Issue #14181: Improve clarity in the documentation for the multi-purpose

Py_buffer.obj field.

Doc/c-api/buffer.rst

@@ -81,17 +81,23 @@ allows them to be created and copied very simply.  When a generic wrapper
 around a buffer is needed, a :ref:`memoryview <memoryview-objects>` object
 can be created.
 
+For short instructions how to write an exporting object, see
+:ref:`Buffer Object Structures <buffer-structs>`. For obtaining
+a buffer, see :c:func:`PyObject_GetBuffer`.
 
 .. c:type:: Py_buffer
 
    .. c:member:: void \*obj
 
-      A new reference to the exporting object or *NULL*. The reference is owned
-      by the consumer and automatically decremented and set to *NULL* by
-      :c:func:`PyBuffer_Release`.
+      A new reference to the exporting object. The reference is owned by
+      the consumer and automatically decremented and set to *NULL* by
+      :c:func:`PyBuffer_Release`. The field is the equivalent of the return
+      value of any standard C-API function.
 
-      For temporary buffers that are wrapped by :c:func:`PyMemoryView_FromBuffer`
-      this field must be *NULL*.
+      As a special case, for *temporary* buffers that are wrapped by
+      :c:func:`PyMemoryView_FromBuffer` or :c:func:`PyBuffer_FillInfo`
+      this field is *NULL*. In general, exporting objects MUST NOT
+      use this scheme.
 
    .. c:member:: void \*buf
 
@@ -423,7 +429,9 @@ Buffer-related functions
    return -1.
 
    On success, fill in *view*, set :c:member:`view->obj` to a new reference
-   to *exporter* and return 0.
+   to *exporter* and return 0. In the case of chained buffer providers
+   that redirect requests to a single object, :c:member:`view->obj` MAY
+   refer to this object instead of *exporter* (See :ref:`Buffer Object Structures <buffer-structs>`).
 
    Successful calls to :c:func:`PyObject_GetBuffer` must be paired with calls
    to :c:func:`PyBuffer_Release`, similar to :c:func:`malloc` and :c:func:`free`.

Doc/c-api/typeobj.rst

@@ -1213,18 +1213,29 @@ Buffer Object Structures
        int (PyObject *exporter, Py_buffer *view, int flags);
 
    Handle a request to *exporter* to fill in *view* as specified by *flags*.
-   A standard implementation of this function will take these steps:
+   Except for point (3), an implementation of this function MUST take these
+   steps:
 
-   - Check if the request can be met. If not, raise :c:data:`PyExc_BufferError`,
-     set :c:data:`view->obj` to *NULL* and return -1.
+   (1) Check if the request can be met. If not, raise :c:data:`PyExc_BufferError`,
+       set :c:data:`view->obj` to *NULL* and return -1.
 
-   - Fill in the requested fields.
+   (2) Fill in the requested fields.
 
-   - Increment an internal counter for the number of exports.
+   (3) Increment an internal counter for the number of exports.
 
-   - Set :c:data:`view->obj` to *exporter* and increment :c:data:`view->obj`.
+   (4) Set :c:data:`view->obj` to *exporter* and increment :c:data:`view->obj`.
 
-   - Return 0.
+   (5) Return 0.
+
+   If *exporter* is part of a chain or tree of buffer providers, two main
+   schemes can be used:
+
+   * Re-export: Each member of the tree acts as the exporting object and
+     sets :c:data:`view->obj` to a new reference to itself.
+
+   * Redirect: The buffer request is redirected to the root object of the
+     tree. Here, :c:data:`view->obj` will be a new reference to the root
+     object.
 
    The individual fields of *view* are described in section
    :ref:`Buffer structure <buffer-structure>`, the rules how an exporter
@@ -1233,8 +1244,9 @@ Buffer Object Structures
 
    All memory pointed to in the :c:type:`Py_buffer` structure belongs to
    the exporter and must remain valid until there are no consumers left.
-   :c:member:`~Py_buffer.shape`, :c:member:`~Py_buffer.strides`,
-   :c:member:`~Py_buffer.suboffsets` and :c:member:`~Py_buffer.internal`
+   :c:member:`~Py_buffer.format`, :c:member:`~Py_buffer.shape`,
+   :c:member:`~Py_buffer.strides`, :c:member:`~Py_buffer.suboffsets`
+   and :c:member:`~Py_buffer.internal`
    are read-only for the consumer.
 
    :c:func:`PyBuffer_FillInfo` provides an easy way of exposing a simple
@@ -1250,21 +1262,23 @@ Buffer Object Structures
        void (PyObject *exporter, Py_buffer *view);
 
    Handle a request to release the resources of the buffer. If no resources
-   need to be released, this field may be *NULL*. A standard implementation
-   of this function will take these steps:
+   need to be released, :c:member:`PyBufferProcs.bf_releasebuffer` may be
+   *NULL*. Otherwise, a standard implementation of this function will take
+   these optional steps:
 
-   - Decrement an internal counter for the number of exports.
+   (1) Decrement an internal counter for the number of exports.
 
-   - If the counter is 0, free all memory associated with *view*.
+   (2) If the counter is 0, free all memory associated with *view*.
 
    The exporter MUST use the :c:member:`~Py_buffer.internal` field to keep
-   track of buffer-specific resources (if present). This field is guaranteed
-   to remain constant, while a consumer MAY pass a copy of the original buffer
-   as the *view* argument.
+   track of buffer-specific resources. This field is guaranteed to remain
+   constant, while a consumer MAY pass a copy of the original buffer as the
+   *view* argument.
 
 
    This function MUST NOT decrement :c:data:`view->obj`, since that is
-   done automatically in :c:func:`PyBuffer_Release`.
+   done automatically in :c:func:`PyBuffer_Release` (this scheme is
+   useful for breaking reference cycles).
 
 
    :c:func:`PyBuffer_Release` is the interface for the consumer that