Client documentation amended and updated. (#1820)

Author: janiversen

README.rst

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 PyModbus - A Python Modbus Stack
 ================================
-
 .. image:: https://github.com/pymodbus-dev/pymodbus/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg?branch=dev
    :target: https://github.com/pymodbus-dev/pymodbus/actions/workflows/ci.yml
 .. image:: https://readthedocs.org/projects/pymodbus/badge/?version=latest
@@ -12,11 +11,11 @@ PyModbus - A Python Modbus Stack
 
 Pymodbus is a full Modbus protocol implementation offering client/server with synchronous/asynchronous API a well as simulators.
 
-Supported versions
-------------------
-
 Current release is `3.5.4 <https://github.com/pymodbus-dev/pymodbus/releases/tag/v3.5.4>`_.
-All changes are `detailed <https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/latest/source/channgelog.html>`_
+
+Bleeding edge (not released) is `dev <https://github.com/pymodbus-dev/pymodbus/tree/dev>`_.
+
+All changes are described in `release notes <https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/latest/source/channgelog.html>`_
 and all API changes are `documented <https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/latest/source/api_changes.html>`_
 
 A big thanks to all the `volunteers <https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/latest/source/authors.html>`_ that helps make pymodbus a great project.
@@ -25,7 +24,6 @@ Source code on `github <https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/latest/source/authors
 
 Pymodbus in a nutshell
 ----------------------
-
 Pymodbus consist of 5 parts:
 
 - **client**, connect to your favorite device(s)
@@ -36,7 +34,6 @@ Pymodbus consist of 5 parts:
 
 Common features
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-
 * Full :download:`modbus standard protocol <_static/Modbus_Application_Protocol_V1_1b3.pdf>` implementation
 * Support for custom function codes
 * support serial (rs-485), tcp, tls and udp communication
@@ -51,7 +48,6 @@ Common features
 
 Client Features
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-
 * asynchronous API and synchronous API for applications
 * very simple setup and call sequence (just 6 lines of code)
 * utilities to convert int/float to/from multiple registers
@@ -62,7 +58,6 @@ Client Features
 
 Server Features
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-
 * asynchronous implementation for high performance
 * synchronous API classes for convenience
 * simulate real life devices
@@ -76,24 +71,26 @@ Server Features
 
 REPL Features
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-
 - server/client commandline emulator
 - easy test of real device (client)
 - easy test of client app (server)
 - simulation of broken requests/responses
 - simulation of error responses (hard to provoke in real devices)
 
+`REPL documentation <https://https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/dev/source/REPL.html>`_
+
 
 Simulator Features
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-
 - server simulator with WEB interface
 - configure the structure of a real device
 - monitor traffic online
 - allow distributed team members to work on a virtual device using internet
 - simulation of broken requests/responses
 - simulation of error responses (hard to provoke in real devices)
 
+`Simulator documentation <https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/dev/source/simulator.html>`_
+
 Use Cases
 ---------
 The client is the most typically used. It is embedded into applications,
@@ -118,13 +115,12 @@ https://readthedocs.org/docs/pymodbus/en/latest/index.html
 
 
 
-Installation
-------------
-
+Install
+-------
 The library is available on pypi.org and github.com to install with
 
-- **`pip`** for those who just want to use the library
-- **`git clone`** for those who wants to help or just are curious
+- :code:`pip` for those who just want to use the library
+- :code:`git clone` for those who wants to help or just are curious
 
 Be aware that there are a number of project, who have forked pymodbus and
 
@@ -141,9 +137,8 @@ A growing number of Linux distributions include pymodbus in their standard insta
 
 You need to have python3 installed, preferable 3.11.
 
-Installing with pip
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-
+Install with pip
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 You can install using pip by issuing the following
 commands in a terminal window::
 
@@ -158,15 +153,10 @@ This will install pymodbus with the pyserial dependency.
 Pymodbus offers a number of extra options:
 
 - **repl**, needed by pymodbus.repl
-
 - **serial**, needed for serial communication
-
 - **simulator**, needed by pymodbus.simulator
-
 - **documentation**, needed to generate documentation
-
 - **development**, needed for development
-
 - **all**, installs all of the above
 
 which can be installed as::
@@ -178,9 +168,8 @@ It is possible to install old releases if needed::
    pip install pymodbus==3.5.4
 
 
-Installing with github
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-
+Install with github
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 On github, fork https://github.com/pymodbus-dev/pymodbus.git
 
 Clone the source, and make a virtual environment::
@@ -217,7 +206,7 @@ This installs dependencies in your virtual environment
 with pointers directly to the pymodbus directory,
 so any change you make is immediately available as if installed.
 
-It will also install `pre-commit` git hooks, ensuring your commit are verified.
+It will also install :code:`pre-commit` git hooks, ensuring your commit are verified.
 
 The repository contains a number of important branches and tags.
   * **dev** is where all development happens, this branch is not always stable.
@@ -253,10 +242,12 @@ so that others can benefit from the results.
 If you think, that something in the code is broken/not running well, please `open an issue <https://github.com/pymodbus-dev/pymodbus/issues/new>`_,
 read the Template-text first and then post your issue with your setup information.
 
+`Example documentation <https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/dev/source/examples.html>`_
+
 
 Contributing
 ------------
-Just fork the repo and raise your Pull Request against `dev` branch.
+Just fork the repo and raise your Pull Request against :code:`dev` branch.
 
 We always have more work than time, so feel free to open a discussion / issue on a theme you want to solve.
 
@@ -305,6 +296,15 @@ Test your changes::
    pytest
 
 
+Architecture
+^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+There are no documentation of the architecture (help is welcome), but most classes and
+methods are documented:
+
+`Pymodbus internals <https://pymodbus.readthedocs.io/en/dev/source/internals.html>`_
+
+
 Generate documentation
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
@@ -323,4 +323,4 @@ The documentation is available in <root>/build/html
 License Information
 -------------------
 
-Released under the `BSD License <LICENSE>`_
+Released under the `BSD License <https://github.com/pymodbus-dev/pymodbus/blob/dev/LICENSE>`_

doc/index.rst

@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 Welcome to PyModbus's documentation!
 ====================================
 
+Please select a topic in the left hand column.
+
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 8
    :caption: Contents:
+   :hidden:
 
    source/readme
    source/client