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1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
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2 @comment %**start of header
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3 @setfilename ../info/info.info
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4 @settitle Info 1.0
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5 @comment %**end of header
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6
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7 @iftex
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8 @finalout
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9 @end iftex
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10
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11 @ifinfo
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12 This file describes how to use Info,
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13 the on-line, menu-driven GNU documentation system.
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14
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15 Copyright (C) 1989, 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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16
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17 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
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18 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
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19 are preserved on all copies.
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20
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21 @ignore
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22 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
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23 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
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24 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
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25 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
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26
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27 @end ignore
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28 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
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29 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire
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30 resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
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31 notice identical to this one.
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32
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33 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
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34 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
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35 except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved
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36 by the Free Software Foundation.
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37 @end ifinfo
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38
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39 @setchapternewpage odd
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40 @titlepage
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41 @sp 11
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42 @center @titlefont{Info}
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43 @sp 2
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44 @center The
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45 @sp 2
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46 @center On-line, Menu-driven
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47 @sp 2
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48 @center GNU Documentation System
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49
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50 @page
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51 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
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52 Copyright @copyright{} 1989, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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53 @sp 2
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54
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55 Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
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56 675 Massachusetts Avenue, @*
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57 Cambridge, MA 02139 USA @*
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58
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59 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
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60 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
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61 are preserved on all copies.
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62
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63 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
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64 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire
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65 resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
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66 notice identical to this one.
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67
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68 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
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69 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
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70 except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved
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71 by the Free Software Foundation.
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72 @end titlepage
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73
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74 @paragraphindent 3
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75 @ifinfo
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76 @node Top, Getting Started, (dir), (dir)
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77 @top Info: An Introduction
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78
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79 Info is a program for reading documentation, which you are using now.
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80
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81 To learn how to use Info, type the command @kbd{h}. It brings you
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82 to a programmed instruction sequence. If at any time you are ready to
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83 stop using Info, type @samp{q}.
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84
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85 @c Need to make sure that `Info-help' goes to the right node,
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86 @c which is the first node of the first chapter. (It should.)
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87 @c (Info-find-node "info"
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88 @c (if (< (window-height) 23)
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89 @c "Help-Small-Screen"
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90 @c "Help")))
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91
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92 To learn advanced Info commands, type @kbd{n} twice. This brings you to
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93 @cite{Info for Experts}, skipping over the `Getting Started' chapter.
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94 @end ifinfo
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95
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96 @menu
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97 * Getting Started:: Getting started using an Info reader.
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98 * Advanced Info:: Advanced commands within Info.
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99 * Create an Info File:: How to make your own Info file.
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100 @end menu
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101
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102 @node Getting Started, Advanced Info, Top, Top
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103 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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104 @chapter Getting Started
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105
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106 This first part of the Info manual describes how to get around inside
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107 of Info. The second part of the manual describes various advanced
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108 Info commands, and how to write an Info as distinct from a Texinfo
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109 file. The third part is about how to generate Info files from
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110 Texinfo files.
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111
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112 @iftex
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113 This manual is primarily designed for use on a computer, so that you can
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114 try Info commands while reading about them. Reading it on paper is less
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115 effective, since you must take it on faith that the commands described
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116 really do what the manual says. By all means go through this manual now
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117 that you have it; but please try going through the on-line version as
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118 well.
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119
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120 There are two ways of looking at the online version of this manual:
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121
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122 @enumerate
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123 @item
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124 Type @code{info} at your shell's command line. This approach uses a
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125 stand-alone program designed just to read Info files.
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126
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127 @item
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128 Type @code{emacs} at the command line; then type @kbd{C-h i} (Control
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129 @kbd{h}, followed by @kbd{i}). This approach uses the Info mode of the
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130 Emacs program, an editor with many other capabilities.
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131 @end enumerate
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132
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133 In either case, then type @kbd{mInfo} (just the letters), followed by
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134 @key{RET}---the ``Return'' or ``Enter'' key. At this point, you should
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135 be ready to follow the instructions in this manual as you read them on
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136 the screen.
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137 @c FIXME! (pesch@cygnus.com, 14 dec 1992)
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138 @c Is it worth worrying about what-if the beginner goes to somebody
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139 @c else's Emacs session, which already has an Info running in the middle
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140 @c of something---in which case these simple instructions won't work?
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141 @end iftex
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142
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143 @menu
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144 * Help-Small-Screen:: Starting Info on a Small Screen
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145 * Help:: How to use Info
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146 * Help-P:: Returning to the Previous node
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147 * Help-C-l:: The Space, Rubout, B and C-l commands.
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148 * Help-M:: Menus
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149 * Help-Adv:: Some advanced Info commands
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150 * Help-Q:: Quitting Info
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151 * Using Stand-alone Info:: How to use the stand-alone Info reader.
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152 @end menu
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153
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154 @node Help-Small-Screen, Help, , Getting Started
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155 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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156 @section Starting Info on a Small Screen
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157
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158 @iftex
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159 (In Info, you only see this section if your terminal has a small
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160 number of lines; most readers pass by it without seeing it.)
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161 @end iftex
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162
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163 Since your terminal has an unusually small number of lines on its
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164 screen, it is necessary to give you special advice at the beginning.
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165
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166 If you see the text @samp{--All----} at near the bottom right corner
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167 of the screen, it means the entire text you are looking at fits on the
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168 screen. If you see @samp{--Top----} instead, it means that there is
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169 more text below that does not fit. To move forward through the text
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170 and see another screen full, press the Space bar, @key{SPC}. To move
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171 back up, press the key labeled @samp{Delete} or @key{DEL}.
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172
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173 @ifinfo
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174 Here are 40 lines of junk, so you can try Spaces and Deletes and
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175 see what they do. At the end are instructions of what you should do
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176 next.
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177 @format
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178 This is line 17
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179 This is line 18
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180 This is line 19
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181 This is line 20
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182 This is line 21
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183 This is line 22
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184 This is line 23
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185 This is line 24
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186 This is line 25
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187 This is line 26
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188 This is line 27
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189 This is line 28
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190 This is line 29
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191 This is line 30
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192 This is line 31
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193 This is line 32
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194 This is line 33
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195 This is line 34
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196 This is line 35
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197 This is line 36
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198 This is line 37
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199 This is line 38
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200 This is line 39
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201 This is line 40
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202 This is line 41
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203 This is line 42
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204 This is line 43
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205 This is line 44
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206 This is line 45
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207 This is line 46
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208 This is line 47
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209 This is line 48
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210 This is line 49
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211 This is line 50
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212 This is line 51
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213 This is line 52
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214 This is line 53
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215 This is line 54
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216 This is line 55
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217 This is line 56
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218 @end format
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219 If you have managed to get here, go back to the beginning with
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220 Delete, and come back here again, then you understand Space and
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221 Delete. So now type an @kbd{n} ---just one character; don't type
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222 the quotes and don't type the Return key afterward--- to
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223 get to the normal start of the course.
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224 @end ifinfo
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225
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226 @node Help, Help-P, Help-Small-Screen, Getting Started
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227 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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228 @section How to use Info
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229
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230 You are talking to the program Info, for reading documentation.
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231
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232 Right now you are looking at one @dfn{Node} of Information.
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233 A node contains text describing a specific topic at a specific
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234 level of detail. This node's topic is ``how to use Info''.
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235
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236 The top line of a node is its @dfn{header}. This node's header (look at
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237 it now) says that it is the node named @samp{Help} in the file
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238 @file{info}. It says that the @samp{Next} node after this one is the node
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239 called @samp{Help-P}. An advanced Info command lets you go to any node
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240 whose name you know.
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241
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242 Besides a @samp{Next}, a node can have a @samp{Previous} or an @samp{Up}.
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243 This node has a @samp{Previous} but no @samp{Up}, as you can see.
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244
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245 Now it is time to move on to the @samp{Next} node, named @samp{Help-P}.
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246
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247 @format
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248 >> Type @samp{n} to move there. Type just one character;
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249 do not type the quotes and do not type a @key{RET} afterward.
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250 @end format
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251
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252 @samp{>>} in the margin means it is really time to try a command.
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253
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254 @node Help-P, Help-C-l, Help, Getting Started
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255 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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256 @section Returning to the Previous node
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257
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258 This node is called @samp{Help-P}. The @samp{Previous} node, as you see,
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259 is @samp{Help}, which is the one you just came from using the @kbd{n}
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260 command. Another @kbd{n} command now would take you to the next
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261 node, @samp{Help-C-l}.
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262
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263 @format
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264 >> But do not do that yet. First, try the @kbd{p} command, which takes
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265 you to the @samp{Previous} node. When you get there, you can do an
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266 @kbd{n} again to return here.
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267 @end format
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268
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269 This all probably seems insultingly simple so far, but @emph{do not} be
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270 led into skimming. Things will get more complicated soon. Also,
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271 do not try a new command until you are told it is time to. Otherwise,
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272 you may make Info skip past an important warning that was coming up.
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273
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274 @format
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275 >> Now do an @kbd{n} to get to the node @samp{Help-C-l} and learn more.
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276 @end format
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277
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278 @node Help-C-l, Help-M, Help-P, Getting Started
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279 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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280 @section The Space, Delete, B and C-l commands.
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281
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282 This node's header tells you that you are now at node @samp{Help-C-l}, and
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283 that @kbd{p} would get you back to @samp{Help-P}. The node's title is
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284 underlined; it says what the node is about (most nodes have titles).
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285
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286 This is a big node and it does not all fit on your display screen.
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287 You can tell that there is more that is not visible because you
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288 can see the string @samp{--Top-----} rather than @samp{--All----} near
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289 the bottom right corner of the screen.
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290
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291 The Space, Delete and @kbd{B} commands exist to allow you to ``move
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292 around'' in a node that does not all fit on the screen at once.
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293 Space moves forward, to show what was below the bottom of the screen.
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294 Delete moves backward, to show what was above the top of the screen
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295 (there is not anything above the top until you have typed some spaces).
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296
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297 @format
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298 >> Now try typing a Space (afterward, type a Delete to return here).
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299 @end format
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300
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301 When you type the space, the two lines that were at the bottom of
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302 the screen appear at the top, followed by more lines. Delete takes
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303 the two lines from the top and moves them to the bottom,
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304 @emph{usually}, but if there are not a full screen's worth of lines
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305 above them they may not make it all the way to the bottom.
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306
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307 If you type Space when there is no more to see, it rings the
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308 bell and otherwise does nothing. The same goes for Delete when
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309 the header of the node is visible.
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310
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311 If your screen is ever garbaged, you can tell Info to print it out
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312 again by typing @kbd{C-l} (@kbd{Control-L}, that is---hold down ``Control'' and
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313 type an @key{L} or @kbd{l}).
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314
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315 @format
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316 >> Type @kbd{C-l} now.
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317 @end format
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318
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319 To move back to the beginning of the node you are on, you can type
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320 a lot of Deletes. You can also type simply @kbd{b} for beginning.
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321 @format
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322 >> Try that now. (We have put in enough verbiage to push this past
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323 the first screenful, but screens are so big nowadays that perhaps it
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324 isn't enough. You may need to shrink your Emacs or Info window.)
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325 Then come back, with Spaces.
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326 @end format
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327
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328 If your screen is very tall, all of this node might fit at once.
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329 In that case, "b" won't do anything. Sorry; what can we do?
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330
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331 You have just learned a considerable number of commands. If you
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332 want to use one but have trouble remembering which, you should type
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333 a @key{?} which prints out a brief list of commands. When you are
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334 finished looking at the list, make it go away by typing a @key{SPC}.
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335
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336 @format
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337 >> Type a @key{?} now. After it finishes, type a @key{SPC}.
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338 @end format
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339
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340 (If you are using the standalone Info reader, type `l' to return here.)
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341
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342 From now on, you will encounter large nodes without warning, and
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343 will be expected to know how to use Space and Delete to move
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344 around in them without being told. Since not all terminals have
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345 the same size screen, it would be impossible to warn you anyway.
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346
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347 @format
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348 >> Now type @kbd{n} to see the description of the @kbd{m} command.
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349 @end format
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350
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351 @node Help-M, Help-Adv, Help-C-l, Getting Started
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352 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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353 @section Menus
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354
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355 Menus and the @kbd{m} command
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356
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357 With only the @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} commands for moving between nodes, nodes
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358 are restricted to a linear sequence. Menus allow a branching
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359 structure. A menu is a list of other nodes you can move to. It is
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360 actually just part of the text of the node formatted specially so that
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361 Info can interpret it. The beginning of a menu is always identified
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362 by a line which starts with @samp{* Menu:}. A node contains a menu if and
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363 only if it has a line in it which starts that way. The only menu you
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364 can use at any moment is the one in the node you are in. To use a
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365 menu in any other node, you must move to that node first.
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366
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367 After the start of the menu, each line that starts with a @samp{*}
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368 identifies one subtopic. The line usually contains a brief name
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369 for the subtopic (followed by a @samp{:}), the name of the node that talks
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370 about that subtopic, and optionally some further description of the
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371 subtopic. Lines in the menu that do not start with a @samp{*} have no
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372 special meaning---they are only for the human reader's benefit and do
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373 not define additional subtopics. Here is an example:
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374
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375 @example
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376 * Foo: FOO's Node This tells about FOO
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377 @end example
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378
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379 The subtopic name is Foo, and the node describing it is @samp{FOO's Node}.
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380 The rest of the line is just for the reader's Information.
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381 [[ But this line is not a real menu item, simply because there is
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382 no line above it which starts with @samp{* Menu:}.]]
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383
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384 When you use a menu to go to another node (in a way that will be
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385 described soon), what you specify is the subtopic name, the first
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386 thing in the menu line. Info uses it to find the menu line, extracts
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387 the node name from it, and goes to that node. The reason that there
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388 is both a subtopic name and a node name is that the node name must be
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389 meaningful to the computer and may therefore have to be ugly looking.
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390 The subtopic name can be chosen just to be convenient for the user to
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391 specify. Often the node name is convenient for the user to specify
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392 and so both it and the subtopic name are the same. There is an
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393 abbreviation for this:
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394
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395 @example
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396 * Foo:: This tells about FOO
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397 @end example
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398
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399 @noindent
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400 This means that the subtopic name and node name are the same; they are
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401 both @samp{Foo}.
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402
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403 @format
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404 >> Now use Spaces to find the menu in this node, then come back to
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405 the front with a @kbd{b} and some Spaces. As you see, a menu is
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406 actually visible in its node. If you cannot find a menu in a node
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407 by looking at it, then the node does not have a menu and the
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408 @kbd{m} command is not available.
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409 @end format
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410
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411 The command to go to one of the subnodes is @kbd{m}---but @emph{do
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412 not do it yet!} Before you use @kbd{m}, you must understand the
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413 difference between commands and arguments. So far, you have learned
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414 several commands that do not need arguments. When you type one, Info
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415 processes it and is instantly ready for another command. The @kbd{m}
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416 command is different: it is incomplete without the @dfn{name of the
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417 subtopic}. Once you have typed @kbd{m}, Info tries to read the
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418 subtopic name.
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419
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420 Now look for the line containing many dashes near the bottom of the
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421 screen. There is one more line beneath that one, but usually it is
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422 blank. If it is empty, Info is ready for a command, such as @kbd{n}
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423 or @kbd{b} or Space or @kbd{m}. If that line contains text ending
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424 in a colon, it mean Info is trying to read the @dfn{argument} to a
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425 command. At such times, commands do not work, because Info tries to
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426 use them as the argument. You must either type the argument and
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427 finish the command you started, or type @kbd{Control-g} to cancel the
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428 command. When you have done one of those things, the line becomes
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429 blank again.
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430
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431 The command to go to a subnode via a menu is @kbd{m}. After you type
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432 the @kbd{m}, the line at the bottom of the screen says @samp{Menu item: }.
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433 You must then type the name of the subtopic you want, and end it with
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434 a @key{RET}.
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435
|
|
436 You can abbreviate the subtopic name. If the abbreviation is not
|
|
437 unique, the first matching subtopic is chosen. Some menus put
|
|
438 the shortest possible abbreviation for each subtopic name in capital
|
|
439 letters, so you can see how much you need to type. It does not
|
|
440 matter whether you use upper case or lower case when you type the
|
|
441 subtopic. You should not put any spaces at the end, or inside of the
|
|
442 item name, except for one space where a space appears in the item in
|
|
443 the menu.
|
|
444
|
|
445 You can also use the @dfn{completion} feature to help enter the subtopic
|
|
446 name. If you type the Tab key after entering part of a name, it will
|
|
447 magically fill in more of the name---as much as follows uniquely from
|
|
448 what you have entered.
|
|
449
|
|
450 If you move the cursor to one of the menu subtopic lines, then you do
|
|
451 not need to type the argument: you just type a Return, and it stands for
|
|
452 the subtopic of the line you are on.
|
|
453
|
|
454 Here is a menu to give you a chance to practice.
|
|
455
|
70
|
456 * Menu: The menu starts here.
|
0
|
457
|
|
458 This menu gives you three ways of going to one place, Help-FOO.
|
|
459
|
|
460 * Foo: Help-FOO. A node you can visit for fun.@*
|
|
461 * Bar: Help-FOO. Strange! two ways to get to the same place.@*
|
|
462 * Help-FOO:: And yet another!@*
|
|
463
|
|
464
|
70
|
465 @format
|
0
|
466 >> Now type just an @kbd{m} and see what happens:
|
70
|
467 @end format
|
0
|
468
|
|
469 Now you are ``inside'' an @kbd{m} command. Commands cannot be used
|
|
470 now; the next thing you will type must be the name of a subtopic.
|
|
471
|
|
472 You can change your mind about doing the @kbd{m} by typing Control-g.
|
|
473
|
70
|
474 @format
|
0
|
475 >> Try that now; notice the bottom line clear.
|
|
476
|
|
477 >> Then type another @kbd{m}.
|
|
478
|
|
479 >> Now type @samp{BAR} item name. Do not type Return yet.
|
70
|
480 @end format
|
0
|
481
|
|
482 While you are typing the item name, you can use the Delete key to
|
|
483 cancel one character at a time if you make a mistake.
|
|
484
|
70
|
485 @format
|
0
|
486 >> Type one to cancel the @samp{R}. You could type another @samp{R} to
|
|
487 replace it. You do not have to, since @samp{BA} is a valid abbreviation.
|
|
488
|
|
489 >> Now you are ready to go. Type a @key{RET}.
|
70
|
490 @end format
|
0
|
491
|
|
492 After visiting Help-FOO, you should return here.
|
|
493
|
70
|
494 @format
|
0
|
495 >> Type @kbd{n} to see more commands.
|
70
|
496 @end format
|
0
|
497
|
|
498 @c If a menu appears at the end of this node, remove it.
|
|
499 @c It is an accident of the menu updating command.
|
|
500
|
|
501 Here is another way to get to Help-FOO, a menu. You can ignore this
|
|
502 if you want, or else try it (but then please come back to here).
|
|
503
|
|
504 @menu
|
|
505 * Help-FOO::
|
|
506 @end menu
|
|
507
|
|
508 @node Help-FOO, , , Help-M
|
|
509 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
510 @subsection The @kbd{u} command
|
|
511
|
|
512 Congratulations! This is the node @samp{Help-FOO}. Unlike the other
|
|
513 nodes you have seen, this one has an @samp{Up}: @samp{Help-M}, the node you
|
|
514 just came from via the @kbd{m} command. This is the usual
|
|
515 convention---the nodes you reach from a menu have @samp{Up} nodes that lead
|
|
516 back to the menu. Menus move Down in the tree, and @samp{Up} moves Up.
|
|
517 @samp{Previous}, on the other hand, is usually used to ``stay on the same
|
|
518 level but go backwards''
|
|
519
|
|
520 You can go back to the node @samp{Help-M} by typing the command
|
|
521 @kbd{u} for ``Up''. That puts you at the @emph{front} of the
|
|
522 node---to get back to where you were reading you have to type
|
|
523 some @key{SPC}s.
|
|
524
|
70
|
525 @format
|
0
|
526 >> Now type @kbd{u} to move back up to @samp{Help-M}.
|
70
|
527 @end format
|
0
|
528
|
|
529 @node Help-Adv, Help-Q, Help-M, Getting Started
|
|
530 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
531 @section Some advanced Info commands
|
|
532
|
|
533 The course is almost over, so please stick with it to the end.
|
|
534
|
|
535 If you have been moving around to different nodes and wish to
|
|
536 retrace your steps, the @kbd{l} command (@kbd{l} for @dfn{last}) will
|
|
537 do that, one node-step at a time. As you move from node to node, Info
|
|
538 records the nodes where you have been in a special history list. The
|
|
539 @kbd{l} command revisits nodes in the history list; each successive
|
|
540 @kbd{l} command moves one step back through the history.
|
|
541
|
|
542 If you have been following directions, ad @kbd{l} command now will get
|
|
543 you back to @samp{Help-M}. Another @kbd{l} command would undo the
|
|
544 @kbd{u} and get you back to @samp{Help-FOO}. Another @kbd{l} would undo
|
|
545 the @kbd{m} and get you back to @samp{Help-M}.
|
|
546
|
70
|
547 @format
|
0
|
548 >> Try typing three @kbd{l}'s, pausing in between to see what each
|
|
549 @kbd{l} does.
|
70
|
550 @end format
|
0
|
551
|
|
552 Then follow directions again and you will end up back here.
|
|
553
|
|
554 Note the difference between @kbd{l} and @kbd{p}: @kbd{l} moves to
|
|
555 where @emph{you} last were, whereas @kbd{p} always moves to the node
|
|
556 which the header says is the @samp{Previous} node (from this node, to
|
|
557 @samp{Help-M}).
|
|
558
|
|
559 The @samp{d} command gets you instantly to the Directory node.
|
|
560 This node, which is the first one you saw when you entered Info,
|
|
561 has a menu which leads (directly, or indirectly through other menus),
|
|
562 to all the nodes that exist.
|
|
563
|
70
|
564 @format
|
0
|
565 >> Try doing a @samp{d}, then do an @kbd{l} to return here (yes,
|
|
566 @emph{do} return).
|
70
|
567 @end format
|
0
|
568
|
|
569 Sometimes, in Info documentation, you will see a cross reference.
|
|
570 Cross references look like this: @xref{Help-Cross, Cross}. That is a
|
|
571 real, live cross reference which is named @samp{Cross} and points at
|
|
572 the node named @samp{Help-Cross}.
|
|
573
|
|
574 If you wish to follow a cross reference, you must use the @samp{f}
|
|
575 command. The @samp{f} must be followed by the cross reference name
|
|
576 (in this case, @samp{Cross}). While you enter the name, you can use the
|
|
577 Delete key to edit your input. If you change your mind about following
|
|
578 any reference, you can use @kbd{Control-g} to cancel the command.
|
|
579
|
|
580 Completion is available in the @samp{f} command; you can complete among
|
|
581 all the cross reference names in the current node by typing a Tab.
|
|
582
|
70
|
583 @format
|
0
|
584 >> Type @samp{f}, followed by @samp{Cross}, and a @key{RET}.
|
70
|
585 @end format
|
0
|
586
|
|
587 To get a list of all the cross references in the current node, you can
|
|
588 type @kbd{?} after an @samp{f}. The @samp{f} continues to await a
|
|
589 cross reference name even after printing the list, so if you don't
|
|
590 actually want to follow a reference, you should type a @kbd{Control-g}
|
|
591 to cancel the @samp{f}.
|
|
592
|
70
|
593 @format
|
0
|
594 >> Type "f?" to get a list of the cross references in this node. Then
|
|
595 type a @kbd{Control-g} and see how the @samp{f} gives up.
|
|
596
|
|
597 >> Now type @kbd{n} to see the last node of the course.
|
70
|
598 @end format
|
0
|
599
|
|
600 @c If a menu appears at the end of this node, remove it.
|
|
601 @c It is an accident of the menu updating command.
|
|
602
|
|
603 @node Help-Cross, , , Help-Adv
|
|
604 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
605 @unnumberedsubsec The node reached by the cross reference in Info
|
|
606
|
|
607 This is the node reached by the cross reference named @samp{Cross}.
|
|
608
|
|
609 While this node is specifically intended to be reached by a cross
|
|
610 reference, most cross references lead to nodes that ``belong''
|
|
611 someplace else far away in the structure of Info. So you cannot expect
|
|
612 the footnote to have a @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous} or @samp{Up} pointing back to
|
|
613 where you came from. In general, the @kbd{l} (el) command is the only
|
|
614 way to get back there.
|
|
615
|
70
|
616 @format
|
0
|
617 >> Type @kbd{l} to return to the node where the cross reference was.
|
70
|
618 @end format
|
0
|
619
|
|
620 @node Help-Q, , Help-Adv, Getting Started
|
|
621 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
622 @section Quitting Info
|
|
623
|
|
624 To get out of Info, back to what you were doing before, type @kbd{q}
|
|
625 for @dfn{Quit}.
|
|
626
|
|
627 This is the end of the course on using Info. There are some other
|
|
628 commands that are meant for experienced users; they are useful, and you
|
|
629 can find them by looking in the directory node for documentation on
|
|
630 Info. Finding them will be a good exercise in using Info in the usual
|
|
631 manner.
|
|
632
|
70
|
633 @format
|
0
|
634 >> Type @samp{d} to go to the Info directory node; then type
|
|
635 @samp{mInfo} and Return, to get to the node about Info and
|
|
636 see what other help is available.
|
70
|
637 @end format
|
0
|
638
|
|
639 @node Advanced Info, Create an Info File, Getting Started, Top
|
|
640 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
641 @chapter Info for Experts
|
|
642
|
|
643 This chapter describes various advanced Info commands, and how to write
|
|
644 an Info as distinct from a Texinfo file. (However, in most cases, writing a
|
|
645 Texinfo file is better, since you can use it @emph{both} to generate an
|
|
646 Info file and to make a printed manual. @xref{Top,, Overview of
|
|
647 Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU Documentation Format}.)
|
|
648
|
|
649 @menu
|
|
650 * Expert:: Advanced Info commands: g, s, e, and 1 - 5.
|
|
651 * Add:: Describes how to add new nodes to the hierarchy.
|
|
652 Also tells what nodes look like.
|
|
653 * Menus:: How to add to or create menus in Info nodes.
|
|
654 * Cross-refs:: How to add cross-references to Info nodes.
|
|
655 * Tags:: How to make tag tables for Info files.
|
|
656 * Checking:: Checking an Info File
|
|
657 * Emacs Info Variables:: Variables modifying the behavior of Emacs Info.
|
|
658 @end menu
|
|
659
|
|
660 @node Expert, Add, , Advanced Info
|
|
661 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
662 @section Advanced Info Commands
|
|
663
|
|
664 @kbd{g}, @kbd{s}, @kbd{1}, -- @kbd{9}, and @kbd{e}
|
|
665
|
|
666 If you know a node's name, you can go there by typing @kbd{g}, the
|
|
667 name, and @key{RET}. Thus, @kbd{gTop@key{RET}} would go to the node
|
|
668 called @samp{Top} in this file (its directory node).
|
|
669 @kbd{gExpert@key{RET}} would come back here.
|
|
670
|
|
671 Unlike @kbd{m}, @kbd{g} does not allow the use of abbreviations.
|
|
672
|
|
673 To go to a node in another file, you can include the filename in the
|
|
674 node name by putting it at the front, in parentheses. Thus,
|
|
675 @kbd{g(dir)Top@key{RET}} would go to the Info Directory node, which is
|
|
676 node @samp{Top} in the file @file{dir}.
|
|
677
|
|
678 The node name @samp{*} specifies the whole file. So you can look at
|
|
679 all of the current file by typing @kbd{g*@key{RET}} or all of any
|
|
680 other file with @kbd{g(FILENAME)@key{RET}}.
|
|
681
|
|
682 The @kbd{s} command allows you to search a whole file for a string.
|
|
683 It switches to the next node if and when that is necessary. You
|
|
684 type @kbd{s} followed by the string to search for, terminated by
|
|
685 @key{RET}. To search for the same string again, just @kbd{s} followed
|
|
686 by @key{RET} will do. The file's nodes are scanned in the order
|
|
687 they are in in the file, which has no necessary relationship to the
|
|
688 order that they may be in in the tree structure of menus and @samp{next} pointers.
|
|
689 But normally the two orders are not very different. In any case,
|
|
690 you can always do a @kbd{b} to find out what node you have reached, if
|
|
691 the header is not visible (this can happen, because @kbd{s} puts your
|
|
692 cursor at the occurrence of the string, not at the beginning of the
|
|
693 node).
|
|
694
|
|
695 If you grudge the system each character of type-in it requires, you
|
|
696 might like to use the commands @kbd{1}, @kbd{2}, @kbd{3}, @kbd{4}, ...
|
|
697 @kbd{9}. They are short for the @kbd{m} command together with an
|
|
698 argument. @kbd{1} goes through the first item in the current node's
|
|
699 menu; @kbd{2} goes through the second item, etc.
|
|
700
|
|
701 If you display supports multiple fonts, and you are using Emacs' Info
|
|
702 mode to read Info files, the @samp{*} for the fifth menu item is
|
|
703 underlines, and so is the @samp{*} for the ninth item; these underlines
|
|
704 make it easy to see at a glance which number to use for an item.
|
|
705
|
|
706 On ordinary terminals, you won't have underlining. If you need to
|
|
707 actually count items, it is better to use @kbd{m} instead, and specify
|
|
708 the name.
|
|
709
|
|
710 The Info command @kbd{e} changes from Info mode to an ordinary
|
|
711 Emacs editing mode, so that you can edit the text of the current node.
|
|
712 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to switch back to Info. The @kbd{e} command is allowed
|
|
713 only if the variable @code{Info-enable-edit} is non-@code{nil}.
|
|
714
|
|
715 @node Add, Menus, Expert, Advanced Info
|
|
716 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
717 @section Adding a new node to Info
|
|
718
|
|
719 To add a new topic to the list in the Info directory, you must:
|
|
720 @enumerate
|
|
721 @item
|
|
722 Create some nodes, in some file, to document that topic.
|
|
723 @item
|
|
724 Put that topic in the menu in the directory. @xref{Menus, Menu}.
|
|
725 @end enumerate
|
|
726
|
|
727 Usually, the way to create the nodes is with Texinfo @pxref{Top,, Overview of
|
|
728 Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU Documentation Format}); this has the
|
|
729 advantage that you can also make a printed manual from them. However,
|
|
730 if hyou want to edit an Info file, here is how.
|
|
731
|
|
732 The new node can live in an existing documentation file, or in a new
|
|
733 one. It must have a @key{^_} character before it (invisible to the
|
|
734 user; this node has one but you cannot see it), and it ends with either
|
70
|
735 a @key{^_}, a @key{C-l}, or the end of file. Note: If you put in a
|
|
736 @key{C-l} to end a new node, be sure that there is a @key{^_} after it
|
|
737 to start the next one, since @key{C-l} cannot @emph{start} a node.
|
0
|
738 Also, a nicer way to make a node boundary be a page boundary as well
|
70
|
739 is to put a @key{C-l} @emph{right after} the @key{^_}.
|
0
|
740
|
|
741 The @key{^_} starting a node must be followed by a newline or a
|
70
|
742 @key{C-l} newline, after which comes the node's header line. The
|
0
|
743 header line must give the node's name (by which Info finds it),
|
|
744 and state the names of the @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}, and @samp{Up} nodes (if
|
|
745 there are any). As you can see, this node's @samp{Up} node is the node
|
|
746 @samp{Top}, which points at all the documentation for Info. The @samp{Next}
|
|
747 node is @samp{Menus}.
|
|
748
|
|
749 The keywords @dfn{Node}, @dfn{Previous}, @dfn{Up}, and @dfn{Next},
|
|
750 may appear in any order, anywhere in the header line, but the
|
|
751 recommended order is the one in this sentence. Each keyword must be
|
|
752 followed by a colon, spaces and tabs, and then the appropriate name.
|
|
753 The name may be terminated with a tab, a comma, or a newline. A space
|
|
754 does not end it; node names may contain spaces. The case of letters
|
|
755 in the names is insignificant.
|
|
756
|
|
757 A node name has two forms. A node in the current file is named by
|
|
758 what appears after the @samp{Node: } in that node's first line. For
|
|
759 example, this node's name is @samp{Add}. A node in another file is
|
|
760 named by @samp{(@var{filename})@var{node-within-file}}, as in
|
|
761 @samp{(info)Add} for this node. If the file name starts with ``./'',
|
|
762 then it is relative to the current directory; otherwise, it is relative
|
|
763 starting from the standard Info file directory of your site.
|
|
764 The name @samp{(@var{filename})Top} can be abbreviated to just
|
|
765 @samp{(@var{filename})}. By convention, the name @samp{Top} is used for
|
|
766 the ``highest'' node in any single file---the node whose @samp{Up} points
|
|
767 out of the file. The Directory node is @file{(dir)}. The @samp{Top} node
|
|
768 of a document file listed in the Directory should have an @samp{Up:
|
|
769 (dir)} in it.
|
|
770
|
|
771 The node name @kbd{*} is special: it refers to the entire file.
|
|
772 Thus, @kbd{g*} shows you the whole current file. The use of the
|
|
773 node @kbd{*} is to make it possible to make old-fashioned,
|
|
774 unstructured files into nodes of the tree.
|
|
775
|
|
776 The @samp{Node:} name, in which a node states its own name, must not
|
|
777 contain a filename, since Info when searching for a node does not
|
|
778 expect one to be there. The @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous} and @samp{Up} names may
|
|
779 contain them. In this node, since the @samp{Up} node is in the same file,
|
|
780 it was not necessary to use one.
|
|
781
|
|
782 Note that the nodes in this file have a file name in the header
|
|
783 line. The file names are ignored by Info, but they serve as comments
|
|
784 to help identify the node for the user.
|
|
785
|
|
786 @node Menus, Cross-refs, Add, Advanced Info
|
|
787 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
788 @section How to Create Menus
|
|
789
|
|
790 Any node in the Info hierarchy may have a @dfn{menu}---a list of subnodes.
|
|
791 The @kbd{m} command searches the current node's menu for the topic which it
|
|
792 reads from the terminal.
|
|
793
|
|
794 A menu begins with a line starting with @samp{* Menu:}. The rest of the
|
|
795 line is a comment. After the starting line, every line that begins
|
|
796 with a @samp{* } lists a single topic. The name of the topic--the
|
|
797 argument that the user must give to the @kbd{m} command to select this
|
|
798 topic---comes right after the star and space, and is followed by a
|
|
799 colon, spaces and tabs, and the name of the node which discusses that
|
|
800 topic. The node name, like node names following @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}
|
|
801 and @samp{Up}, may be terminated with a tab, comma, or newline; it may also
|
|
802 be terminated with a period.
|
|
803
|
|
804 If the node name and topic name are the same, then rather than
|
|
805 giving the name twice, the abbreviation @samp{* NAME::} may be used
|
|
806 (and should be used, whenever possible, as it reduces the visual
|
|
807 clutter in the menu).
|
|
808
|
|
809 It is considerate to choose the topic names so that they differ
|
|
810 from each other very near the beginning---this allows the user to type
|
|
811 short abbreviations. In a long menu, it is a good idea to capitalize
|
|
812 the beginning of each item name which is the minimum acceptable
|
|
813 abbreviation for it (a long menu is more than 5 or so entries).
|
|
814
|
|
815 The nodes listed in a node's menu are called its ``subnodes'', and
|
|
816 it is their ``superior''. They should each have an @samp{Up:} pointing at
|
|
817 the superior. It is often useful to arrange all or most of the
|
|
818 subnodes in a sequence of @samp{Next} and @samp{Previous} pointers so that someone who
|
|
819 wants to see them all need not keep revisiting the Menu.
|
|
820
|
|
821 The Info Directory is simply the menu of the node @samp{(dir)Top}---that
|
|
822 is, node @samp{Top} in file @file{.../info/dir}. You can put new entries
|
|
823 in that menu just like any other menu. The Info Directory is @emph{not} the
|
|
824 same as the file directory called @file{info}. It happens that many of
|
|
825 Info's files live on that file directory, but they do not have to; and
|
|
826 files on that directory are not automatically listed in the Info
|
|
827 Directory node.
|
|
828
|
|
829 Also, although the Info node graph is claimed to be a ``hierarchy'',
|
|
830 in fact it can be @emph{any} directed graph. Shared structures and
|
|
831 pointer cycles are perfectly possible, and can be used if they are
|
|
832 appropriate to the meaning to be expressed. There is no need for all
|
|
833 the nodes in a file to form a connected structure. In fact, this file
|
|
834 has two connected components. You are in one of them, which is under
|
|
835 the node @samp{Top}; the other contains the node @samp{Help} which the
|
|
836 @kbd{h} command goes to. In fact, since there is no garbage
|
|
837 collector, nothing terrible happens if a substructure is not pointed
|
|
838 to, but such a substructure is rather useless since nobody can
|
|
839 ever find out that it exists.
|
|
840
|
|
841 @node Cross-refs, Tags, Menus, Advanced Info
|
|
842 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
843 @section Creating Cross References
|
|
844
|
|
845 A cross reference can be placed anywhere in the text, unlike a menu
|
|
846 item which must go at the front of a line. A cross reference looks
|
|
847 like a menu item except that it has @samp{*note} instead of @kbd{*}.
|
|
848 It @emph{cannot} be terminated by a @samp{)}, because @samp{)}'s are
|
|
849 so often part of node names. If you wish to enclose a cross reference
|
|
850 in parentheses, terminate it with a period first. Here are two
|
|
851 examples of cross references pointers:
|
|
852
|
|
853 @example
|
|
854 *Note details: commands. (See *note 3: Full Proof.)
|
|
855 @end example
|
|
856
|
|
857 They are just examples. The places they ``lead to'' do not really exist!
|
|
858
|
|
859 @node Tags, Checking, Cross-refs, Advanced Info
|
|
860 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
861 @section Tag Tables for Info Files
|
|
862
|
|
863 You can speed up the access to nodes of a large Info file by giving
|
|
864 it a tag table. Unlike the tag table for a program, the tag table for
|
|
865 an Info file lives inside the file itself and is used
|
|
866 automatically whenever Info reads in the file.
|
|
867
|
|
868 To make a tag table, go to a node in the file using Emacs Info mode and type
|
|
869 @kbd{M-x Info-tagify}. Then you must use @kbd{C-x C-s} to save the
|
|
870 file.
|
|
871
|
|
872 Once the Info file has a tag table, you must make certain it is up
|
|
873 to date. If, as a result of deletion of text, any node moves back
|
|
874 more than a thousand characters in the file from the position
|
|
875 recorded in the tag table, Info will no longer be able to find that
|
|
876 node. To update the tag table, use the @code{Info-tagify} command again.
|
|
877
|
|
878 An Info file tag table appears at the end of the file and looks like
|
|
879 this:
|
|
880
|
|
881 @example
|
|
882 ^_
|
|
883 Tag Table:
|
|
884 File: info, Node: Cross-refs^?21419
|
|
885 File: info, Node: Tags^?22145
|
|
886 ^_
|
|
887 End Tag Table
|
|
888 @end example
|
|
889
|
|
890 @noindent
|
|
891 Note that it contains one line per node, and this line contains
|
|
892 the beginning of the node's header (ending just after the node name),
|
|
893 a Delete character, and the character position in the file of the
|
|
894 beginning of the node.
|
|
895
|
|
896 @node Checking, Emacs Info Variables, Tags, Advanced Info
|
|
897 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
898 @section Checking an Info File
|
|
899
|
|
900 When creating an Info file, it is easy to forget the name of a node
|
|
901 when you are making a pointer to it from another node. If you put in
|
|
902 the wrong name for a node, this is not detected until someone
|
|
903 tries to go through the pointer using Info. Verification of the Info
|
|
904 file is an automatic process which checks all pointers to nodes and
|
|
905 reports any pointers which are invalid. Every @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}, and
|
|
906 @samp{Up} is checked, as is every menu item and every cross reference. In
|
|
907 addition, any @samp{Next} which does not have a @samp{Previous} pointing back is
|
|
908 reported. Only pointers within the file are checked, because checking
|
|
909 pointers to other files would be terribly slow. But those are usually
|
|
910 few.
|
|
911
|
|
912 To check an Info file, do @kbd{M-x Info-validate} while looking at
|
|
913 any node of the file with Emacs Info mode.
|
|
914
|
|
915 @node Emacs Info Variables, , Checking, Advanced Info
|
|
916 @section Emacs Info-mode Variables
|
|
917
|
|
918 The following variables may modify the behaviour of Info-mode in Emacs;
|
|
919 you may wish to set one or several of these variables interactively, or
|
|
920 in your @file{~/.emacs} init file. @xref{Examining, Examining and Setting
|
|
921 Variables, Examining and Setting Variables, emacs, The GNU Emacs
|
|
922 Manual}.
|
|
923
|
70
|
924 @table @code
|
0
|
925 @item Info-enable-edit
|
|
926 Set to @code{nil}, disables the @samp{e} (@code{Info-edit}) command. A
|
|
927 non-@code{nil} value enables it. @xref{Add, Edit}.
|
|
928
|
|
929 @item Info-enable-active-nodes
|
|
930 When set to a non-@code{nil} value, allows Info to execute Lisp code
|
|
931 associated with nodes. The Lisp code is executed when the node is
|
|
932 selected.
|
|
933
|
|
934 @item Info-directory-list
|
50
|
935 The list of directories to search for Info files. Each element is a
|
|
936 string (directory name) or @code{nil} (try default directory).
|
0
|
937
|
50
|
938 @item Info-directory
|
|
939 The standard directory for Info documentation files. Only used when the
|
|
940 function @code{Info-directory} is called.
|
70
|
941 @end table
|
0
|
942
|
|
943 @node Create an Info File, , Advanced Info, Top
|
|
944 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
945 @chapter Creating an Info File from a Makeinfo file
|
|
946
|
|
947 @code{makeinfo} is a utility that converts a Texinfo file into an Info
|
|
948 file; @code{texinfo-format-region} and @code{texinfo-format-buffer} are
|
|
949 GNU Emacs functions that do the same.
|
|
950
|
|
951 @xref{Create an Info File, , Creating an Info File, texinfo, the Texinfo
|
|
952 Manual}, to learn how to create an Info file from a Texinfo file.
|
|
953
|
|
954 @xref{Top,, Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU Documentation
|
|
955 Format}, to learn how to write a Texinfo file.
|
|
956
|
70
|
957 @nwnode Using Stand-alone Info, Options, , Top
|
|
958 @chapter Using the Stand-alone Info Reader
|
|
959 @lowersections
|
|
960 @c Make the paragraph indentation match the rest of this file.
|
|
961 @paragraphindent 2
|
|
962 @include info-stnd.texi
|
|
963 @raisesections
|
0
|
964 @bye
|