl fmt::Display for HalfEdge {
     }
 }
 
-/// An edge, defined in global (3D) coordinates
+/// An undirected edge, defined in global (3D) coordinates
 ///
-/// In contract to [`HalfEdge`], `GlobalEdge` is undirected, meaning it has no
+/// In contrast to [`HalfEdge`], `GlobalEdge` is undirected, meaning it has no
 /// defined direction, and its vertices have no defined order. This means it can
 /// be used to determine whether two [`HalfEdge`]s map to the same `GlobalEdge`,
 /// regardless of their direction.
+///
+/// See [`HalfEdge`]'s documentation for more information on the relationship
+/// between [`HalfEdge`] and `GlobalEdge`.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash, Ord, PartialOrd)]
 pub struct GlobalEdge {
     curve: HandleWrapper<GlobalCurve>,