add introduction to data types

2007-09-01  Juerg Billeter  <j@bitron.ch>

	* doc/vala/types.xml: add introduction to data types

svn path=/trunk/; revision=563

diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 4cfbfb7..8c3e6d4 100644 (file)
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 2007-09-01  Jürg Billeter  <j@bitron.ch>
 
+       * doc/vala/types.xml: add introduction to data types
+
+2007-09-01  Jürg Billeter  <j@bitron.ch>
+
        * vala/valatrystatement.vala: visit finally body, fixes bug 467919
 
 2007-09-01  Jürg Billeter  <j@bitron.ch>

diff --git a/doc/vala/types.xml b/doc/vala/types.xml
index 55954c6..3d6f44b 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/vala/types.xml
+++ b/doc/vala/types.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <section id="types">
        <h>Types</h>
+       <p>Vala supports two kinds of data types: value types and reference types. Value types include simple types (e.g. char, int, and float), enum types, and struct types. Reference types include class types, interface types, and array types.</p>
+       <p>Value types differ from reference types in that variables of the value types directly contain their data, whereas variables of the reference types store references to their data, the latter being known as objects. With reference types, it is possible for two variables to reference the same object, and thus possible for operations on one variable to affect the object referenced by the other variable. With value types, the variables each have their own copy of the data, and it is not possible for operations on one to affect the other.</p>
 </section>