1997-08-22 00:57:35 +02:00
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\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
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@comment %**start of header
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@setfilename info.info
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@settitle Info 1.0
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@comment %**end of header
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1998-03-24 19:08:49 +01:00
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@comment $Id: info.texi,v 1.1.1.1 1997/08/21 22:58:02 jason Exp $
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1997-08-22 00:57:35 +02:00
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@ifinfo
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@c This is a dir.info fragment to support semi-automated addition of
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@c manuals to an info tree.
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@format
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START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
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* info: (info). Reading GNU online documentation.
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END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
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@end format
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@end ifinfo
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@iftex
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@finalout
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@end iftex
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@dircategory Texinfo documentation system
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@direntry
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* Info: (info). Documentation browsing system.
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@end direntry
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@ifinfo
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This file describes how to use Info,
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the on-line, menu-driven GNU documentation system.
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Copyright (C) 1989, 92, 96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
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this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
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are preserved on all copies.
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@ignore
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Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
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results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
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notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
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(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
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@end ignore
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
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manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire
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resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
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notice identical to this one.
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
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into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
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except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved
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by the Free Software Foundation.
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@end ifinfo
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@titlepage
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@sp 11
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@center @titlefont{Info}
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@sp 2
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@center The
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@sp 2
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@center On-line, Menu-driven
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@sp 2
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@center GNU Documentation System
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@page
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@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
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Copyright @copyright{} 1989, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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@sp 2
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Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
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59 Temple Place - Suite 330 @*
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Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
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Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
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this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
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are preserved on all copies.
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
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manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire
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resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
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notice identical to this one.
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
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into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
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except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved
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by the Free Software Foundation.
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@end titlepage
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@ifinfo
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@node Top, Getting Started, (dir), (dir)
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@top Info: An Introduction
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Info is a program for reading documentation, which you are using now.
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To learn how to use Info, type the command @kbd{h}. It brings you
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to a programmed instruction sequence.
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@c Need to make sure that `Info-help' goes to the right node,
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@c which is the first node of the first chapter. (It should.)
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@c (Info-find-node "info"
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@c (if (< (window-height) 23)
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@c "Help-Small-Screen"
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@c "Help")))
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To learn advanced Info commands, type @kbd{n} twice. This brings you to
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@cite{Info for Experts}, skipping over the `Getting Started' chapter.
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@end ifinfo
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@menu
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* Getting Started:: Getting started using an Info reader.
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* Advanced Info:: Advanced commands within Info.
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* Create an Info File:: How to make your own Info file.
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* The Standalone Info Program: (info-stnd.info).
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@end menu
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@node Getting Started, Advanced Info, Top, Top
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@comment node-name, next, previous, up
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@chapter Getting Started
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This first part of the Info manual describes how to get around inside
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of Info. The second part of the manual describes various advanced
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Info commands, and how to write an Info as distinct from a Texinfo
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file. The third part is about how to generate Info files from
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Texinfo files.
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@iftex
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This manual is primarily designed for use on a computer, so that you can
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try Info commands while reading about them. Reading it on paper is less
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effective, since you must take it on faith that the commands described
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really do what the manual says. By all means go through this manual now
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that you have it; but please try going through the on-line version as
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well.
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There are two ways of looking at the online version of this manual:
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@enumerate
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@item
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Type @code{info} at your shell's command line. This approach uses a
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small stand-alone program designed just to read Info files.
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@item
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Type @code{emacs} at the command line; then type @kbd{C-h i} (Control
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@kbd{h}, followed by @kbd{i}). This approach uses the Info mode of the
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Emacs program, an editor with many other capabilities.
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@end enumerate
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In either case, then type @kbd{mInfo} (just the letters), followed by
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@key{RET}---the ``Return'' or ``Enter'' key. At this point, you should
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be ready to follow the instructions in this manual as you read them on
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the screen.
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@c FIXME! (pesch@cygnus.com, 14 dec 1992)
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@c Is it worth worrying about what-if the beginner goes to somebody
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@c else's Emacs session, which already has an Info running in the middle
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@c of something---in which case these simple instructions won't work?
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@end iftex
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@menu
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* Help-Small-Screen:: Starting Info on a Small Screen
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* Help:: How to use Info
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* Help-P:: Returning to the Previous node
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* Help-^L:: The Space, Rubout, B and ^L commands.
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* Help-M:: Menus
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* Help-Adv:: Some advanced Info commands
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* Help-Q:: Quitting Info
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@end menu
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@node Help-Small-Screen, Help, , Getting Started
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@comment node-name, next, previous, up
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@section Starting Info on a Small Screen
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@iftex
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(In Info, you only see this section if your terminal has a small
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number of lines; most readers pass by it without seeing it.)
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@end iftex
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Since your terminal has an unusually small number of lines on its
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screen, it is necessary to give you special advice at the beginning.
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If you see the text @samp{--All----} at near the bottom right corner
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of the screen, it means the entire text you are looking at fits on the
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screen. If you see @samp{--Top----} instead, it means that there is
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more text below that does not fit. To move forward through the text
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and see another screen full, press the Space bar, @key{SPC}. To move
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back up, press the key labeled @samp{Backspace} or @key{Delete}.
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@ifinfo
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Here are 40 lines of junk, so you can try Spaces and Deletes and
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see what they do. At the end are instructions of what you should do
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next.
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This is line 17 @*
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This is line 18 @*
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This is line 19 @*
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This is line 56 @*
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If you have managed to get here, go back to the beginning with
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Delete, and come back here again, then you understand Space and
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Delete. So now type an @kbd{n} ---just one character; don't type
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the quotes and don't type the Return key afterward--- to
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get to the normal start of the course.
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@end ifinfo
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@node Help, Help-P, Help-Small-Screen, Getting Started
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@comment node-name, next, previous, up
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@section How to use Info
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You are talking to the program Info, for reading documentation.
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Right now you are looking at one @dfn{Node} of Information.
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A node contains text describing a specific topic at a specific
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level of detail. This node's topic is ``how to use Info''.
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The top line of a node is its @dfn{header}. This node's header (look at
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it now) says that it is the node named @samp{Help} in the file
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@file{info}. It says that the @samp{Next} node after this one is the node
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called @samp{Help-P}. An advanced Info command lets you go to any node
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whose name you know.
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Besides a @samp{Next}, a node can have a @samp{Previous} or an @samp{Up}.
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This node has a @samp{Previous} but no @samp{Up}, as you can see.
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Now it is time to move on to the @samp{Next} node, named @samp{Help-P}.
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>> Type @samp{n} to move there. Type just one character;
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do not type the quotes and do not type a @key{RET} afterward.
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@samp{>>} in the margin means it is really time to try a command.
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@node Help-P, Help-^L, Help, Getting Started
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@comment node-name, next, previous, up
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@section Returning to the Previous node
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This node is called @samp{Help-P}. The @samp{Previous} node, as you see,
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is @samp{Help}, which is the one you just came from using the @kbd{n}
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command. Another @kbd{n} command now would take you to the next
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node, @samp{Help-^L}.
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>> But do not do that yet. First, try the @kbd{p} command, which takes
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you to the @samp{Previous} node. When you get there, you can do an
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@kbd{n} again to return here.
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This all probably seems insultingly simple so far, but @emph{do not} be
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led into skimming. Things will get more complicated soon. Also,
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do not try a new command until you are told it is time to. Otherwise,
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you may make Info skip past an important warning that was coming up.
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>> Now do an @kbd{n} to get to the node @samp{Help-^L} and learn more.
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@node Help-^L, Help-M, Help-P, Getting Started
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@comment node-name, next, previous, up
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@section The Space, Delete, B and ^L commands.
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This node's header tells you that you are now at node @samp{Help-^L}, and
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that @kbd{p} would get you back to @samp{Help-P}. The node's title is
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underlined; it says what the node is about (most nodes have titles).
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This is a big node and it does not all fit on your display screen.
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You can tell that there is more that is not visible because you
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can see the string @samp{--Top-----} rather than @samp{--All----} near
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the bottom right corner of the screen.
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The Space, Delete and @kbd{B} commands exist to allow you to ``move
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around'' in a node that does not all fit on the screen at once.
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Space moves forward, to show what was below the bottom of the screen.
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Delete moves backward, to show what was above the top of the screen
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(there is not anything above the top until you have typed some spaces).
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>> Now try typing a Space (afterward, type a Delete to return here).
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When you type the space, the two lines that were at the bottom of
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the screen appear at the top, followed by more lines. Delete takes
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the two lines from the top and moves them to the bottom,
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@emph{usually}, but if there are not a full screen's worth of lines
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above them they may not make it all the way to the bottom.
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If you type Space when there is no more to see, it rings the
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bell and otherwise does nothing. The same goes for Delete when
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the header of the node is visible.
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If your screen is ever garbaged, you can tell Info to print it out
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again by typing @kbd{C-l} (@kbd{Control-L}, that is---hold down ``Control'' and
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type an @key{L} or @kbd{l}).
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>> Type @kbd{C-l} now.
|
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|
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|
|
To move back to the beginning of the node you are on, you can type
|
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|
|
a lot of Deletes. You can also type simply @kbd{b} for beginning.
|
|
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|
|
>> Try that now. (We have put in enough verbiage to push this past
|
|
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|
|
the first screenful, but screens are so big nowadays that perhaps it
|
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|
|
isn't enough. You may need to shrink your Emacs or Info window.)
|
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|
|
Then come back, with Spaces.
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|
|
If your screen is very tall, all of this node might fit at once.
|
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|
|
In that case, "b" won't do anything. Sorry; what can we do?
|
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|
|
You have just learned a considerable number of commands. If you
|
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|
|
want to use one but have trouble remembering which, you should type
|
|
|
|
|
a @key{?} which prints out a brief list of commands. When you are
|
|
|
|
|
finished looking at the list, make it go away by typing a @key{SPC}.
|
|
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|
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|
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|
|
>> Type a @key{?} now. After it finishes, type a @key{SPC}.
|
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|
|
(If you are using the standalone Info reader, type `l' to return here.)
|
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|
|
From now on, you will encounter large nodes without warning, and
|
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|
|
|
will be expected to know how to use Space and Delete to move
|
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|
|
around in them without being told. Since not all terminals have
|
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|
|
the same size screen, it would be impossible to warn you anyway.
|
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|
|
>> Now type @kbd{n} to see the description of the @kbd{m} command.
|
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|
|
@node Help-M, Help-Adv, Help-^L, Getting Started
|
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|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
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|
@section Menus
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Menus and the @kbd{m} command
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With only the @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} commands for moving between nodes, nodes
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are restricted to a linear sequence. Menus allow a branching
|
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|
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structure. A menu is a list of other nodes you can move to. It is
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|
|
actually just part of the text of the node formatted specially so that
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|
|
Info can interpret it. The beginning of a menu is always identified
|
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|
|
by a line which starts with @samp{* Menu:}. A node contains a menu if and
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|
|
only if it has a line in it which starts that way. The only menu you
|
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|
|
can use at any moment is the one in the node you are in. To use a
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|
|
menu in any other node, you must move to that node first.
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After the start of the menu, each line that starts with a @samp{*}
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|
identifies one subtopic. The line usually contains a brief name
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for the subtopic (followed by a @samp{:}), the name of the node that talks
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|
|
about that subtopic, and optionally some further description of the
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|
|
subtopic. Lines in the menu that do not start with a @samp{*} have no
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|
|
special meaning---they are only for the human reader's benefit and do
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|
|
not define additional subtopics. Here is an example:
|
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|
@example
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|
* Foo: FOO's Node This tells about FOO
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|
@end example
|
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The subtopic name is Foo, and the node describing it is @samp{FOO's Node}.
|
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The rest of the line is just for the reader's Information.
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|
[[ But this line is not a real menu item, simply because there is
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|
no line above it which starts with @samp{* Menu:}.]]
|
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|
When you use a menu to go to another node (in a way that will be
|
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|
|
described soon), what you specify is the subtopic name, the first
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|
thing in the menu line. Info uses it to find the menu line, extracts
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|
|
the node name from it, and goes to that node. The reason that there
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|
is both a subtopic name and a node name is that the node name must be
|
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|
|
meaningful to the computer and may therefore have to be ugly looking.
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|
The subtopic name can be chosen just to be convenient for the user to
|
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|
|
specify. Often the node name is convenient for the user to specify
|
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|
and so both it and the subtopic name are the same. There is an
|
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|
|
abbreviation for this:
|
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|
|
@example
|
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|
|
* Foo:: This tells about FOO
|
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|
|
@end example
|
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|
|
@noindent
|
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|
|
This means that the subtopic name and node name are the same; they are
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|
|
both @samp{Foo}.
|
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|
|
>> Now use Spaces to find the menu in this node, then come back to
|
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|
|
the front with a @kbd{b} and some Spaces. As you see, a menu is
|
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|
|
actually visible in its node. If you cannot find a menu in a node
|
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|
|
by looking at it, then the node does not have a menu and the
|
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|
|
|
@kbd{m} command is not available.
|
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|
The command to go to one of the subnodes is @kbd{m}---but @emph{do
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|
|
|
|
not do it yet!} Before you use @kbd{m}, you must understand the
|
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|
|
|
difference between commands and arguments. So far, you have learned
|
|
|
|
|
several commands that do not need arguments. When you type one, Info
|
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|
|
|
processes it and is instantly ready for another command. The @kbd{m}
|
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|
|
command is different: it is incomplete without the @dfn{name of the
|
|
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|
|
subtopic}. Once you have typed @kbd{m}, Info tries to read the
|
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|
|
subtopic name.
|
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|
Now look for the line containing many dashes near the bottom of the
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|
|
screen. There is one more line beneath that one, but usually it is
|
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|
|
blank. If it is empty, Info is ready for a command, such as @kbd{n}
|
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|
|
or @kbd{b} or Space or @kbd{m}. If that line contains text ending
|
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|
|
in a colon, it mean Info is trying to read the @dfn{argument} to a
|
|
|
|
|
command. At such times, commands do not work, because Info tries to
|
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|
|
use them as the argument. You must either type the argument and
|
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|
|
finish the command you started, or type @kbd{Control-g} to cancel the
|
|
|
|
|
command. When you have done one of those things, the line becomes
|
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|
|
|
blank again.
|
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|
|
|
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|
|
The command to go to a subnode via a menu is @kbd{m}. After you type
|
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|
|
the @kbd{m}, the line at the bottom of the screen says @samp{Menu item: }.
|
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|
|
You must then type the name of the subtopic you want, and end it with
|
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|
|
a @key{RET}.
|
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|
|
You can abbreviate the subtopic name. If the abbreviation is not
|
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|
|
|
unique, the first matching subtopic is chosen. Some menus put
|
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|
|
the shortest possible abbreviation for each subtopic name in capital
|
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|
|
|
letters, so you can see how much you need to type. It does not
|
|
|
|
|
matter whether you use upper case or lower case when you type the
|
|
|
|
|
subtopic. You should not put any spaces at the end, or inside of the
|
|
|
|
|
item name, except for one space where a space appears in the item in
|
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|
|
the menu.
|
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|
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|
|
You can also use the @dfn{completion} feature to help enter the subtopic
|
|
|
|
|
name. If you type the Tab key after entering part of a name, it will
|
|
|
|
|
magically fill in more of the name---as much as follows uniquely from
|
|
|
|
|
what you have entered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
If you move the cursor to one of the menu subtopic lines, then you do
|
|
|
|
|
not need to type the argument: you just type a Return, and it stands for
|
|
|
|
|
the subtopic of the line you are on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here is a menu to give you a chance to practice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Menu: The menu starts here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
This menu gives you three ways of going to one place, Help-FOO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Foo: Help-FOO. A node you can visit for fun.@*
|
|
|
|
|
* Bar: Help-FOO. Strange! two ways to get to the same place.@*
|
|
|
|
|
* Help-FOO:: And yet another!@*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Now type just an @kbd{m} and see what happens:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Now you are ``inside'' an @kbd{m} command. Commands cannot be used
|
|
|
|
|
now; the next thing you will type must be the name of a subtopic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can change your mind about doing the @kbd{m} by typing Control-g.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try that now; notice the bottom line clear.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Then type another @kbd{m}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Now type @samp{BAR} item name. Do not type Return yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
While you are typing the item name, you can use the Delete key to
|
|
|
|
|
cancel one character at a time if you make a mistake.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type one to cancel the @samp{R}. You could type another @samp{R} to
|
|
|
|
|
replace it. You do not have to, since @samp{BA} is a valid abbreviation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Now you are ready to go. Type a @key{RET}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After visiting Help-FOO, you should return here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type @kbd{n} to see more commands.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c If a menu appears at the end of this node, remove it.
|
|
|
|
|
@c It is an accident of the menu updating command.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here is another way to get to Help-FOO, a menu. You can ignore this
|
|
|
|
|
if you want, or else try it (but then please come back to here).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
|
|
|
* Help-FOO::
|
|
|
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Help-FOO, , , Help-M
|
|
|
|
|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
|
|
|
@subsection The @kbd{u} command
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congratulations! This is the node @samp{Help-FOO}. Unlike the other
|
|
|
|
|
nodes you have seen, this one has an @samp{Up}: @samp{Help-M}, the node you
|
|
|
|
|
just came from via the @kbd{m} command. This is the usual
|
|
|
|
|
convention---the nodes you reach from a menu have @samp{Up} nodes that lead
|
|
|
|
|
back to the menu. Menus move Down in the tree, and @samp{Up} moves Up.
|
|
|
|
|
@samp{Previous}, on the other hand, is usually used to ``stay on the same
|
|
|
|
|
level but go backwards''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can go back to the node @samp{Help-M} by typing the command
|
|
|
|
|
@kbd{u} for ``Up''. That puts you at the @emph{front} of the
|
|
|
|
|
node---to get back to where you were reading you have to type
|
|
|
|
|
some @key{SPC}s.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Now type @kbd{u} to move back up to @samp{Help-M}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Help-Adv, Help-Q, Help-M, Getting Started
|
|
|
|
|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
|
|
|
@section Some advanced Info commands
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The course is almost over, so please stick with it to the end.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you have been moving around to different nodes and wish to
|
|
|
|
|
retrace your steps, the @kbd{l} command (@kbd{l} for @dfn{last}) will
|
|
|
|
|
do that, one node-step at a time. As you move from node to node, Info
|
|
|
|
|
records the nodes where you have been in a special history list. The
|
|
|
|
|
@kbd{l} command revisits nodes in the history list; each successive
|
|
|
|
|
@kbd{l} command moves one step back through the history.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you have been following directions, ad @kbd{l} command now will get
|
|
|
|
|
you back to @samp{Help-M}. Another @kbd{l} command would undo the
|
|
|
|
|
@kbd{u} and get you back to @samp{Help-FOO}. Another @kbd{l} would undo
|
|
|
|
|
the @kbd{m} and get you back to @samp{Help-M}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try typing three @kbd{l}'s, pausing in between to see what each
|
|
|
|
|
@kbd{l} does.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Then follow directions again and you will end up back here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note the difference between @kbd{l} and @kbd{p}: @kbd{l} moves to
|
|
|
|
|
where @emph{you} last were, whereas @kbd{p} always moves to the node
|
|
|
|
|
which the header says is the @samp{Previous} node (from this node, to
|
|
|
|
|
@samp{Help-M}).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The @samp{d} command gets you instantly to the Directory node.
|
|
|
|
|
This node, which is the first one you saw when you entered Info,
|
|
|
|
|
has a menu which leads (directly, or indirectly through other menus),
|
|
|
|
|
to all the nodes that exist.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Try doing a @samp{d}, then do an @kbd{l} to return here (yes,
|
|
|
|
|
@emph{do} return).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sometimes, in Info documentation, you will see a cross reference.
|
|
|
|
|
Cross references look like this: @xref{Help-Cross, Cross}. That is a
|
|
|
|
|
real, live cross reference which is named @samp{Cross} and points at
|
|
|
|
|
the node named @samp{Help-Cross}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you wish to follow a cross reference, you must use the @samp{f}
|
|
|
|
|
command. The @samp{f} must be followed by the cross reference name
|
|
|
|
|
(in this case, @samp{Cross}). While you enter the name, you can use the
|
|
|
|
|
Delete key to edit your input. If you change your mind about following
|
|
|
|
|
any reference, you can use @kbd{Control-g} to cancel the command.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Completion is available in the @samp{f} command; you can complete among
|
|
|
|
|
all the cross reference names in the current node by typing a Tab.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type @samp{f}, followed by @samp{Cross}, and a @key{RET}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To get a list of all the cross references in the current node, you can
|
|
|
|
|
type @kbd{?} after an @samp{f}. The @samp{f} continues to await a
|
|
|
|
|
cross reference name even after printing the list, so if you don't
|
|
|
|
|
actually want to follow a reference, you should type a @kbd{Control-g}
|
|
|
|
|
to cancel the @samp{f}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type "f?" to get a list of the cross references in this node. Then
|
|
|
|
|
type a @kbd{Control-g} and see how the @samp{f} gives up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Now type @kbd{n} to see the last node of the course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@c If a menu appears at the end of this node, remove it.
|
|
|
|
|
@c It is an accident of the menu updating command.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Help-Cross, , , Help-Adv
|
|
|
|
|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
|
|
|
@unnumberedsubsec The node reached by the cross reference in Info
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is the node reached by the cross reference named @samp{Cross}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
While this node is specifically intended to be reached by a cross
|
|
|
|
|
reference, most cross references lead to nodes that ``belong''
|
|
|
|
|
someplace else far away in the structure of Info. So you cannot expect
|
|
|
|
|
the footnote to have a @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous} or @samp{Up} pointing back to
|
|
|
|
|
where you came from. In general, the @kbd{l} (el) command is the only
|
|
|
|
|
way to get back there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type @kbd{l} to return to the node where the cross reference was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Help-Q, , Help-Adv, Getting Started
|
|
|
|
|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
|
|
|
@section Quitting Info
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To get out of Info, back to what you were doing before, type @kbd{q}
|
|
|
|
|
for @dfn{Quit}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is the end of the course on using Info. There are some other
|
|
|
|
|
commands that are meant for experienced users; they are useful, and you
|
|
|
|
|
can find them by looking in the directory node for documentation on
|
|
|
|
|
Info. Finding them will be a good exercise in using Info in the usual
|
|
|
|
|
manner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>> Type @samp{d} to go to the Info directory node; then type
|
|
|
|
|
@samp{mInfo} and Return, to get to the node about Info and
|
|
|
|
|
see what other help is available.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Advanced Info, Create an Info File, Getting Started, Top
|
|
|
|
|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
|
|
|
@chapter Info for Experts
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This chapter describes various advanced Info commands, and how to write
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an Info as distinct from a Texinfo file. (However, in most cases, writing a
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Texinfo file is better, since you can use it @emph{both} to generate an
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Info file and to make a printed manual. @xref{Top,, Overview of
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Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU Documentation Format}.)
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@menu
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* Expert:: Advanced Info commands: g, s, e, and 1 - 5.
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* Add:: Describes how to add new nodes to the hierarchy.
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Also tells what nodes look like.
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* Menus:: How to add to or create menus in Info nodes.
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* Cross-refs:: How to add cross-references to Info nodes.
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* Tags:: How to make tag tables for Info files.
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* Checking:: Checking an Info File
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* Emacs Info Variables:: Variables modifying the behavior of Emacs Info.
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@end menu
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@node Expert, Add, , Advanced Info
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@comment node-name, next, previous, up
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@section Advanced Info Commands
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@kbd{g}, @kbd{s}, @kbd{1}, -- @kbd{9}, and @kbd{e}
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If you know a node's name, you can go there by typing @kbd{g}, the
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name, and @key{RET}. Thus, @kbd{gTop@key{RET}} would go to the node
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called @samp{Top} in this file (its directory node).
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@kbd{gExpert@key{RET}} would come back here.
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Unlike @kbd{m}, @kbd{g} does not allow the use of abbreviations.
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To go to a node in another file, you can include the filename in the
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node name by putting it at the front, in parentheses. Thus,
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@kbd{g(dir)Top@key{RET}} would go to the Info Directory node, which is
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node @samp{Top} in the file @file{dir}.
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The node name @samp{*} specifies the whole file. So you can look at
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all of the current file by typing @kbd{g*@key{RET}} or all of any
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other file with @kbd{g(FILENAME)@key{RET}}.
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The @kbd{s} command allows you to search a whole file for a string.
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It switches to the next node if and when that is necessary. You
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type @kbd{s} followed by the string to search for, terminated by
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@key{RET}. To search for the same string again, just @kbd{s} followed
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by @key{RET} will do. The file's nodes are scanned in the order
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they are in in the file, which has no necessary relationship to the
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order that they may be in in the tree structure of menus and @samp{next} pointers.
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But normally the two orders are not very different. In any case,
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you can always do a @kbd{b} to find out what node you have reached, if
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the header is not visible (this can happen, because @kbd{s} puts your
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cursor at the occurrence of the string, not at the beginning of the
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node).
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If you grudge the system each character of type-in it requires, you
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might like to use the commands @kbd{1}, @kbd{2}, @kbd{3}, @kbd{4}, ...
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@kbd{9}. They are short for the @kbd{m} command together with an
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argument. @kbd{1} goes through the first item in the current node's
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menu; @kbd{2} goes through the second item, etc.
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If you display supports multiple fonts, and you are using Emacs' Info
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mode to read Info files, the @samp{*} for the fifth menu item is
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underlines, and so is the @samp{*} for the ninth item; these underlines
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make it easy to see at a glance which number to use for an item.
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On ordinary terminals, you won't have underlining. If you need to
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actually count items, it is better to use @kbd{m} instead, and specify
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the name.
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The Info command @kbd{e} changes from Info mode to an ordinary
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Emacs editing mode, so that you can edit the text of the current node.
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Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to switch back to Info. The @kbd{e} command is allowed
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only if the variable @code{Info-enable-edit} is non-@code{nil}.
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@node Add, Menus, Expert, Advanced Info
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|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
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@section Adding a new node to Info
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To add a new topic to the list in the Info directory, you must:
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@enumerate
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@item
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Create some nodes, in some file, to document that topic.
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@item
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Put that topic in the menu in the directory. @xref{Menus, Menu}.
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@end enumerate
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Usually, the way to create the nodes is with Texinfo @pxref{Top,, Overview of
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|
Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU Documentation Format}); this has the
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|
advantage that you can also make a printed manual from them. However,
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|
if hyou want to edit an Info file, here is how.
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The new node can live in an existing documentation file, or in a new
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one. It must have a @key{^_} character before it (invisible to the
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user; this node has one but you cannot see it), and it ends with either
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a @key{^_}, a @key{^L}, or the end of file. Note: If you put in a
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|
@key{^L} to end a new node, be sure that there is a @key{^_} after it
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|
to start the next one, since @key{^L} cannot @emph{start} a node.
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|
Also, a nicer way to make a node boundary be a page boundary as well
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|
is to put a @key{^L} @emph{right after} the @key{^_}.
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The @key{^_} starting a node must be followed by a newline or a
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@key{^L} newline, after which comes the node's header line. The
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header line must give the node's name (by which Info finds it),
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|
and state the names of the @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}, and @samp{Up} nodes (if
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|
there are any). As you can see, this node's @samp{Up} node is the node
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|
@samp{Top}, which points at all the documentation for Info. The @samp{Next}
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|
node is @samp{Menus}.
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|
The keywords @dfn{Node}, @dfn{Previous}, @dfn{Up}, and @dfn{Next},
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|
may appear in any order, anywhere in the header line, but the
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|
recommended order is the one in this sentence. Each keyword must be
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|
followed by a colon, spaces and tabs, and then the appropriate name.
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|
The name may be terminated with a tab, a comma, or a newline. A space
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|
does not end it; node names may contain spaces. The case of letters
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|
in the names is insignificant.
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|
A node name has two forms. A node in the current file is named by
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|
what appears after the @samp{Node: } in that node's first line. For
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|
example, this node's name is @samp{Add}. A node in another file is
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|
named by @samp{(@var{filename})@var{node-within-file}}, as in
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|
@samp{(info)Add} for this node. If the file name starts with ``./'',
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|
|
then it is relative to the current directory; otherwise, it is relative
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|
starting from the standard Info file directory of your site.
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|
The name @samp{(@var{filename})Top} can be abbreviated to just
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|
|
@samp{(@var{filename})}. By convention, the name @samp{Top} is used for
|
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|
|
the ``highest'' node in any single file---the node whose @samp{Up} points
|
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|
out of the file. The Directory node is @file{(dir)}. The @samp{Top} node
|
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|
of a document file listed in the Directory should have an @samp{Up:
|
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|
(dir)} in it.
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|
The node name @kbd{*} is special: it refers to the entire file.
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|
Thus, @kbd{g*} shows you the whole current file. The use of the
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|
|
node @kbd{*} is to make it possible to make old-fashioned,
|
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|
|
|
unstructured files into nodes of the tree.
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|
The @samp{Node:} name, in which a node states its own name, must not
|
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|
|
contain a filename, since Info when searching for a node does not
|
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|
|
expect one to be there. The @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous} and @samp{Up} names may
|
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|
|
contain them. In this node, since the @samp{Up} node is in the same file,
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|
it was not necessary to use one.
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|
|
Note that the nodes in this file have a file name in the header
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|
|
line. The file names are ignored by Info, but they serve as comments
|
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|
|
to help identify the node for the user.
|
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|
|
@node Menus, Cross-refs, Add, Advanced Info
|
|
|
|
|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
|
|
|
@section How to Create Menus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Any node in the Info hierarchy may have a @dfn{menu}---a list of subnodes.
|
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|
|
|
The @kbd{m} command searches the current node's menu for the topic which it
|
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|
|
|
reads from the terminal.
|
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|
A menu begins with a line starting with @samp{* Menu:}. The rest of the
|
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|
|
|
line is a comment. After the starting line, every line that begins
|
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|
|
|
with a @samp{* } lists a single topic. The name of the topic--the
|
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|
|
|
argument that the user must give to the @kbd{m} command to select this
|
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|
|
|
topic---comes right after the star and space, and is followed by a
|
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|
|
|
colon, spaces and tabs, and the name of the node which discusses that
|
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|
|
topic. The node name, like node names following @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}
|
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|
|
and @samp{Up}, may be terminated with a tab, comma, or newline; it may also
|
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|
|
be terminated with a period.
|
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|
If the node name and topic name are the same, then rather than
|
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|
|
giving the name twice, the abbreviation @samp{* NAME::} may be used
|
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|
|
(and should be used, whenever possible, as it reduces the visual
|
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|
|
clutter in the menu).
|
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|
It is considerate to choose the topic names so that they differ
|
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|
|
from each other very near the beginning---this allows the user to type
|
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|
|
|
short abbreviations. In a long menu, it is a good idea to capitalize
|
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|
|
|
the beginning of each item name which is the minimum acceptable
|
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|
|
|
abbreviation for it (a long menu is more than 5 or so entries).
|
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|
|
The nodes listed in a node's menu are called its ``subnodes'', and
|
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|
|
it is their ``superior''. They should each have an @samp{Up:} pointing at
|
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|
|
the superior. It is often useful to arrange all or most of the
|
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|
|
subnodes in a sequence of @samp{Next} and @samp{Previous} pointers so that someone who
|
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|
|
wants to see them all need not keep revisiting the Menu.
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Info Directory is simply the menu of the node @samp{(dir)Top}---that
|
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|
|
is, node @samp{Top} in file @file{.../info/dir}. You can put new entries
|
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|
|
in that menu just like any other menu. The Info Directory is @emph{not} the
|
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|
|
same as the file directory called @file{info}. It happens that many of
|
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|
|
|
Info's files live on that file directory, but they do not have to; and
|
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|
|
|
files on that directory are not automatically listed in the Info
|
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|
|
|
Directory node.
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Also, although the Info node graph is claimed to be a ``hierarchy'',
|
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|
|
|
in fact it can be @emph{any} directed graph. Shared structures and
|
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|
|
|
pointer cycles are perfectly possible, and can be used if they are
|
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|
|
|
appropriate to the meaning to be expressed. There is no need for all
|
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|
|
|
the nodes in a file to form a connected structure. In fact, this file
|
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|
|
|
has two connected components. You are in one of them, which is under
|
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|
|
|
the node @samp{Top}; the other contains the node @samp{Help} which the
|
|
|
|
|
@kbd{h} command goes to. In fact, since there is no garbage
|
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|
|
|
collector, nothing terrible happens if a substructure is not pointed
|
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|
|
|
to, but such a substructure is rather useless since nobody can
|
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|
|
ever find out that it exists.
|
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|
|
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|
|
@node Cross-refs, Tags, Menus, Advanced Info
|
|
|
|
|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
|
|
|
@section Creating Cross References
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A cross reference can be placed anywhere in the text, unlike a menu
|
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|
|
|
item which must go at the front of a line. A cross reference looks
|
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|
|
like a menu item except that it has @samp{*note} instead of @kbd{*}.
|
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|
|
It @emph{cannot} be terminated by a @samp{)}, because @samp{)}'s are
|
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|
|
|
so often part of node names. If you wish to enclose a cross reference
|
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|
|
|
in parentheses, terminate it with a period first. Here are two
|
|
|
|
|
examples of cross references pointers:
|
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|
|
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|
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|
|
@example
|
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|
|
|
*Note details: commands. (See *note 3: Full Proof.)
|
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
They are just examples. The places they ``lead to'' do not really exist!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Tags, Checking, Cross-refs, Advanced Info
|
|
|
|
|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
|
|
|
@section Tag Tables for Info Files
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can speed up the access to nodes of a large Info file by giving
|
|
|
|
|
it a tag table. Unlike the tag table for a program, the tag table for
|
|
|
|
|
an Info file lives inside the file itself and is used
|
|
|
|
|
automatically whenever Info reads in the file.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To make a tag table, go to a node in the file using Emacs Info mode and type
|
|
|
|
|
@kbd{M-x Info-tagify}. Then you must use @kbd{C-x C-s} to save the
|
|
|
|
|
file.
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Once the Info file has a tag table, you must make certain it is up
|
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|
|
|
to date. If, as a result of deletion of text, any node moves back
|
|
|
|
|
more than a thousand characters in the file from the position
|
|
|
|
|
recorded in the tag table, Info will no longer be able to find that
|
|
|
|
|
node. To update the tag table, use the @code{Info-tagify} command again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
An Info file tag table appears at the end of the file and looks like
|
|
|
|
|
this:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
|
|
|
^_
|
|
|
|
|
Tag Table:
|
|
|
|
|
File: info, Node: Cross-refs^?21419
|
|
|
|
|
File: info, Node: Tags^?22145
|
|
|
|
|
^_
|
|
|
|
|
End Tag Table
|
|
|
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
|
|
|
Note that it contains one line per node, and this line contains
|
|
|
|
|
the beginning of the node's header (ending just after the node name),
|
|
|
|
|
a Delete character, and the character position in the file of the
|
|
|
|
|
beginning of the node.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Checking, Emacs Info Variables, Tags, Advanced Info
|
|
|
|
|
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
|
|
|
@section Checking an Info File
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When creating an Info file, it is easy to forget the name of a node
|
|
|
|
|
when you are making a pointer to it from another node. If you put in
|
|
|
|
|
the wrong name for a node, this is not detected until someone
|
|
|
|
|
tries to go through the pointer using Info. Verification of the Info
|
|
|
|
|
file is an automatic process which checks all pointers to nodes and
|
|
|
|
|
reports any pointers which are invalid. Every @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}, and
|
|
|
|
|
@samp{Up} is checked, as is every menu item and every cross reference. In
|
|
|
|
|
addition, any @samp{Next} which does not have a @samp{Previous} pointing back is
|
|
|
|
|
reported. Only pointers within the file are checked, because checking
|
|
|
|
|
pointers to other files would be terribly slow. But those are usually
|
|
|
|
|
few.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To check an Info file, do @kbd{M-x Info-validate} while looking at
|
|
|
|
|
any node of the file with Emacs Info mode.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Emacs Info Variables, , Checking, Advanced Info
|
|
|
|
|
@section Emacs Info-mode Variables
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following variables may modify the behaviour of Info-mode in Emacs;
|
|
|
|
|
you may wish to set one or several of these variables interactively, or
|
|
|
|
|
in your @file{~/.emacs} init file. @xref{Examining, Examining and Setting
|
|
|
|
|
Variables, Examining and Setting Variables, emacs, The GNU Emacs
|
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Manual}.
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@vtable @code
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@item Info-enable-edit
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Set to @code{nil}, disables the @samp{e} (@code{Info-edit}) command. A
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non-@code{nil} value enables it. @xref{Add, Edit}.
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@item Info-enable-active-nodes
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When set to a non-@code{nil} value, allows Info to execute Lisp code
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associated with nodes. The Lisp code is executed when the node is
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selected.
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@item Info-directory-list
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The list of directories to search for Info files. Each element is a
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string (directory name) or @code{nil} (try default directory).
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@item Info-directory
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The standard directory for Info documentation files. Only used when the
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function @code{Info-directory} is called.
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@end vtable
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@node Create an Info File, , Advanced Info, Top
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@comment node-name, next, previous, up
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@chapter Creating an Info File from a Makeinfo file
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@code{makeinfo} is a utility that converts a Texinfo file into an Info
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file; @code{texinfo-format-region} and @code{texinfo-format-buffer} are
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GNU Emacs functions that do the same.
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@xref{Create an Info File, , Creating an Info File, texinfo, the Texinfo
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Manual}, to learn how to create an Info file from a Texinfo file.
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@xref{Top,, Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU Documentation
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Format}, to learn how to write a Texinfo file.
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@bye
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