More documentation

git-svn-id: http://pyfilesystem.googlecode.com/svn/trunk@645 67cdc799-7952-0410-af00-57a81ceafa0f

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diff --git a/docs/interface.rst b/docs/interface.rst
index f39ed65..aeb56a1 100644
--- a/docs/interface.rst
+++ b/docs/interface.rst
@@ -1,73 +1,52 @@
+.. _filesystem-interface:
+
 Filesystem Interface
 ====================
 
-It requires a relatively small number of methods to implement a working FS object.
-
-If you are looking to implement a working FS object, derive a class from :py:class:`fs.base.FS` and implement the essential methods (below). Be sure to convert all exceptions to instances of :class:`fs.errors.FSError`.
-
-It may also be worthwhile implementing some of the non-essential methods, as the default implementations may not be optimal. For example, the method :meth:`fs.base.FS.move` is implemented as a file copy followed by a delete, but many filesystems can move a file without copying data.
-
-If the filesystem you are implementing maps paths to the native filesystem, be sure to implement :py:meth:`~fs.base.FS.getsyspath`. Doing so will improve performance, especially when copying / moving files between FS objects.
-
-.. _essential-methods:
-
-Essential Methods
------------------
-
-The following methods are required for a minimal Filesystem interface:
-
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.open` Opens a file for read/writing
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.isfile` Check wether the path exists and is a file
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.isdir` Check wether a path exists and is a directory
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.listdir` List the contents of a directory
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.makedir` Create a new directory
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.remove` Remove an existing file
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.removedir` Remove an existing directory
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.rename` Atomically rename a file or directory
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getinfo` Return information about the path e.g. size, mtime
-    
-
-.. _non-essential-methods:
-
-Non - Essential Methods
------------------------
-
-The following methods have default implementations in :py:class:`fs.base.FS` and aren't required for a functional FS interface. They may be overriden if an alternative implementation can be supplied:
-
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.copy` Copy a file to a new location
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.copydir` Recursively copy a directory to a new location
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.desc` Return a short destriptive text regarding a path
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.exists` Check whether a path exists as file or directory    
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.listdirinfo` Get a directory listing along with the info dict for each entry
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.ilistdir` Generator version of the listdir method
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.ilistdirinfo` Generator version of the listdirinfo method
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getsyspath` Get a file's name in the local filesystem, if possible
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.hassyspath` Check if a path maps to a system path (recognised by the OS)
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getpathurl` Get an external URL at which the given file can be accessed, if possible
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.haspathurl` Check if a path maps to an external URL
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getmeta` Get the value of a filesystem meta value, if it exists
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.hasmeta` Check if a filesystem meta value exists
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.move` Move a file to a new location        
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.movedir` Recursively move a directory to a new location
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.opendir` Opens a directory and returns an FS object that represents it
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.safeopen` Like :meth:`~fs.base.FS.open` but returns a :class:`~fs.base.NullFile` if the file could not be opened
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.settimes` Sets the accessed and modified times of a path
-
-
-.. _utility-methods:
-
-Utility Methods
----------------
-
-The following members have implementations in :py:class:`fs.base.FS` and will probably never require a non-default implementation, although there is nothing to prevent a derived class from implementing these:
-
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.createfile` Create a file with data
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getcontents` Returns the contents of a file as a string
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.setcontents` Sets the contents of a file as a string or file-like object
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getsize` Returns the number of bytes used for a given file or directory
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.isdirempty` Checks if a directory contains no files
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.makeopendir` Creates a directroy (if it exists) and returns an FS object for that directory
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.walk` Like `listdir` but descends in to sub-directories
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.walkfiles` Returns an iterable of file paths in a directory, and its sub-directories
-    * :meth:`~fs.base.FS.walkdirs` Returns an iterable of paths to sub-directories
-    
+The following methods are available in all PyFilesystem implementation:
+	
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.close` Close the filesystem and free any resources
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.copy` Copy a file to a new location
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.copydir` Recursively copy a directory to a new location
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.cachehint` Permit implementation to use aggressive caching for performance reasons
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.createfile` Create a file with data
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.desc` Return a short descriptive text regarding a path
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.exists` Check whether a path exists as file or directory
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getcontents` Returns the contents of a file as a string
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getinfo` Return information about the path e.g. size, mtime
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getmeta` Get the value of a filesystem meta value, if it exists
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getmmap` Gets an mmap object for the given resource, if supported
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getpathurl` Get an external URL at which the given file can be accessed, if possible
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getsize` Returns the number of bytes used for a given file or directory
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.getsyspath` Get a file's name in the local filesystem, if possible
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.hasmeta` Check if a filesystem meta value exists
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.haspathurl` Check if a path maps to an external URL
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.hassyspath` Check if a path maps to a system path (recognised by the OS)
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.ilistdir` Generator version of the :meth:`~fs.base.FS.listdir` method
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.ilistdirinfo` Generator version of the :meth:`~fs.base.FS.listdirinfo` method
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.isdir` Check whether a path exists and is a directory
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.isdirempty` Checks if a directory contains no files
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.isfile` Check whether the path exists and is a file
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.listdir` List the contents of a directory
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.listdirinfo` Get a directory listing along with the info dict for each entry
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.makedir` Create a new directory
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.makeopendir` Make a directory and returns the FS object that represents it
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.move` Move a file to a new location
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.movedir` Recursively move a directory to a new location
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.open` Opens a file for read/writing
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.opendir` Opens a directory and returns a FS object that represents it
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.remove` Remove an existing file
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.removedir` Remove an existing directory
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.rename` Atomically rename a file or directory
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.safeopen` Like :meth:`~fs.base.FS.open` but returns a :class:`~fs.base.NullFile` if the file could not be opened
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.setcontents` Sets the contents of a file as a string or file-like object
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.setcontents_async` Sets the contents of a file asynchronously
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.settimes` Sets the accessed and modified times of a path
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.tree` Display an ascii rendering of the directory structure
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.walk` Like :meth:`~fs.base.FS.listdir` but descends in to sub-directories
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.walkdirs` Returns an iterable of paths to sub-directories
+	* :meth:`~fs.base.FS.walkfiles` Returns an iterable of file paths in a directory, and its sub-directories
+
+See :py:class:`fs.base.FS` for the method signature and full details.
+
+If you intend to implement an FS object, see :ref:`implementers`.
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