428
+ − 1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
+ − 2 @comment %**start of header
+ − 3 @setfilename ../info/info.info
+ − 4 @settitle Info
+ − 5 @comment %**end of header
468
+ − 6 @comment $Id: info.texi,v 1.9 2001/04/13 09:11:28 michaels Exp $
428
+ − 7
+ − 8 @dircategory Texinfo documentation system
+ − 9 @direntry
+ − 10 * Info: (info). Documentation browsing system.
+ − 11 @end direntry
+ − 12
+ − 13 @ifinfo
+ − 14 This file describes how to use Info, the on-line, menu-driven GNU
+ − 15 documentation system.
+ − 16
+ − 17 Copyright (C) 1989, 92, 96, 97, 98, 99 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+ − 18
+ − 19 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
+ − 20 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
+ − 21 are preserved on all copies.
+ − 22
+ − 23 @ignore
+ − 24 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
+ − 25 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
+ − 26 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
+ − 27 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
+ − 28
+ − 29 @end ignore
+ − 30 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
+ − 31 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire
+ − 32 resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
+ − 33 notice identical to this one.
+ − 34
+ − 35 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
+ − 36 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
+ − 37 except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved
+ − 38 by the Free Software Foundation.
+ − 39 @end ifinfo
+ − 40
+ − 41 @titlepage
+ − 42 @title Info
+ − 43 @subtitle The online, menu-driven GNU documentation system
+ − 44 @author Brian Fox
+ − 45 @page
+ − 46 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
+ − 47 Copyright @copyright{} 1989, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99 Free Software
+ − 48 Foundation, Inc.
+ − 49 @sp 2
+ − 50 Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
+ − 51 59 Temple Place - Suite 330 @*
+ − 52 Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ − 53
+ − 54 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
+ − 55 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
+ − 56 are preserved on all copies.
+ − 57
+ − 58 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
+ − 59 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire
+ − 60 resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
+ − 61 notice identical to this one.
+ − 62
+ − 63 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
+ − 64 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
+ − 65 except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved
+ − 66 by the Free Software Foundation.
+ − 67 @end titlepage
+ − 68
+ − 69 @node Top
+ − 70 @top Info: An Introduction
+ − 71
430
+ − 72 Info is a program for reading documentation, which you might be using
+ − 73 now to read this.
428
+ − 74
430
+ − 75 To learn how to use Info, type the command @kbd{h} while using the Info
+ − 76 program. It brings you to a programmed instruction sequence.
428
+ − 77
+ − 78 @menu
+ − 79 * Getting Started:: Getting started using an Info reader.
+ − 80 * Advanced Info:: Advanced commands within Info.
+ − 81 * Creating an Info File:: How to make your own Info file.
+ − 82 @end menu
+ − 83
+ − 84 @node Getting Started, Advanced Info, Top, Top
+ − 85 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 86 @chapter Getting Started
+ − 87
+ − 88 This first part of the Info manual describes how to get around inside
+ − 89 of Info. The second part of the manual describes various advanced
+ − 90 Info commands, and how to write an Info as distinct from a Texinfo
+ − 91 file. The third part is about how to generate Info files from
+ − 92 Texinfo files.
+ − 93
+ − 94 @iftex
+ − 95 This manual is primarily designed for use on a computer, so that you can
+ − 96 try Info commands while reading about them. Reading it on paper is less
+ − 97 effective, since you must take it on faith that the commands described
+ − 98 really do what the manual says. By all means go through this manual now
+ − 99 that you have it; but please try going through the on-line version as
+ − 100 well.
+ − 101
+ − 102 There are two ways of looking at the online version of this manual:
+ − 103
+ − 104 @enumerate
+ − 105 @item
+ − 106 Type @code{info} at your shell's command line. This approach uses a
+ − 107 small stand-alone program designed just to read Info files.
+ − 108
+ − 109 @item
+ − 110 Type @code{emacs} at the command line; then type @kbd{C-h i} (Control
+ − 111 @kbd{h}, followed by @kbd{i}). This approach uses the Info mode of the
+ − 112 Emacs program, an editor with many other capabilities.
+ − 113 @end enumerate
+ − 114
+ − 115 In either case, then type @kbd{mInfo} (just the letters), followed by
+ − 116 @key{RET}---the ``Return'' or ``Enter'' key. At this point, you should
+ − 117 be ready to follow the instructions in this manual as you read them on
+ − 118 the screen.
+ − 119 @c FIXME! (pesch@cygnus.com, 14 dec 1992)
+ − 120 @c Is it worth worrying about what-if the beginner goes to somebody
+ − 121 @c else's Emacs session, which already has an Info running in the middle
+ − 122 @c of something---in which case these simple instructions won't work?
+ − 123 @end iftex
+ − 124
+ − 125 @menu
+ − 126 * Help-Small-Screen:: Starting Info on a Small Screen
+ − 127 * Help:: How to use Info
+ − 128 * Help-P:: Returning to the Previous node
+ − 129 * Help-^L:: The Space, Rubout, B and ^L commands.
+ − 130 * Help-M:: Menus
+ − 131 * Help-Adv:: Some advanced Info commands
+ − 132 * Help-Q:: Quitting Info
+ − 133 @end menu
+ − 134
+ − 135 @node Help-Small-Screen, Help, , Getting Started
+ − 136 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 137 @section Starting Info on a Small Screen
+ − 138
+ − 139 @iftex
+ − 140 (In Info, you only see this section if your terminal has a small
+ − 141 number of lines; most readers pass by it without seeing it.)
+ − 142 @end iftex
+ − 143
+ − 144 Since your terminal has an unusually small number of lines on its
+ − 145 screen, it is necessary to give you special advice at the beginning.
+ − 146
+ − 147 If you see the text @samp{--All----} at near the bottom right corner
+ − 148 of the screen, it means the entire text you are looking at fits on the
+ − 149 screen. If you see @samp{--Top----} instead, it means that there is
+ − 150 more text below that does not fit. To move forward through the text
+ − 151 and see another screen full, press the Space bar, @key{SPC}. To move
+ − 152 back up, press the key labeled @samp{Backspace} or @key{Delete}.
+ − 153
+ − 154 @ifinfo
+ − 155 Here are 40 lines of junk, so you can try Spaces and Deletes and
+ − 156 see what they do. At the end are instructions of what you should do
+ − 157 next.
+ − 158
+ − 159 This is line 17 @*
+ − 160 This is line 18 @*
+ − 161 This is line 19 @*
+ − 162 This is line 20 @*
+ − 163 This is line 21 @*
+ − 164 This is line 22 @*
+ − 165 This is line 23 @*
+ − 166 This is line 24 @*
+ − 167 This is line 25 @*
+ − 168 This is line 26 @*
+ − 169 This is line 27 @*
+ − 170 This is line 28 @*
+ − 171 This is line 29 @*
+ − 172 This is line 30 @*
+ − 173 This is line 31 @*
+ − 174 This is line 32 @*
+ − 175 This is line 33 @*
+ − 176 This is line 34 @*
+ − 177 This is line 35 @*
+ − 178 This is line 36 @*
+ − 179 This is line 37 @*
+ − 180 This is line 38 @*
+ − 181 This is line 39 @*
+ − 182 This is line 40 @*
+ − 183 This is line 41 @*
+ − 184 This is line 42 @*
+ − 185 This is line 43 @*
+ − 186 This is line 44 @*
+ − 187 This is line 45 @*
+ − 188 This is line 46 @*
+ − 189 This is line 47 @*
+ − 190 This is line 48 @*
+ − 191 This is line 49 @*
+ − 192 This is line 50 @*
+ − 193 This is line 51 @*
+ − 194 This is line 52 @*
+ − 195 This is line 53 @*
+ − 196 This is line 54 @*
+ − 197 This is line 55 @*
+ − 198 This is line 56 @*
+ − 199
+ − 200 If you have managed to get here, go back to the beginning with
+ − 201 Delete, and come back here again, then you understand Space and
+ − 202 Delete. So now type an @kbd{n} ---just one character; don't type
+ − 203 the quotes and don't type the Return key afterward--- to
+ − 204 get to the normal start of the course.
+ − 205 @end ifinfo
+ − 206
+ − 207 @node Help, Help-P, Help-Small-Screen, Getting Started
+ − 208 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 209 @section How to use Info
+ − 210
+ − 211 You are talking to the program Info, for reading documentation.
+ − 212
+ − 213 Right now you are looking at one @dfn{Node} of Information.
+ − 214 A node contains text describing a specific topic at a specific
+ − 215 level of detail. This node's topic is ``how to use Info''.
+ − 216
+ − 217 The top line of a node is its @dfn{header}. This node's header (look at
+ − 218 it now) says that it is the node named @samp{Help} in the file
+ − 219 @file{info}. It says that the @samp{Next} node after this one is the node
+ − 220 called @samp{Help-P}. An advanced Info command lets you go to any node
+ − 221 whose name you know.
+ − 222
+ − 223 Besides a @samp{Next}, a node can have a @samp{Previous} or an @samp{Up}.
+ − 224 This node has a @samp{Previous} but no @samp{Up}, as you can see.
+ − 225
+ − 226 Now it is time to move on to the @samp{Next} node, named @samp{Help-P}.
+ − 227
+ − 228 >> Type @samp{n} to move there. Type just one character;
+ − 229 do not type the quotes and do not type a @key{RET} afterward.
+ − 230
+ − 231 @samp{>>} in the margin means it is really time to try a command.
+ − 232
+ − 233 @node Help-P, Help-^L, Help, Getting Started
+ − 234 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 235 @section Returning to the Previous node
+ − 236
+ − 237 This node is called @samp{Help-P}. The @samp{Previous} node, as you see,
+ − 238 is @samp{Help}, which is the one you just came from using the @kbd{n}
+ − 239 command. Another @kbd{n} command now would take you to the next
+ − 240 node, @samp{Help-^L}.
+ − 241
+ − 242 >> But do not do that yet. First, try the @kbd{p} command, which takes
+ − 243 you to the @samp{Previous} node. When you get there, you can do an
+ − 244 @kbd{n} again to return here.
+ − 245
+ − 246 This all probably seems insultingly simple so far, but @emph{do not} be
+ − 247 led into skimming. Things will get more complicated soon. Also,
+ − 248 do not try a new command until you are told it is time to. Otherwise,
+ − 249 you may make Info skip past an important warning that was coming up.
+ − 250
+ − 251 >> Now do an @kbd{n} to get to the node @samp{Help-^L} and learn more.
+ − 252
+ − 253 @node Help-^L, Help-M, Help-P, Getting Started
+ − 254 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 255 @section The Space, Delete, B and ^L commands.
+ − 256
+ − 257 This node's header tells you that you are now at node @samp{Help-^L}, and
+ − 258 that @kbd{p} would get you back to @samp{Help-P}. The node's title is
+ − 259 underlined; it says what the node is about (most nodes have titles).
+ − 260
+ − 261 This is a big node and it does not all fit on your display screen.
+ − 262 You can tell that there is more that is not visible because you
+ − 263 can see the string @samp{--Top-----} rather than @samp{--All----} near
+ − 264 the bottom right corner of the screen.
+ − 265
+ − 266 The Space, Delete and @kbd{B} commands exist to allow you to ``move
+ − 267 around'' in a node that does not all fit on the screen at once.
+ − 268 Space moves forward, to show what was below the bottom of the screen.
+ − 269 Delete moves backward, to show what was above the top of the screen
+ − 270 (there is not anything above the top until you have typed some spaces).
+ − 271
+ − 272 >> Now try typing a Space (afterward, type a Delete to return here).
+ − 273
+ − 274 When you type the space, the two lines that were at the bottom of
+ − 275 the screen appear at the top, followed by more lines. Delete takes
+ − 276 the two lines from the top and moves them to the bottom,
+ − 277 @emph{usually}, but if there are not a full screen's worth of lines
+ − 278 above them they may not make it all the way to the bottom.
+ − 279
+ − 280 If you type Space when there is no more to see, it rings the
+ − 281 bell and otherwise does nothing. The same goes for Delete when
+ − 282 the header of the node is visible.
+ − 283
+ − 284 If your screen is ever garbaged, you can tell Info to print it out
+ − 285 again by typing @kbd{C-l} (@kbd{Control-L}, that is---hold down ``Control'' and
+ − 286 type an @key{L} or @kbd{l}).
+ − 287
+ − 288 >> Type @kbd{C-l} now.
+ − 289
+ − 290 To move back to the beginning of the node you are on, you can type
+ − 291 a lot of Deletes. You can also type simply @kbd{b} for beginning.
+ − 292 >> Try that now. (We have put in enough verbiage to push this past
+ − 293 the first screenful, but screens are so big nowadays that perhaps it
+ − 294 isn't enough. You may need to shrink your Emacs or Info window.)
+ − 295 Then come back, with Spaces.
+ − 296
+ − 297 If your screen is very tall, all of this node might fit at once.
+ − 298 In that case, "b" won't do anything. Sorry; what can we do?
+ − 299
+ − 300 You have just learned a considerable number of commands. If you
+ − 301 want to use one but have trouble remembering which, you should type
+ − 302 a @key{?} which prints out a brief list of commands. When you are
+ − 303 finished looking at the list, make it go away by pressing @key{SPC}
+ − 304 repeatedly.
+ − 305
+ − 306 >> Type a @key{?} now. Press @key{SPC} to see consecutive screenfuls of
+ − 307 >> the list until finished.
+ − 308
+ − 309 From now on, you will encounter large nodes without warning, and
+ − 310 will be expected to know how to use Space and Delete to move
+ − 311 around in them without being told. Since not all terminals have
+ − 312 the same size screen, it would be impossible to warn you anyway.
+ − 313
+ − 314 >> Now type @kbd{n} to see the description of the @kbd{m} command.
+ − 315
+ − 316 @node Help-M, Help-Adv, Help-^L, Getting Started
+ − 317 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 318 @section Menus
+ − 319
+ − 320 Menus and the @kbd{m} command
+ − 321
+ − 322 With only the @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} commands for moving between nodes, nodes
+ − 323 are restricted to a linear sequence. Menus allow a branching
+ − 324 structure. A menu is a list of other nodes you can move to. It is
+ − 325 actually just part of the text of the node formatted specially so that
+ − 326 Info can interpret it. The beginning of a menu is always identified
+ − 327 by a line which starts with @samp{* Menu:}. A node contains a menu if and
+ − 328 only if it has a line in it which starts that way. The only menu you
+ − 329 can use at any moment is the one in the node you are in. To use a
+ − 330 menu in any other node, you must move to that node first.
+ − 331
+ − 332 After the start of the menu, each line that starts with a @samp{*}
+ − 333 identifies one subtopic. The line usually contains a brief name
+ − 334 for the subtopic (followed by a @samp{:}), the name of the node that talks
+ − 335 about that subtopic, and optionally some further description of the
+ − 336 subtopic. Lines in the menu that do not start with a @samp{*} have no
+ − 337 special meaning---they are only for the human reader's benefit and do
+ − 338 not define additional subtopics. Here is an example:
+ − 339
+ − 340 @example
+ − 341 * Foo: FOO's Node This tells about FOO
+ − 342 @end example
+ − 343
+ − 344 The subtopic name is Foo, and the node describing it is @samp{FOO's Node}.
+ − 345 The rest of the line is just for the reader's Information.
+ − 346 [[ But this line is not a real menu item, simply because there is
+ − 347 no line above it which starts with @samp{* Menu:}.]]
+ − 348
+ − 349 When you use a menu to go to another node (in a way that will be
+ − 350 described soon), what you specify is the subtopic name, the first
+ − 351 thing in the menu line. Info uses it to find the menu line, extracts
+ − 352 the node name from it, and goes to that node. The reason that there
+ − 353 is both a subtopic name and a node name is that the node name must be
+ − 354 meaningful to the computer and may therefore have to be ugly looking.
+ − 355 The subtopic name can be chosen just to be convenient for the user to
+ − 356 specify. Often the node name is convenient for the user to specify
+ − 357 and so both it and the subtopic name are the same. There is an
+ − 358 abbreviation for this:
+ − 359
+ − 360 @example
+ − 361 * Foo:: This tells about FOO
+ − 362 @end example
+ − 363
+ − 364 @noindent
+ − 365 This means that the subtopic name and node name are the same; they are
+ − 366 both @samp{Foo}.
+ − 367
+ − 368 >> Now use Spaces to find the menu in this node, then come back to
+ − 369 the front with a @kbd{b} and some Spaces. As you see, a menu is
+ − 370 actually visible in its node. If you cannot find a menu in a node
+ − 371 by looking at it, then the node does not have a menu and the
+ − 372 @kbd{m} command is not available.
+ − 373
+ − 374 The command to go to one of the subnodes is @kbd{m}---but @emph{do
+ − 375 not do it yet!} Before you use @kbd{m}, you must understand the
+ − 376 difference between commands and arguments. So far, you have learned
+ − 377 several commands that do not need arguments. When you type one, Info
+ − 378 processes it and is instantly ready for another command. The @kbd{m}
+ − 379 command is different: it is incomplete without the @dfn{name of the
+ − 380 subtopic}. Once you have typed @kbd{m}, Info tries to read the
+ − 381 subtopic name.
+ − 382
+ − 383 Now look for the line containing many dashes near the bottom of the
+ − 384 screen. There is one more line beneath that one, but usually it is
+ − 385 blank. If it is empty, Info is ready for a command, such as @kbd{n}
+ − 386 or @kbd{b} or Space or @kbd{m}. If that line contains text ending
+ − 387 in a colon, it means Info is trying to read the @dfn{argument} to a
+ − 388 command. At such times, commands do not work, because Info tries to
+ − 389 use them as the argument. You must either type the argument and
+ − 390 finish the command you started, or type @kbd{Control-g} to cancel the
+ − 391 command. When you have done one of those things, the line becomes
+ − 392 blank again.
+ − 393
+ − 394 The command to go to a subnode via a menu is @kbd{m}. After you type
+ − 395 the @kbd{m}, the line at the bottom of the screen says @samp{Menu item: }.
+ − 396 You must then type the name of the subtopic you want, and end it with
+ − 397 a @key{RET}.
+ − 398
+ − 399 You can abbreviate the subtopic name. If the abbreviation is not
+ − 400 unique, the first matching subtopic is chosen. Some menus put
+ − 401 the shortest possible abbreviation for each subtopic name in capital
+ − 402 letters, so you can see how much you need to type. It does not
+ − 403 matter whether you use upper case or lower case when you type the
+ − 404 subtopic. You should not put any spaces at the end, or inside of the
+ − 405 item name, except for one space where a space appears in the item in
+ − 406 the menu.
+ − 407
+ − 408 You can also use the @dfn{completion} feature to help enter the subtopic
+ − 409 name. If you type the Tab key after entering part of a name, it will
+ − 410 magically fill in more of the name---as much as follows uniquely from
+ − 411 what you have entered.
+ − 412
+ − 413 If you move the cursor to one of the menu subtopic lines, then you do
+ − 414 not need to type the argument: you just type a Return, and it stands for
+ − 415 the subtopic of the line you are on.
+ − 416
+ − 417 Here is a menu to give you a chance to practice. This menu gives you
+ − 418 three ways of going to one place, Help-FOO:
+ − 419
+ − 420 @menu
+ − 421 * Foo: Help-FOO. A node you can visit for fun.
+ − 422 * Bar: Help-FOO. Strange! two ways to get to the same place.
+ − 423 * Help-FOO:: And yet another!
+ − 424 @end menu
+ − 425
+ − 426 >> Now type just an @kbd{m} and see what happens:
+ − 427
+ − 428 Now you are ``inside'' an @kbd{m} command. Commands cannot be used
+ − 429 now; the next thing you will type must be the name of a subtopic.
+ − 430
+ − 431 You can change your mind about doing the @kbd{m} by typing Control-g.
+ − 432
+ − 433 >> Try that now; notice the bottom line clear.
+ − 434
+ − 435 >> Then type another @kbd{m}.
+ − 436
+ − 437 >> Now type @samp{BAR} item name. Do not type Return yet.
+ − 438
+ − 439 While you are typing the item name, you can use the Delete key to
+ − 440 cancel one character at a time if you make a mistake.
+ − 441
+ − 442 >> Type one to cancel the @samp{R}. You could type another @samp{R} to
+ − 443 replace it. You do not have to, since @samp{BA} is a valid abbreviation.
+ − 444
+ − 445 >> Now you are ready to go. Type a @key{RET}.
+ − 446
+ − 447 After visiting Help-FOO, you should return here.
+ − 448
+ − 449 >> Type @kbd{n} to see more commands.
+ − 450
+ − 451 @c If a menu appears at the end of this node, remove it.
+ − 452 @c It is an accident of the menu updating command.
+ − 453
+ − 454 Here is another way to get to Help-FOO, a menu. You can ignore this
+ − 455 if you want, or else try it (but then please come back to here).
+ − 456
+ − 457 @menu
+ − 458 * Help-FOO::
+ − 459 @end menu
+ − 460
+ − 461 @node Help-FOO, , , Help-M
+ − 462 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 463 @subsection The @kbd{u} command
+ − 464
+ − 465 Congratulations! This is the node @samp{Help-FOO}. Unlike the other
+ − 466 nodes you have seen, this one has an @samp{Up}: @samp{Help-M}, the node you
+ − 467 just came from via the @kbd{m} command. This is the usual
+ − 468 convention---the nodes you reach from a menu have @samp{Up} nodes that lead
+ − 469 back to the menu. Menus move Down in the tree, and @samp{Up} moves Up.
+ − 470 @samp{Previous}, on the other hand, is usually used to ``stay on the same
+ − 471 level but go backwards''
+ − 472
+ − 473 You can go back to the node @samp{Help-M} by typing the command
+ − 474 @kbd{u} for ``Up''. That puts you at the @emph{front} of the
+ − 475 node---to get back to where you were reading you have to type
+ − 476 some @key{SPC}s.
+ − 477
+ − 478 >> Now type @kbd{u} to move back up to @samp{Help-M}.
+ − 479
+ − 480 @node Help-Adv, Help-Q, Help-M, Getting Started
+ − 481 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 482 @section Some advanced Info commands
+ − 483
+ − 484 The course is almost over, so please stick with it to the end.
+ − 485
+ − 486 If you have been moving around to different nodes and wish to
+ − 487 retrace your steps, the @kbd{l} command (@kbd{l} for @dfn{last}) will
+ − 488 do that, one node-step at a time. As you move from node to node, Info
+ − 489 records the nodes where you have been in a special history list. The
+ − 490 @kbd{l} command revisits nodes in the history list; each successive
+ − 491 @kbd{l} command moves one step back through the history.
+ − 492
+ − 493 If you have been following directions, ad @kbd{l} command now will get
+ − 494 you back to @samp{Help-M}. Another @kbd{l} command would undo the
+ − 495 @kbd{u} and get you back to @samp{Help-FOO}. Another @kbd{l} would undo
+ − 496 the @kbd{m} and get you back to @samp{Help-M}.
+ − 497
+ − 498 >> Try typing three @kbd{l}'s, pausing in between to see what each
+ − 499 @kbd{l} does.
+ − 500
+ − 501 Then follow directions again and you will end up back here.
+ − 502
+ − 503 Note the difference between @kbd{l} and @kbd{p}: @kbd{l} moves to
+ − 504 where @emph{you} last were, whereas @kbd{p} always moves to the node
+ − 505 which the header says is the @samp{Previous} node (from this node, to
+ − 506 @samp{Help-M}).
+ − 507
+ − 508 The @samp{d} command gets you instantly to the Directory node.
+ − 509 This node, which is the first one you saw when you entered Info,
+ − 510 has a menu which leads (directly, or indirectly through other menus),
+ − 511 to all the nodes that exist.
+ − 512
+ − 513 >> Try doing a @samp{d}, then do an @kbd{l} to return here (yes,
+ − 514 @emph{do} return).
+ − 515
+ − 516 Sometimes, in Info documentation, you will see a cross reference.
+ − 517 Cross references look like this: @xref{Help-Cross, Cross}. That is a
+ − 518 real, live cross reference which is named @samp{Cross} and points at
+ − 519 the node named @samp{Help-Cross}.
+ − 520
+ − 521 If you wish to follow a cross reference, you must use the @samp{f}
+ − 522 command. The @samp{f} must be followed by the cross reference name
+ − 523 (in this case, @samp{Cross}). While you enter the name, you can use the
+ − 524 Delete key to edit your input. If you change your mind about following
+ − 525 any reference, you can use @kbd{Control-g} to cancel the command.
+ − 526
+ − 527 Completion is available in the @samp{f} command; you can complete among
+ − 528 all the cross reference names in the current node by typing a Tab.
+ − 529
+ − 530 >> Type @samp{f}, followed by @samp{Cross}, and a @key{RET}.
+ − 531
+ − 532 To get a list of all the cross references in the current node, you can
+ − 533 type @kbd{?} after an @samp{f}. The @samp{f} continues to await a
+ − 534 cross reference name even after printing the list, so if you don't
+ − 535 actually want to follow a reference, you should type a @kbd{Control-g}
+ − 536 to cancel the @samp{f}.
+ − 537
+ − 538 >> Type "f?" to get a list of the cross references in this node. Then
+ − 539 type a @kbd{Control-g} and see how the @samp{f} gives up.
+ − 540
+ − 541 >> Now type @kbd{n} to see the last node of the course.
+ − 542
+ − 543 @c If a menu appears at the end of this node, remove it.
+ − 544 @c It is an accident of the menu updating command.
+ − 545
+ − 546 @node Help-Cross, , , Help-Adv
+ − 547 @subsection The node reached by the cross reference in Info
+ − 548
+ − 549 This is the node reached by the cross reference named @samp{Cross}.
+ − 550
+ − 551 While this node is specifically intended to be reached by a cross
+ − 552 reference, most cross references lead to nodes that ``belong'' someplace
+ − 553 else far away in the structure of Info. So you cannot expect the
+ − 554 footnote to have a @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous} or @samp{Up} pointing
+ − 555 back to where you came from. In general, the @kbd{l} (el) command is
+ − 556 the only way to get back there.
+ − 557
+ − 558 >> Type @kbd{l} to return to the node where the cross reference was.
+ − 559
+ − 560 @node Help-Q, , Help-Adv, Getting Started
+ − 561 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 562 @section Quitting Info
+ − 563
+ − 564 To get out of Info, back to what you were doing before, type @kbd{q}
+ − 565 for @dfn{Quit}.
+ − 566
+ − 567 This is the end of the course on using Info. There are some other
+ − 568 commands that are meant for experienced users; they are useful, and you
+ − 569 can find them by looking in the directory node for documentation on
+ − 570 Info. Finding them will be a good exercise in using Info in the usual
+ − 571 manner.
+ − 572
+ − 573 >> Type @samp{d} to go to the Info directory node; then type
+ − 574 @samp{mInfo} and Return, to get to the node about Info and
+ − 575 see what other help is available.
+ − 576
+ − 577
+ − 578 @node Advanced Info
+ − 579 @chapter Info for Experts
+ − 580
+ − 581 This chapter describes various advanced Info commands, and how to write
+ − 582 an Info as distinct from a Texinfo file. (However, in most cases, writing a
+ − 583 Texinfo file is better, since you can use it @emph{both} to generate an
+ − 584 Info file and to make a printed manual. @xref{Top,, Overview of
+ − 585 Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo}.)
+ − 586
+ − 587 @menu
+ − 588 * Expert:: Advanced Info commands: g, s, e, and 1 - 5.
+ − 589 * Add:: Describes how to add new nodes to the hierarchy.
+ − 590 Also tells what nodes look like.
+ − 591 * Menus:: How to add to or create menus in Info nodes.
+ − 592 * Cross-refs:: How to add cross-references to Info nodes.
+ − 593 * Tags:: How to make tag tables for Info files.
+ − 594 * Checking:: Checking an Info File
+ − 595 * Emacs Info Variables:: Variables modifying the behavior of Emacs Info.
+ − 596 @end menu
+ − 597
+ − 598 @node Expert, Add, , Advanced Info
+ − 599 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 600 @section Advanced Info Commands
+ − 601
+ − 602 @kbd{g}, @kbd{s}, @kbd{1}, -- @kbd{9}, and @kbd{e}
+ − 603
+ − 604 If you know a node's name, you can go there by typing @kbd{g}, the
+ − 605 name, and @key{RET}. Thus, @kbd{gTop@key{RET}} would go to the node
+ − 606 called @samp{Top} in this file (its directory node).
+ − 607 @kbd{gExpert@key{RET}} would come back here.
+ − 608
+ − 609 Unlike @kbd{m}, @kbd{g} does not allow the use of abbreviations.
+ − 610
+ − 611 To go to a node in another file, you can include the filename in the
+ − 612 node name by putting it at the front, in parentheses. Thus,
+ − 613 @kbd{g(dir)Top@key{RET}} would go to the Info Directory node, which is
+ − 614 node @samp{Top} in the file @file{dir}.
+ − 615
+ − 616 The node name @samp{*} specifies the whole file. So you can look at
+ − 617 all of the current file by typing @kbd{g*@key{RET}} or all of any
+ − 618 other file with @kbd{g(FILENAME)@key{RET}}.
+ − 619
+ − 620 The @kbd{s} command allows you to search a whole file for a string.
+ − 621 It switches to the next node if and when that is necessary. You
+ − 622 type @kbd{s} followed by the string to search for, terminated by
+ − 623 @key{RET}. To search for the same string again, just @kbd{s} followed
+ − 624 by @key{RET} will do. The file's nodes are scanned in the order
+ − 625 they are in in the file, which has no necessary relationship to the
+ − 626 order that they may be in in the tree structure of menus and @samp{next}
+ − 627 pointers. But normally the two orders are not very different. In any
+ − 628 case, you can always do a @kbd{b} to find out what node you have
+ − 629 reached, if the header is not visible (this can happen, because @kbd{s}
+ − 630 puts your cursor at the occurrence of the string, not at the beginning
+ − 631 of the node).
+ − 632
+ − 633 If you grudge the system each character of type-in it requires, you
+ − 634 might like to use the commands @kbd{1}, @kbd{2}, @kbd{3}, @kbd{4}, ...
+ − 635 @kbd{9}. They are short for the @kbd{m} command together with an
+ − 636 argument. @kbd{1} goes through the first item in the current node's
+ − 637 menu; @kbd{2} goes through the second item, etc.
+ − 638
+ − 639 If your display supports multiple fonts, and you are using Emacs' Info
+ − 640 mode to read Info files, the @samp{*} for the fifth menu item is
+ − 641 underlined, and so is the @samp{*} for the ninth item; these underlines
+ − 642 make it easy to see at a glance which number to use for an item.
+ − 643
+ − 644 On ordinary terminals, you won't have underlining. If you need to
+ − 645 actually count items, it is better to use @kbd{m} instead, and specify
+ − 646 the name.
+ − 647
+ − 648 The Info command @kbd{e} changes from Info mode to an ordinary
+ − 649 Emacs editing mode, so that you can edit the text of the current node.
+ − 650 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to switch back to Info. The @kbd{e} command is allowed
+ − 651 only if the variable @code{Info-enable-edit} is non-@code{nil}.
+ − 652
+ − 653 @node Add, Menus, Expert, Advanced Info
+ − 654 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 655 @section Adding a new node to Info
+ − 656
+ − 657 To add a new topic to the list in the Info directory, you must:
+ − 658 @enumerate
+ − 659 @item
+ − 660 Create some nodes, in some file, to document that topic.
+ − 661 @item
+ − 662 Put that topic in the menu in the directory. @xref{Menus, Menu}.
+ − 663 @end enumerate
+ − 664
+ − 665 Usually, the way to create the nodes is with Texinfo (@pxref{Top,,
+ − 666 Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo}); this has the advantage that you
+ − 667 can also make a printed manual from them. However, if you want to edit
+ − 668 an Info file, here is how.
+ − 669
+ − 670 The new node can live in an existing documentation file, or in a new
+ − 671 one. It must have a @key{^_} character before it (invisible to the
+ − 672 user; this node has one but you cannot see it), and it ends with either
+ − 673 a @key{^_}, a @key{^L}, or the end of file. Note: If you put in a
+ − 674 @key{^L} to end a new node, be sure that there is a @key{^_} after it
+ − 675 to start the next one, since @key{^L} cannot @emph{start} a node.
+ − 676 Also, a nicer way to make a node boundary be a page boundary as well
+ − 677 is to put a @key{^L} @emph{right after} the @key{^_}.
+ − 678
+ − 679 The @key{^_} starting a node must be followed by a newline or a
+ − 680 @key{^L} newline, after which comes the node's header line. The header
+ − 681 line must give the node's name (by which Info finds it), and state the
+ − 682 names of the @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}, and @samp{Up} nodes (if there
+ − 683 are any). As you can see, this node's @samp{Up} node is the node
+ − 684 @samp{Top}, which points at all the documentation for Info. The
+ − 685 @samp{Next} node is @samp{Menus}.
+ − 686
+ − 687 The keywords @dfn{Node}, @dfn{Previous}, @dfn{Up}, and @dfn{Next},
+ − 688 may appear in any order, anywhere in the header line, but the
+ − 689 recommended order is the one in this sentence. Each keyword must be
+ − 690 followed by a colon, spaces and tabs, and then the appropriate name.
+ − 691 The name may be terminated with a tab, a comma, or a newline. A space
+ − 692 does not end it; node names may contain spaces. The case of letters
+ − 693 in the names is insignificant.
+ − 694
+ − 695 A node name has two forms. A node in the current file is named by
+ − 696 what appears after the @samp{Node: } in that node's first line. For
+ − 697 example, this node's name is @samp{Add}. A node in another file is
+ − 698 named by @samp{(@var{filename})@var{node-within-file}}, as in
+ − 699 @samp{(info)Add} for this node. If the file name starts with ``./'',
+ − 700 then it is relative to the current directory; otherwise, it is relative
+ − 701 starting from the standard Info file directory of your site.
+ − 702 The name @samp{(@var{filename})Top} can be abbreviated to just
+ − 703 @samp{(@var{filename})}. By convention, the name @samp{Top} is used for
+ − 704 the ``highest'' node in any single file---the node whose @samp{Up} points
+ − 705 out of the file. The Directory node is @file{(dir)}. The @samp{Top} node
+ − 706 of a document file listed in the Directory should have an @samp{Up:
+ − 707 (dir)} in it.
+ − 708
+ − 709 The node name @kbd{*} is special: it refers to the entire file.
+ − 710 Thus, @kbd{g*} shows you the whole current file. The use of the
+ − 711 node @kbd{*} is to make it possible to make old-fashioned,
+ − 712 unstructured files into nodes of the tree.
+ − 713
+ − 714 The @samp{Node:} name, in which a node states its own name, must not
+ − 715 contain a filename, since Info when searching for a node does not expect
+ − 716 one to be there. The @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous} and @samp{Up} names
+ − 717 may contain them. In this node, since the @samp{Up} node is in the same
+ − 718 file, it was not necessary to use one.
+ − 719
+ − 720 Note that the nodes in this file have a file name in the header
+ − 721 line. The file names are ignored by Info, but they serve as comments
+ − 722 to help identify the node for the user.
+ − 723
+ − 724 @node Menus, Cross-refs, Add, Advanced Info
+ − 725 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 726 @section How to Create Menus
+ − 727
+ − 728 Any node in the Info hierarchy may have a @dfn{menu}---a list of subnodes.
+ − 729 The @kbd{m} command searches the current node's menu for the topic which it
+ − 730 reads from the terminal.
+ − 731
+ − 732 A menu begins with a line starting with @samp{* Menu:}. The rest of the
+ − 733 line is a comment. After the starting line, every line that begins
+ − 734 with a @samp{* } lists a single topic. The name of the topic--the
+ − 735 argument that the user must give to the @kbd{m} command to select this
+ − 736 topic---comes right after the star and space, and is followed by a
+ − 737 colon, spaces and tabs, and the name of the node which discusses that
+ − 738 topic. The node name, like node names following @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}
+ − 739 and @samp{Up}, may be terminated with a tab, comma, or newline; it may also
+ − 740 be terminated with a period.
+ − 741
+ − 742 If the node name and topic name are the same, then rather than
+ − 743 giving the name twice, the abbreviation @samp{* NAME::} may be used
+ − 744 (and should be used, whenever possible, as it reduces the visual
+ − 745 clutter in the menu).
+ − 746
+ − 747 It is considerate to choose the topic names so that they differ
+ − 748 from each other very near the beginning---this allows the user to type
+ − 749 short abbreviations. In a long menu, it is a good idea to capitalize
+ − 750 the beginning of each item name which is the minimum acceptable
+ − 751 abbreviation for it (a long menu is more than 5 or so entries).
+ − 752
+ − 753 The nodes listed in a node's menu are called its ``subnodes'', and it
+ − 754 is their ``superior''. They should each have an @samp{Up:} pointing at
+ − 755 the superior. It is often useful to arrange all or most of the subnodes
+ − 756 in a sequence of @samp{Next} and @samp{Previous} pointers so that
+ − 757 someone who wants to see them all need not keep revisiting the Menu.
+ − 758
+ − 759 The Info Directory is simply the menu of the node @samp{(dir)Top}---that
+ − 760 is, node @samp{Top} in file @file{.../info/dir}. You can put new entries
+ − 761 in that menu just like any other menu. The Info Directory is @emph{not} the
+ − 762 same as the file directory called @file{info}. It happens that many of
+ − 763 Info's files live on that file directory, but they do not have to; and
+ − 764 files on that directory are not automatically listed in the Info
+ − 765 Directory node.
+ − 766
+ − 767 Also, although the Info node graph is claimed to be a ``hierarchy'',
+ − 768 in fact it can be @emph{any} directed graph. Shared structures and
+ − 769 pointer cycles are perfectly possible, and can be used if they are
+ − 770 appropriate to the meaning to be expressed. There is no need for all
+ − 771 the nodes in a file to form a connected structure. In fact, this file
+ − 772 has two connected components. You are in one of them, which is under
+ − 773 the node @samp{Top}; the other contains the node @samp{Help} which the
+ − 774 @kbd{h} command goes to. In fact, since there is no garbage
+ − 775 collector, nothing terrible happens if a substructure is not pointed
+ − 776 to, but such a substructure is rather useless since nobody can
+ − 777 ever find out that it exists.
+ − 778
+ − 779 @node Cross-refs, Tags, Menus, Advanced Info
+ − 780 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 781 @section Creating Cross References
+ − 782
+ − 783 A cross reference can be placed anywhere in the text, unlike a menu
+ − 784 item which must go at the front of a line. A cross reference looks
+ − 785 like a menu item except that it has @samp{*note} instead of @kbd{*}.
+ − 786 It @emph{cannot} be terminated by a @samp{)}, because @samp{)}'s are
+ − 787 so often part of node names. If you wish to enclose a cross reference
+ − 788 in parentheses, terminate it with a period first. Here are two
+ − 789 examples of cross references pointers:
+ − 790
+ − 791 @example
+ − 792 *Note details: commands. (See *note 3: Full Proof.)
+ − 793 @end example
+ − 794
+ − 795 They are just examples. The places they ``lead to'' do not really exist!
+ − 796
+ − 797 @node Tags, Checking, Cross-refs, Advanced Info
+ − 798 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
+ − 799 @section Tag Tables for Info Files
+ − 800
+ − 801 You can speed up the access to nodes of a large Info file by giving
+ − 802 it a tag table. Unlike the tag table for a program, the tag table for
+ − 803 an Info file lives inside the file itself and is used
+ − 804 automatically whenever Info reads in the file.
+ − 805
+ − 806 To make a tag table, go to a node in the file using Emacs Info mode and type
+ − 807 @kbd{M-x Info-tagify}. Then you must use @kbd{C-x C-s} to save the
+ − 808 file.
+ − 809
+ − 810 Once the Info file has a tag table, you must make certain it is up
+ − 811 to date. If, as a result of deletion of text, any node moves back
+ − 812 more than a thousand characters in the file from the position
+ − 813 recorded in the tag table, Info will no longer be able to find that
+ − 814 node. To update the tag table, use the @code{Info-tagify} command again.
+ − 815
+ − 816 An Info file tag table appears at the end of the file and looks like
+ − 817 this:
+ − 818
+ − 819 @example
+ − 820 ^_
+ − 821 Tag Table:
+ − 822 File: info, Node: Cross-refs^?21419
+ − 823 File: info, Node: Tags^?22145
+ − 824 ^_
+ − 825 End Tag Table
+ − 826 @end example
+ − 827
+ − 828 @noindent
+ − 829 Note that it contains one line per node, and this line contains
+ − 830 the beginning of the node's header (ending just after the node name),
+ − 831 a Delete character, and the character position in the file of the
+ − 832 beginning of the node.
+ − 833
+ − 834
+ − 835 @node Checking, Emacs Info Variables, Tags, Advanced Info
+ − 836 @section Checking an Info File
+ − 837
+ − 838 When creating an Info file, it is easy to forget the name of a node when
+ − 839 you are making a pointer to it from another node. If you put in the
+ − 840 wrong name for a node, this is not detected until someone tries to go
+ − 841 through the pointer using Info. Verification of the Info file is an
+ − 842 automatic process which checks all pointers to nodes and reports any
+ − 843 pointers which are invalid. Every @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}, and
+ − 844 @samp{Up} is checked, as is every menu item and every cross reference. In
+ − 845 addition, any @samp{Next} which does not have a @samp{Previous} pointing
+ − 846 back is reported. Only pointers within the file are checked, because
+ − 847 checking pointers to other files would be terribly slow. But those are
+ − 848 usually few.
+ − 849
+ − 850 To check an Info file, do @kbd{M-x Info-validate} while looking at any
+ − 851 node of the file with Emacs Info mode.
+ − 852
+ − 853 @node Emacs Info Variables, , Checking, Advanced Info
+ − 854 @section Emacs Info-mode Variables
+ − 855
442
+ − 856 The following variables may modify the behavior of Info-mode in Emacs;
428
+ − 857 you may wish to set one or several of these variables interactively, or
438
+ − 858 in your @file{~/.emacs} init file. @xref{Examining, Examining and
+ − 859 Setting Variables, Examining and Setting Variables, xemacs, XEmacs
+ − 860 User's Manual}.
+ − 861
428
+ − 862
+ − 863 @vtable @code
+ − 864 @item Info-enable-edit
+ − 865 Set to @code{nil}, disables the @samp{e} (@code{Info-edit}) command. A
+ − 866 non-@code{nil} value enables it. @xref{Add, Edit}.
+ − 867
+ − 868 @item Info-enable-active-nodes
+ − 869 When set to a non-@code{nil} value, allows Info to execute Lisp code
+ − 870 associated with nodes. The Lisp code is executed when the node is
+ − 871 selected.
+ − 872
+ − 873 @item Info-directory-list
+ − 874 The list of directories to search for Info files. Each element is a
+ − 875 string (directory name) or @code{nil} (try default directory).
+ − 876
+ − 877 @item Info-directory
+ − 878 The standard directory for Info documentation files. Only used when the
+ − 879 function @code{Info-directory} is called.
+ − 880 @end vtable
+ − 881
+ − 882
+ − 883 @node Creating an Info File
+ − 884 @chapter Creating an Info File
+ − 885
+ − 886 @xref{Top,, Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo}, to learn how to
+ − 887 write a Texinfo file.
+ − 888
446
+ − 889 @xref{Create an Info File, , Creating an Info File, texinfo, Texinfo},
+ − 890 to learn how to create an Info file from a Texinfo file.
428
+ − 891
446
+ − 892 @xref{Install an Info File, , Installing an Info File, texinfo, Texinfo},
+ − 893 to learn how to install an Info file after you have created one.
428
+ − 894
+ − 895 @bye
