Clarify GApplication ref count
Submitted by Sodhi, Cedric
Link to original bug (#679625)
Description
I think it would be nice to draw the obvious connection between refcounting everywhere else and ref counting of GApplications. Perhaps even use the term "ref counting" as such, instead of talking of a "count" as if it were a completely unseen-by-glib concept.
If it weren't too late for that, I'd have proposed that the functions should be called
g_application_ref and ..._unref, respectively. I see no need for adding further terminology for a concept long present in Glib. The count and the refcount coming from the underlying GObject could very well be unified. Or not? In any way, it should be clarified.
Also, the docs should make clearer how exactly that refcount is handled. i.e. when it is checked for 0 and the application... "disposed"? This seems not only to be checked when calling ..release but also in the process of creation but after the activate or startup signals where emitted and the according vfuncs invoked. That's an important thing to note, since this practically determines the right plae to get a hold of the application to prevent it from exiting right on creation.
"Disposed" because the docs don't even make very clear what happens. What does it mean for a GApplication to "exit"?