[jira] [Created] (ARROW-11847) Confusion: `null_buffer` contains `1` to indicate `valid`

["Ben Chambers (Jira)" <ji...@apache.org>]

Ben Chambers created ARROW-11847:
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             Summary: Confusion: `null_buffer` contains `1` to indicate `valid`
                 Key: ARROW-11847
                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/ARROW-11847
             Project: Apache Arrow
          Issue Type: Task
          Components: Rust
            Reporter: Ben Chambers


Filing this because it has bitten me once or twice. The name `null_buffer` makes me *think* that I'm getting a buffer that indicates (when true) that the corresponding value is null. But in actuality, we get back a buffer that indicates(when true) that the corresponding value is valid.

I'm wondering if there is a reason for this discrepancy or if it could make sense to rename `null_buffer` to `valid_buffer`?



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