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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
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4 @settitle Info
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5 @syncodeindex fn cp
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6 @syncodeindex vr cp
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7 @syncodeindex ky cp
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8 @comment %**end of header
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9 @comment $Id: info.texi,v 1.36 2003/09/21 20:13:23 karl Exp $
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10
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11 @copying
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12 This file describes how to use Info, the on-line, menu-driven GNU
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13 documentation system.
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14
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15 Copyright (C) 1989, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
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16 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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17
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18 @quotation
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19 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
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20 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
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21 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
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22 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
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23 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
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24 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
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25 License'' in the Emacs manual.
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26
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27 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
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28 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
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29 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
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30
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31 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
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32 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
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33 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
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34 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
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35 @end quotation
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36 @end copying
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37
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38 @dircategory Texinfo documentation system
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39 @direntry
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40 * Info: (info). How to use the documentation browsing system.
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41 @end direntry
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42
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43 @titlepage
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44 @title Info
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45 @subtitle The online, hyper-text GNU documentation system
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46 @author Brian Fox
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47 @author and the GNU Texinfo community
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48 @page
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49 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
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50 @insertcopying
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51 @end titlepage
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52
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53 @contents
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54
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55 @ifnottex
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56 @node Top
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57 @top Info: An Introduction
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58
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59 The GNU Project distributes most of its on-line manuals in the
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60 @dfn{Info format}, which you read using an @dfn{Info reader}. You are
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61 probably using an Info reader to read this now.
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62
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63 @ifinfo
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64 If you are new to the Info reader and want to learn how to use it,
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65 type the command @kbd{h} now. It brings you to a programmed
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66 instruction sequence.
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67
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68 To read about expert-level Info commands, type @kbd{n} twice. This
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69 brings you to @cite{Info for Experts}, skipping over the `Getting
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70 Started' chapter.
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71 @end ifinfo
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72 @end ifnottex
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73
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74 @menu
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75 * Getting Started:: Getting started using an Info reader.
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76 * Expert Info:: Info commands for experts.
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77 * Creating an Info File:: How to make your own Info file.
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78 * Index:: An index of topics, commands, and variables.
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79 @end menu
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80
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81 @node Getting Started, Expert Info, Top, Top
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82 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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83 @chapter Getting Started
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84
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85 This first part of the Info manual describes how to get around inside
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86 of Info. The second part of the manual describes various advanced
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87 Info commands, and how to write an Info as distinct from a Texinfo
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88 file. The third part briefly explains how to generate Info files from
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89 Texinfo files.
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90
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91 @ifnotinfo
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92 This manual is primarily designed for browsing with an Info reader
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93 program on a computer, so that you can try Info commands while reading
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94 about them. Reading it on paper or with an HTML browser is less
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95 effective, since you must take it on faith that the commands described
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96 really do what the manual says. By all means go through this manual
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97 now that you have it; but please try going through the on-line version
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98 as well.
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99
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100 @cindex Info reader, how to invoke
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101 @cindex entering Info
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102 There are two ways of looking at the online version of this manual:
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103
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104 @enumerate
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105 @item
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106 Type @code{info} at your shell's command line. This approach uses a
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107 stand-alone program designed just to read Info files.
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108
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109 @item
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110 Type @code{emacs} at the command line; then type @kbd{C-h i}
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111 (@kbd{Control-h}, followed by @kbd{i}). This approach uses the Info
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112 mode of the Emacs program, an editor with many other capabilities.
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113 @end enumerate
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114
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115 In either case, then type @kbd{mInfo} (just the letters), followed by
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116 @key{RET}---the ``Return'' or ``Enter'' key. At this point, you should
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117 be ready to follow the instructions in this manual as you read them on
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118 the screen.
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119 @c FIXME! (pesch@cygnus.com, 14 dec 1992)
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120 @c Is it worth worrying about what-if the beginner goes to somebody
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121 @c else's Emacs session, which already has an Info running in the middle
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122 @c of something---in which case these simple instructions won't work?
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123 @end ifnotinfo
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124
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125 @menu
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126 * Help-Small-Screen:: Starting Info on a Small Screen
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127 * Help:: How to use Info
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128 * Help-P:: Returning to the Previous node
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129 * Help-^L:: The Space, DEL, B and ^L commands.
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130 * Help-Inv:: Invisible text in Emacs Info.
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131 * Help-M:: Menus
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132 * Help-Xref:: Following cross-references
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133 * Help-Int:: Some intermediate Info commands
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134 * Help-Q:: Quitting Info
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135 @end menu
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136
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137 @node Help-Small-Screen
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138 @section Starting Info on a Small Screen
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139
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140 @ifnotinfo
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141 (In Info, you only see this section if your terminal has a small
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142 number of lines; most readers pass by it without seeing it.)
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143 @end ifnotinfo
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144
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145 @cindex small screen, moving around
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146 Since your terminal has a relatively small number of lines on its
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147 screen, it is necessary to give you special advice at the beginning.
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148
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149 If you see the text @samp{--All----} near the bottom right corner
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150 of the screen, it means the entire text you are looking at fits on the
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151 screen. If you see @samp{--Top----} instead, it means that there is
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152 more text below that does not fit. To move forward through the text
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153 and see another screen full, press @key{SPC}, the Space bar. To move
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154 back up, press the key labeled @samp{Backspace} or @samp{DEL} (on some
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155 keyboards, this key might be labeled @samp{Delete}).
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156
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157 @ifinfo
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158 Here are 40 lines of junk, so you can try @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} and
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159 see what they do. At the end are instructions of what you should do
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160 next.
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161
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162 @format
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163 This is line 20
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164 This is line 21
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165 This is line 22
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166 This is line 23
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167 This is line 24
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168 This is line 25
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169 This is line 26
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170 This is line 27
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171 This is line 28
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172 This is line 29
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173 This is line 30
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174 This is line 31
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175 This is line 32
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176 This is line 33
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177 This is line 34
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178 This is line 35
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179 This is line 36
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180 This is line 37
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181 This is line 38
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182 This is line 39
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183 This is line 40
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184 This is line 41
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185 This is line 42
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186 This is line 43
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187 This is line 44
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188 This is line 45
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189 This is line 46
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190 This is line 47
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191 This is line 48
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192 This is line 49
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193 This is line 50
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194 This is line 51
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195 This is line 52
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196 This is line 53
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197 This is line 54
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198 This is line 55
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199 This is line 56
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200 This is line 57
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201 This is line 58
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202 This is line 59
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203 @end format
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204
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205 If you have managed to get here, go back to the beginning with
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206 @kbd{DEL} (or @key{BACKSPACE}), and come back here again, then you
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207 understand the about the @samp{Space} and @samp{Backspace} keys. So
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208 now type an @kbd{n} ---just one character; don't type the quotes and
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209 don't type the Return key afterward--- to get to the normal start of
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210 the course.
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211 @end ifinfo
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212
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213 @node Help, Help-P, Help-Small-Screen, Getting Started
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214 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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215 @section How to use Info
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216
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217 You are talking to the program Info, for reading documentation.
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218
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219 There are two ways to use Info: from within Emacs or as a
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220 stand-alone reader that you can invoke from a shell using the command
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221 @command{info}.
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222
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223 @cindex node, in Info documents
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224 Right now you are looking at one @dfn{Node} of Information.
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225 A node contains text describing a specific topic at a specific
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226 level of detail. This node's topic is ``how to use Info''. The mode
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227 line says that this is node @samp{Help} in the file @file{info}.
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228
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229 @cindex header of Info node
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230 The top line of a node is its @dfn{header}. This node's header
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231 (look at it now) says that the @samp{Next} node after this one is the
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232 node called @samp{Help-P}. An advanced Info command lets you go to
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233 any node whose name you know. In the stand-alone Info reader program,
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234 the header line shows the names of this node and the info file as
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235 well. In Emacs, the header line is duplicated in a special typeface,
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236 and the duplicate remains at the top of the window all the time even
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237 if you scroll through the node.
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238
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239 Besides a @samp{Next}, a node can have a @samp{Previous} or an
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240 @samp{Up} links, or both. As you can see, this node has all of these
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241 links.
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242
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243 @kindex n @r{(Info mode)}
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244 Now it is time to move on to the @samp{Next} node, named @samp{Help-P}.
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245
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246 @format
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247 >> Type @kbd{n} to move there. Type just one character;
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248 do not type the quotes and do not type a @key{RET} afterward.
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249 @end format
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250
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251 @noindent
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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 @format
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255 >> If you are in Emacs and have a mouse, and if you already practiced
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256 typing @kbd{n} to get to the next node, click now with the middle
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257 mouse button on the @samp{Next} link to do the same ``the mouse way''.
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258 @end format
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259
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260 @node Help-P, Help-^L, Help, Getting Started
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261 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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262 @section Returning to the Previous node
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263
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264 @kindex p @r{(Info mode)}
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265 This node is called @samp{Help-P}. The @samp{Previous} node, as you see,
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266 is @samp{Help}, which is the one you just came from using the @kbd{n}
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267 command. Another @kbd{n} command now would take you to the next
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268 node, @samp{Help-^L}.
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269
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270 @format
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271 >> But do not type @kbd{n} yet. First, try the @kbd{p} command,
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272 or click the middle mouse button on the @samp{Prev} link. That
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273 takes you to the @samp{Previous} node. Then use @kbd{n} to return here.
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274 @end format
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275
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276 If you read this in Emacs, you will see an @samp{Info} item in the
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277 menu bar, close to its right edge. Clicking the mouse on the
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278 @samp{Info} menu-bar item opens a menu of commands which include
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279 @samp{Next} and @samp{Prev} (and also some others which you didn't yet
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280 learn about).
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281
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282 This all probably seems insultingly simple so far, but @emph{please
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283 don't} start skimming. Things will get complicated soon enough!
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284 Also, please do not try a new command until you are told it is time
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285 to. You could make Info skip past an important warning that was
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286 coming up.
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287
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288 @format
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289 >> Now do an @kbd{n}, or click the middle mouse button on the @samp{Next}
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290 link, to get to the node @samp{Help-^L} and learn more.
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291 @end format
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292
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293 @node Help-^L, Help-Inv, Help-P, Getting Started
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294 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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295 @section The Space, DEL, B and ^L commands
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296
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297 This node's mode line tells you that you are now at node
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298 @samp{Help-^L}, and the header line tells you that @kbd{p} would get
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299 you back to @samp{Help-P}. The node's title is highlighted and may be
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300 underlined as well; it says what the node is about.
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301
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302 This is a big node and it does not all fit on your display screen.
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303 You can tell that there is more that is not visible because you
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304 can see the string @samp{--Top-----} rather than @samp{--All----} near
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305 the bottom right corner of the screen.
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306
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307 @kindex SPC @r{(Info mode)}
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308 @kindex DEL @r{(Info mode)}
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309 @kindex BACKSPACE @r{(Info mode)}
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310 @findex Info-scroll-up
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311 @findex Info-scroll-down
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312 The @key{SPC}, @key{BACKSPACE} (or @key{DEL})@footnote{The key which
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313 we call ``Backspace or DEL'' in this manual is labeled differently on
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314 different keyboards. Look for a key which is a little ways above the
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315 @key{ENTER} or @key{RET} key and which you normally use outside Emacs
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316 to erase the character before the cursor, i.e.@: the character you
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317 typed last. It might be labeled @samp{Backspace} or @samp{<-} or
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318 @samp{DEL}, or sometimes @samp{Delete}.} and @kbd{b} commands exist to
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319 allow you to ``move around'' in a node that does not all fit on the
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320 screen at once. @key{SPC} moves forward, to show what was below the
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321 bottom of the screen. @key{DEL} or @key{BACKSPACE} moves backward, to
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322 show what was above the top of the screen (there is not anything above
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323 the top until you have typed some spaces).
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324
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325 @format
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326 >> Now try typing a @key{SPC} (afterward, type a @key{BACKSPACE} to
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327 return here).
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328 @end format
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329
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330 When you type the @key{SPC}, the two lines that were at the bottom of
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331 the screen appear at the top, followed by more lines. @key{DEL} or
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332 @key{BACKSPACE} takes the two lines from the top and moves them to the
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333 bottom, @emph{usually}, but if there are not a full screen's worth of
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334 lines above them they may not make it all the way to the bottom.
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335
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336 If you are reading this in Emacs, note that the header line is
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337 always visible, never scrolling off the display. That way, you can
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338 always see the @samp{Next}, @samp{Prev}, and @samp{Up} links, and you
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339 can conveniently go to one of these links at any time by
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340 clicking the middle mouse button on the link.
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341
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342 @cindex reading Info documents top to bottom
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343 @cindex Info documents as tutorials
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344 @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} not only move forward and backward through
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345 the current node. They also move between nodes. @key{SPC} at the end
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346 of a node moves to the next node; @key{DEL} (or @key{BACKSPACE}) at
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347 the beginning of a node moves to the previous node. In effect, these
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348 commands scroll through all the nodes in an Info file as a single
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349 logical sequence. You can read an entire manual top to bottom by just
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350 typing @key{SPC}, and move backward through the entire manual from
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351 bottom to top by typing @key{DEL} (or @key{BACKSPACE}).
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352
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353 In this sequence, a node's subnodes appear following their parent.
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354 If a node has a menu, @key{SPC} takes you into the subnodes listed in
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355 the menu, one by one. Once you reach the end of a node, and have seen
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356 all of its subnodes, @key{SPC} takes you to the next node or to the
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357 parent's next node.
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358
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359 @kindex PAGEUP @r{(Info mode)}
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360 @kindex PAGEDOWN @r{(Info mode)}
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361 Many keyboards nowadays have two scroll keys labeled @samp{PageUp}
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362 and @samp{PageDown} (or maybe @samp{Prior} and @samp{Next}). If your
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363 keyboard has these keys, you can use them to move forward and backward
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364 through the text of one node, like @key{SPC} and @key{BACKSPACE} (or
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365 @key{DEL}). However, @key{PAGEUP} and @key{PAGEDOWN} keys never
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366 scroll beyond the beginning or the end of the current node.
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367
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368 @kindex C-l @r{(Info mode)}
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369 If your screen is ever garbaged, you can tell Info to display it
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370 again by typing @kbd{C-l} (@kbd{Control-L}, that is---hold down
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371 @key{CTRL} and type @kbd{L} or @kbd{l}).
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372
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373 @format
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374 >> Type @kbd{C-l} now.
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375 @end format
|
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376
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377 @kindex b @r{(Info mode)}
|
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378 To move back to the beginning of the node you are on, you can type
|
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379 the @key{BACKSPACE} key (or @key{DEL}) many times. You can also type
|
|
380 @kbd{b} just once. @kbd{b} stands for ``beginning.''
|
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381
|
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382 @format
|
|
383 >> Try that now. (We have put in enough verbiage to push this past
|
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384 the first screenful, but screens are so big nowadays that perhaps it
|
|
385 isn't enough. You may need to shrink your Emacs or Info window.)
|
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386 Then come back, by typing @key{SPC} one or more times.
|
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387 @end format
|
|
388
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389 If your screen is very tall, all of this node might fit at once. In
|
|
390 that case, @kbd{b} won't do anything. But you could observe the
|
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391 effect of the @kbd{b} key if you use a smaller window.
|
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392
|
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393 @kindex ? @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
394 @findex Info-summary
|
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|
395 You have just learned a considerable number of commands. If you
|
|
396 want to use one but have trouble remembering which, you should type
|
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397 a @kbd{?} (in Emacs it runs the @code{Info-summary} command) which
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398 displays a brief list of commands. When you are finished looking at
|
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399 the list, make it go away by typing a @key{SPC} repeatedly.
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400
|
|
401 @format
|
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402 >> Type a @key{?} now. Press @key{SPC} to see consecutive screenfuls of
|
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403 the list until finished. Then type @key{SPC} several times. If
|
|
404 you are using Emacs, the help will then go away automatically.
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405 @end format
|
|
406
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407 (If you are using the stand-alone Info reader, type @kbd{C-x 0} to
|
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408 return here, that is---press and hold @key{CTRL}, type an @kbd{x},
|
|
409 then release @key{CTRL} and @kbd{x}, and press @kbd{0}---a zero, not
|
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410 the letter ``o''.)
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411
|
|
412 From now on, you will encounter large nodes without warning, and
|
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413 will be expected to know how to use @key{SPC} and @key{BACKSPACE} to
|
|
414 move around in them without being told. Since not all terminals have
|
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415 the same size screen, it would be impossible to warn you anyway.
|
|
416
|
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417 @format
|
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418 >> Now type @kbd{n}, or click the middle mouse button on the @samp{Next} link,
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419 to visit the next node.
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420 @end format
|
|
421
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422 @node Help-Inv, Help-M, Help-^L, Getting Started
|
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423 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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|
424 @section Invisible text in Emacs Info
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425
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|
426 Before discussing menus, we need to make some remarks that are only
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|
427 relevant to users reading Info using Emacs. Users of the stand-alone
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428 version can skip this node by typing @kbd{]} now.
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429
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|
430 @cindex invisible text in Emacs
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431 In Emacs, certain text that appears in the stand-alone version is
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432 normally hidden, technically because it has the @samp{invisibility}
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433 property. Invisible text is really a part of the text. It becomes
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434 visible (by default) after killing and yanking, it appears in printed
|
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435 output, it gets saved to file just like any other text, and so on.
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436 Thus it is useful to know it is there.
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|
437
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|
438 @findex visible-mode
|
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439 You can make invisible text visible by using the command @kbd{M-x
|
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|
440 visible-mode}. Visible mode is a minor mode, so using the command a
|
|
441 second time will make the text invisible again. Watch the effects of
|
|
442 the command on the ``menu'' below and the top line of this node.
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443
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|
444 If you prefer to @emph{always} see the invisible text, you can set
|
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445 @code{Info-hide-note-references} to @code{nil}. Enabling Visible mode
|
|
446 permanently is not a real alternative, because Emacs Info also uses
|
|
447 (although less extensively) another text property that can change the
|
|
448 text being displayed, the @samp{display} property. Only the
|
|
449 invisibility property is affected by Visible mode. When, in this
|
|
450 tutorial, we refer to the @samp{Emacs} behavior, we mean the
|
|
451 @emph{default} Emacs behavior.
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452
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453 Now type @kbd{]}, to learn about the @kbd{]} and @kbd{[} commands.
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|
454
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|
455 @menu
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|
456 * ]: Help-]. Node telling about ].
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|
457 * stuff: Help-]. Same node.
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458 * Help-]:: Yet again, same node.
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|
459 @end menu
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|
460
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|
461 @node Help-], , , Help-Inv
|
52561
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462 @subsection The @kbd{]} and @kbd{[} commands
|
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|
463
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|
464 If you type @kbd{n} now, you get an error message saying that this
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|
465 node has no next node. Similarly, if you type @kbd{p}, the error
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|
466 message tells you that there is no previous node. (The exact message
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467 depends on the Info reader you use.) This is because @kbd{n} and
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|
468 @kbd{p} carry you to the next and previous node @emph{at the same
|
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|
469 level}. The present node is contained in a menu (see next) of the
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|
470 node you came from, and hence is considered to be at a lower level.
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|
471 It is the only node in the previous node's menu (even though it was
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|
472 listed three times). Hence it has no next or previous node that
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|
473 @kbd{n} or @kbd{p} could move to.
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|
474
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|
475 If you systematically move through a manual by typing @kbd{n}, you run
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|
476 the risk of skipping many nodes. You do not run this risk if you
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|
477 systematically use @kbd{@key{SPC}}, because, when you scroll to the
|
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478 bottom of a node and type another @kbd{@key{SPC}}, then this carries
|
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|
479 you to the following node in the manual @emph{regardless of level}.
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|
480 If you immediately want to go to that node, without having to scroll
|
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|
481 to the bottom of the screen first, you can type @kbd{]}.
|
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|
482
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|
483 Similarly, @kbd{@key{BACKSPACE}} carries you to the preceding node
|
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|
484 regardless of level, after you scrolled to the beginning of the
|
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|
485 present node. If you want to go to the preceding node immediately,
|
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|
486 you can type @kbd{[}.
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|
487
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|
488 For instance, typing this sequence will come back here in three steps:
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|
489 @kbd{[ n [}. To do the same backward, type @kbd{] p ]}.
|
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|
490
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|
491 Now type @kbd{]} to go to the next node and learn about menus.
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|
492
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|
493 @node Help-M, Help-Xref, Help-Inv, Getting Started
|
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|
494 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
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|
495 @section Menus and the @kbd{m} command
|
25839
|
496
|
37344
|
497 @cindex menus in an Info document
|
|
498 @cindex Info menus
|
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|
499 With only the @kbd{n} (next), @kbd{p} (previous), @kbd{@key{SPC}},
|
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|
500 @kbd{@key{BACKSPACE}}, @kbd{]} and @kbd{[} commands for moving between
|
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|
501 nodes, nodes are restricted to a linear sequence. Menus allow a
|
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|
502 branching structure. A menu is a list of other nodes you can move to.
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|
503 It is actually just part of the text of the node formatted specially
|
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|
504 so that Info can interpret it. The beginning of a menu is always
|
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|
505 identified by a line which starts with @w{@samp{* Menu:}}. A node
|
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|
506 contains a menu if and only if it has a line in it which starts that
|
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|
507 way. The only menu you can use at any moment is the one in the node
|
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|
508 you are in. To use a menu in any other node, you must move to that
|
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|
509 node first.
|
25839
|
510
|
|
511 After the start of the menu, each line that starts with a @samp{*}
|
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|
512 identifies one subtopic. The line usually contains a brief name for
|
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|
513 the subtopic (followed by a @samp{:}, normally hidden in Emacs), the
|
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|
514 name of the node that talks about that subtopic (again, normally
|
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|
515 hidden in Emacs), and optionally some further description of the
|
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|
516 subtopic. Lines in the menu that do not start with a @samp{*} have no
|
|
517 special meaning---they are only for the human reader's benefit and do
|
|
518 not define additional subtopics. Here is an example:
|
|
519
|
|
520 @example
|
44785
|
521 * Foo: Node about FOO. This tells about FOO.
|
25839
|
522 @end example
|
|
523
|
37344
|
524 The subtopic name is Foo, and the node describing it is @samp{Node
|
|
525 about FOO}. The rest of the line is just for the reader's
|
|
526 Information. [[ But this line is not a real menu item, simply because
|
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|
527 there is no line above it which starts with @w{@samp{* Menu:}}. Also,
|
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|
528 in a real menu item, the @samp{*} would appear at the very start of
|
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|
529 the line. This is why the ``normally hidden'' text in Emacs, namely
|
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|
530 @samp{: Node about FOO.}, is actually visible in this example, even
|
51813
|
531 when Visible mode is off.]]
|
25839
|
532
|
|
533 When you use a menu to go to another node (in a way that will be
|
|
534 described soon), what you specify is the subtopic name, the first
|
|
535 thing in the menu line. Info uses it to find the menu line, extracts
|
|
536 the node name from it, and goes to that node. The reason that there
|
|
537 is both a subtopic name and a node name is that the node name must be
|
|
538 meaningful to the computer and may therefore have to be ugly looking.
|
|
539 The subtopic name can be chosen just to be convenient for the user to
|
|
540 specify. Often the node name is convenient for the user to specify
|
|
541 and so both it and the subtopic name are the same. There is an
|
|
542 abbreviation for this:
|
|
543
|
|
544 @example
|
44785
|
545 * Foo:: This tells about FOO.
|
25839
|
546 @end example
|
|
547
|
|
548 @noindent
|
|
549 This means that the subtopic name and node name are the same; they are
|
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diff
changeset
|
550 both @samp{Foo}. (The @samp{::} is normally hidden in Emacs.)
|
25839
|
551
|
|
552 @format
|
37362
|
553 >> Now use @key{SPC} to find the menu in this node, then come back to
|
|
554 the front with a @kbd{b} and some @key{SPC}s. As you see, a menu is
|
25839
|
555 actually visible in its node. If you cannot find a menu in a node
|
|
556 by looking at it, then the node does not have a menu and the
|
|
557 @kbd{m} command is not available.
|
|
558 @end format
|
|
559
|
46205
|
560 If you keep typing @key{SPC} once the menu appears on the screen, it
|
|
561 will move to another node (the first one in the menu). If that
|
|
562 happens, type @key{BACKSPACE} to come back.
|
|
563
|
37344
|
564 @kindex m @r{(Info mode)}
|
46205
|
565 The command to go to one of the subnodes is @kbd{m}. This is very
|
|
566 different from the commands you have used: it is a command that
|
|
567 prompts you for more input.
|
|
568
|
|
569 The Info commands you know do not need additional input; when you
|
|
570 type one of them, Info processes it instantly and then is ready for
|
|
571 another command. The @kbd{m} command is different: it needs to know
|
|
572 the @dfn{name of the subtopic}. Once you have typed @kbd{m}, Info
|
|
573 tries to read the subtopic name.
|
25839
|
574
|
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diff
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|
575 Now, in the stand-alone Info, look for the line containing many
|
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diff
changeset
|
576 dashes near the bottom of the screen. (This is the stand-alone
|
205602055b5f
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diff
changeset
|
577 equivalent for the mode line in Emacs.) There is one more line
|
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diff
changeset
|
578 beneath that one, but usually it is blank. (In Emacs, this is the
|
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diff
changeset
|
579 echo area.) When it is blank, Info is ready for a command, such as
|
205602055b5f
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diff
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|
580 @kbd{n} or @kbd{b} or @key{SPC} or @kbd{m}. If that line contains
|
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diff
changeset
|
581 text ending in a colon, it means Info is reading more input for the
|
205602055b5f
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diff
changeset
|
582 last command. You can't type an Info command then, because Info is
|
205602055b5f
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diff
changeset
|
583 trying to read input, not commands. You must either give the input
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
584 and finish the command you started, or type @kbd{Control-g} to cancel
|
205602055b5f
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diff
changeset
|
585 the command. When you have done one of those things, the input entry
|
205602055b5f
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diff
changeset
|
586 line becomes blank again. Then you can type Info commands again.
|
25839
|
587
|
37344
|
588 @findex Info-menu
|
25839
|
589 The command to go to a subnode via a menu is @kbd{m}. After you type
|
|
590 the @kbd{m}, the line at the bottom of the screen says @samp{Menu item: }.
|
|
591 You must then type the name of the subtopic you want, and end it with
|
37344
|
592 a @key{RET}. In Emacs, @kbd{m} runs the command @code{Info-menu}.
|
25839
|
593
|
37344
|
594 @cindex abbreviating Info subnodes
|
25839
|
595 You can abbreviate the subtopic name. If the abbreviation is not
|
37344
|
596 unique, the first matching subtopic is chosen. Some menus put
|
|
597 the shortest possible abbreviation for each subtopic name in capital
|
|
598 letters, so you can see how much you need to type. It does not
|
|
599 matter whether you use upper case or lower case when you type the
|
|
600 subtopic. You should not put any spaces at the end, or inside of the
|
|
601 item name, except for one space where a space appears in the item in
|
|
602 the menu.
|
25839
|
603
|
37344
|
604 @cindex completion of Info node names
|
46205
|
605 You can also use the @dfn{completion} feature to help enter the
|
|
606 subtopic name. If you type the @key{TAB} key after entering part of a
|
|
607 name, it will fill in more of the name---as much as Info can deduce
|
|
608 from the part you have entered.
|
25839
|
609
|
|
610 If you move the cursor to one of the menu subtopic lines, then you do
|
37344
|
611 not need to type the argument: you just type a @key{RET}, and it
|
46205
|
612 stands for the subtopic of the line you are on. You can also click
|
|
613 the middle mouse button directly on the subtopic line to go there.
|
25839
|
614
|
37344
|
615 Here is a menu to give you a chance to practice. This menu gives you
|
|
616 three ways of going to one place, Help-FOO:
|
25839
|
617
|
|
618 @menu
|
|
619 * Foo: Help-FOO. A node you can visit for fun.
|
46205
|
620 * Bar: Help-FOO. We have made two ways to get to the same place.
|
25839
|
621 * Help-FOO:: And yet another!
|
|
622 @end menu
|
|
623
|
51813
|
624 (Turn Visible mode on if you are using Emacs.)
|
51713
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
625
|
25839
|
626 @format
|
|
627 >> Now type just an @kbd{m} and see what happens:
|
|
628 @end format
|
|
629
|
|
630 Now you are ``inside'' an @kbd{m} command. Commands cannot be used
|
|
631 now; the next thing you will type must be the name of a subtopic.
|
|
632
|
37344
|
633 You can change your mind about doing the @kbd{m} by typing
|
|
634 @kbd{Control-g}.
|
25839
|
635
|
|
636 @format
|
|
637 >> Try that now; notice the bottom line clear.
|
37344
|
638 @end format
|
25839
|
639
|
37344
|
640 @format
|
25839
|
641 >> Then type another @kbd{m}.
|
37344
|
642 @end format
|
25839
|
643
|
37344
|
644 @format
|
|
645 >> Now type @kbd{BAR}, the item name. Do not type @key{RET} yet.
|
25839
|
646 @end format
|
|
647
|
37344
|
648 While you are typing the item name, you can use the @key{DEL} (or
|
37362
|
649 @key{BACKSPACE}) key to cancel one character at a time if you make a
|
37344
|
650 mistake.
|
25839
|
651
|
|
652 @format
|
37344
|
653 >> Press @key{DEL} to cancel the @samp{R}. You could type another @kbd{R}
|
|
654 to replace it. But you do not have to, since @samp{BA} is a valid
|
|
655 abbreviation.
|
|
656 @end format
|
25839
|
657
|
37344
|
658 @format
|
25839
|
659 >> Now you are ready to go. Type a @key{RET}.
|
|
660 @end format
|
|
661
|
37344
|
662 After visiting @samp{Help-FOO}, you should return here.
|
|
663
|
|
664 Another way to move to the menu subtopic lines and between them is
|
|
665 to type @key{TAB}. Each time you type a @key{TAB}, you move to the
|
|
666 next subtopic line. To move to a previous subtopic line, type
|
37362
|
667 @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}---that is, press and hold the @key{META} key and then
|
|
668 press @key{TAB}. (On some keyboards, the @key{META} key might be labeled
|
|
669 @samp{Alt}.)
|
37344
|
670
|
|
671 Once you move cursor to a subtopic line, press @key{RET} to go to
|
|
672 that subtopic's node.
|
|
673
|
|
674 @cindex mouse support in Info mode
|
|
675 @kindex Mouse-2 @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
676 If your terminal supports a mouse, you have yet another way of going
|
|
677 to a subtopic. Move your mouse pointer to the subtopic line,
|
|
678 somewhere between the beginning @samp{*} and the colon @samp{:} which
|
|
679 ends the subtopic's brief name. You will see the subtopic's name
|
|
680 change its appearance (usually, its background color will change), and
|
|
681 the shape of the mouse pointer will change if your platform supports
|
46205
|
682 that. After a while, if you leave the mouse on that spot, a small
|
|
683 window will pop up, saying ``Mouse-2: go to that node'', or the same
|
|
684 message may appear at the bottom of the screen.
|
|
685
|
|
686 @kbd{Mouse-2} is the second button of your mouse counting from the
|
|
687 left---the middle button on a 3-button mouse. (On a 2-button mouse,
|
|
688 you may have to press both buttons together to ``press the middle
|
|
689 button''.) The message tells you pressing @kbd{Mouse-2} with the
|
|
690 current position of the mouse pointer (on subtopic in the menu) will
|
|
691 go to that subtopic.
|
37344
|
692
|
|
693 @findex Info-mouse-follow-nearest-node
|
46205
|
694 More generally, @kbd{Mouse-2} in an Info buffer finds the nearest
|
37344
|
695 link to another node and goes there. For example, near a cross
|
|
696 reference it acts like @kbd{f}, in a menu it acts like @kbd{m}, on the
|
|
697 node's header line it acts like @kbd{n}, @kbd{p}, or @kbd{u}, etc. At
|
|
698 end of the node's text @kbd{Mouse-2} moves to the next node, or up if
|
|
699 there's no next node.
|
|
700
|
25839
|
701 @format
|
|
702 >> Type @kbd{n} to see more commands.
|
|
703 @end format
|
|
704
|
|
705 @node Help-FOO, , , Help-M
|
|
706 @subsection The @kbd{u} command
|
|
707
|
37344
|
708 Congratulations! This is the node @samp{Help-FOO}. It has an @samp{Up}
|
|
709 pointer @samp{Help-M}, the node you just came from via the @kbd{m}
|
|
710 command. This is the usual convention---the nodes you reach from a menu
|
|
711 have @samp{Up} nodes that lead back to the menu. Menus move Down in the
|
|
712 tree, and @samp{Up} moves Up. @samp{Previous}, on the other hand, is
|
|
713 usually used to ``stay on the same level but go backwards''.
|
25839
|
714
|
37344
|
715 @kindex u @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
716 @findex Info-up
|
25839
|
717 You can go back to the node @samp{Help-M} by typing the command
|
37362
|
718 @kbd{u} for ``Up'' (the Emacs command run by @kbd{u} is
|
37344
|
719 @code{Info-up}). That puts you at the @emph{front} of the node---to
|
|
720 get back to where you were reading you have to type some @key{SPC}s.
|
|
721 (Some Info readers, such as the one built into Emacs, put you at the
|
|
722 same place where you were reading in @samp{Help-M}.)
|
|
723
|
46205
|
724 Another way to go Up is to click @kbd{Mouse-2} on the @samp{Up}
|
|
725 pointer shown in the header line (provided that you have a mouse).
|
25839
|
726
|
|
727 @format
|
|
728 >> Now type @kbd{u} to move back up to @samp{Help-M}.
|
|
729 @end format
|
|
730
|
39356
|
731 @node Help-Xref, Help-Int, Help-M, Getting Started
|
|
732 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
733 @section Following Cross-References
|
|
734
|
39357
9012f11877c1
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
735 @cindex cross references in Info documents
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
736 In Info documentation, you will see many @dfn{cross references}.
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
737 Cross references look like this: @xref{Help-Cross, Cross}. That text
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
738 is a real, live cross reference, whose name is @samp{Cross} and which
|
51713
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
739 points to the node named @samp{Help-Cross}. (The node name is hidden
|
51812
e45f9b4a6497
(Help-Inv, Help-M, Help-Xref): Update following renaming of `vis-mode'
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
740 in Emacs. Do @kbd{M-x visible-mode} to show or hide it.)
|
39356
|
741
|
|
742 @kindex f @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
743 @findex Info-follow-reference
|
39357
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
744 There are two ways to follow a cross reference. You can move the
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
745 cursor to it and press @key{RET}, just as in a menu. @key{RET}
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
746 follows the cross reference that the cursor is on. Or you can type
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
747 @kbd{f} and then specify the name of the cross reference (in this
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
748 case, @samp{Cross}) as an argument. In Emacs Info, @kbd{f} runs
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
749 @code{Info-follow-reference},
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
750
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
751 In the @kbd{f} command, you select the cross reference with its
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
752 name, so it does not matter where the cursor was. If the cursor is on
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
753 or near a cross reference, @kbd{f} suggests that reference name in
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
754 parentheses as the default; typing @key{RET} will follow that
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
755 reference. However, if you type a different reference name, @kbd{f}
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
756 will follow the other reference which has that name.
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
757
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
758 @format
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
759 >> Type @kbd{f}, followed by @kbd{Cross}, and then @key{RET}.
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
760 @end format
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
761
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
762 As you enter the reference name, you can use the @key{DEL} (or
|
39356
|
763 @key{BACKSPACE}) key to edit your input. If you change your mind
|
|
764 about following any reference, you can use @kbd{Control-g} to cancel
|
39357
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
765 the command. Completion is available in the @kbd{f} command; you can
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
766 complete among all the cross reference names in the current node by
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
767 typing a @key{TAB}.
|
39356
|
768
|
39357
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
769 To get a list of all the cross references in the current node, you
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
770 can type @kbd{?} after an @kbd{f}. The @kbd{f} continues to await a
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
771 cross reference name even after displaying the list, so if you don't
|
39356
|
772 actually want to follow a reference, you should type a @kbd{Control-g}
|
|
773 to cancel the @kbd{f}.
|
|
774
|
|
775 @format
|
|
776 >> Type @kbd{f?} to get a list of the cross references in this node. Then
|
|
777 type a @kbd{Control-g} and see how the @samp{f} gives up.
|
|
778 @end format
|
|
779
|
39357
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
780 The @key{TAB} and @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} key, which move between menu
|
9012f11877c1
Major rewrite of Help-Xref. Don't use "print" except for paper.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
781 items in a menu, also move between cross references outside of menus.
|
39356
|
782
|
51713
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
783 Sometimes a cross reference (or a node) can lead to another file (in
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
784 other words another ``manual''), or, on occasion, even a file on a
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
785 remote machine (although Info files distributed with Emacs or the
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
786 stand-alone Info avoid using remote links). Such a cross reference
|
51952
|
787 looks like this: @xref{Top,, Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo:
|
|
788 The GNU Documentation Format}. (After following this link, type
|
|
789 @kbd{l} to get back to this node.) Here the name @samp{texinfo}
|
|
790 between parentheses (shown in the stand-alone version) refers to the
|
|
791 file name. This file name appears in cross references and node names
|
|
792 if it differs from the current file. In Emacs, the file name is
|
|
793 hidden (along with other text). (Use @kbd{M-x visible-mode} to show
|
|
794 or hide it.)
|
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diff
changeset
|
795
|
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diff
changeset
|
796 The remainder of this node applies only to the Emacs version. If
|
51812
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
797 you use the stand-alone version, you can type @kbd{n} immediately.
|
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
798
|
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
799 To some users, switching manuals is a much bigger switch than
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
800 switching sections. These users like to know that they are going to
|
205602055b5f
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diff
changeset
|
801 be switching to another manual (and which one) before actually doing
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
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diff
changeset
|
802 so, especially given that, if one does not notice, Info commands like
|
205602055b5f
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diff
changeset
|
803 @kbd{t} (see the next node) can have confusing results.
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
804
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
805 If you put your mouse over the cross reference and if the cross
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
806 reference leads to a different manual, then the information appearing
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
807 in a separate box (tool tip) or in the echo area, will mention the
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
808 file the cross reference will carry you to (between parentheses).
|
205602055b5f
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diff
changeset
|
809 This is also true for menu subtopic names. If you have a mouse, just
|
205602055b5f
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diff
changeset
|
810 leave it over the @samp{Overview} cross reference above and watch what
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
811 happens.
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
812
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
813 If you always like to have that information available without having
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
814 to move your mouse over the cross reference, set
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
815 @code{Info-hide-note-references} to a value other than t (@pxref{Emacs
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
816 Info Variables}). You might also want to do that if you have a lot of
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
817 cross references to files on remote machines and have non-permanent or
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
818 slow access, since otherwise you might not be able to distinguish
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
819 between local and remote links.
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
820
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
821 @format
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
822 >> Now type @kbd{n} to learn more commands.
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
823 @end format
|
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
824
|
39356
|
825 @node Help-Int, Help-Q, Help-Xref, Getting Started
|
25839
|
826 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
39355
|
827 @section Some intermediate Info commands
|
25839
|
828
|
39355
|
829 The introductory course is almost over; please continue
|
|
830 a little longer to learn some intermediate-level commands.
|
25839
|
831
|
39356
|
832 Most Info files have an index, which is actually a large node that
|
|
833 contains nothing but a menu. The menu has one menu item for each
|
|
834 topic listed in the index. You can find the index node from the main
|
|
835 menu of the file, with the @kbd{m} command; then you can use the
|
|
836 @kbd{m} command again in the index node to go to the node that
|
|
837 describes the topic.
|
|
838
|
|
839 There is also a short-cut Info command, @kbd{i}, which does all of
|
|
840 that for you. It searches the index for a given topic (a string) and
|
|
841 goes to the node which is listed in the index for that topic.
|
|
842 @xref{Info Search}, for a full explanation.
|
|
843
|
37344
|
844 @kindex l @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
845 @findex Info-last
|
|
846 @cindex going back in Info mode
|
25839
|
847 If you have been moving around to different nodes and wish to
|
|
848 retrace your steps, the @kbd{l} command (@kbd{l} for @dfn{last}) will
|
|
849 do that, one node-step at a time. As you move from node to node, Info
|
|
850 records the nodes where you have been in a special history list. The
|
|
851 @kbd{l} command revisits nodes in the history list; each successive
|
|
852 @kbd{l} command moves one step back through the history.
|
|
853
|
37344
|
854 In Emacs, @kbd{l} runs the command @code{Info-last}.
|
|
855
|
25839
|
856 @format
|
51713
205602055b5f
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
857 >> Try typing @kbd{p p n} and then three @kbd{l}'s, pausing in between
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
858 to see what each @kbd{l} does. You should wind up right back here.
|
25839
|
859 @end format
|
|
860
|
|
861 Note the difference between @kbd{l} and @kbd{p}: @kbd{l} moves to
|
|
862 where @emph{you} last were, whereas @kbd{p} always moves to the node
|
37344
|
863 which the header says is the @samp{Previous} node (from this node, the
|
51713
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
864 @samp{Prev} link leads to @samp{Help-Xref}).
|
25839
|
865
|
37344
|
866 @kindex d @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
867 @findex Info-directory
|
|
868 @cindex go to Directory node
|
|
869 The @kbd{d} command (@code{Info-directory} in Emacs) gets you
|
|
870 instantly to the Directory node. This node, which is the first one
|
37362
|
871 you saw when you entered Info, has a menu which leads (directly or
|
|
872 indirectly, through other menus), to all the nodes that exist. The
|
37344
|
873 Directory node lists all the manuals and other Info documents that
|
|
874 are, or could be, installed on your system.
|
25839
|
875
|
|
876 @format
|
37344
|
877 >> Try doing a @kbd{d}, then do an @kbd{l} to return here (yes,
|
25839
|
878 @emph{do} return).
|
|
879 @end format
|
|
880
|
37344
|
881 @kindex t @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
882 @findex Info-top-node
|
|
883 @cindex go to Top node
|
|
884 The @kbd{t} command moves to the @samp{Top} node of the manual.
|
|
885 This is useful if you want to browse the manual's main menu, or select
|
|
886 some specific top-level menu item. The Emacs command run by @kbd{t}
|
|
887 is @code{Info-top-node}.
|
|
888
|
|
889 Clicking @kbd{Mouse-2} on or near a cross reference also follows the
|
|
890 reference. You can see that the cross reference is mouse-sensitive by
|
|
891 moving the mouse pointer to the reference and watching how the
|
|
892 underlying text and the mouse pointer change in response.
|
|
893
|
|
894 @format
|
25839
|
895 >> Now type @kbd{n} to see the last node of the course.
|
|
896 @end format
|
|
897
|
44785
|
898 @xref{Expert Info}, for more advanced Info features.
|
39355
|
899
|
25839
|
900 @c If a menu appears at the end of this node, remove it.
|
|
901 @c It is an accident of the menu updating command.
|
|
902
|
44785
|
903 @node Expert Info
|
25839
|
904 @chapter Info for Experts
|
|
905
|
44785
|
906 This chapter describes various Info commands for experts. (If you
|
|
907 are using a stand-alone Info reader, there are additional commands
|
37344
|
908 specific to it, which are documented in several chapters of @ref{Top,,
|
|
909 GNU Info, info-stnd, GNU Info}.)
|
|
910
|
|
911 This chapter also explains how to write an Info as distinct from a
|
|
912 Texinfo file. (However, in most cases, writing a Texinfo file is
|
44877
|
913 better, since you can use it to make a printed manual or produce other
|
|
914 formats, such as HTML and DocBook, as well as for generating Info
|
|
915 files.) @xref{Top,, Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU
|
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
916 Documentation Format}.
|
25839
|
917
|
|
918 @menu
|
51713
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Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
919 * Advanced:: Advanced Info commands: g, e, and 1 - 9.
|
37344
|
920 * Info Search:: How to search Info documents for specific subjects.
|
25839
|
921 * Add:: Describes how to add new nodes to the hierarchy.
|
|
922 Also tells what nodes look like.
|
|
923 * Menus:: How to add to or create menus in Info nodes.
|
|
924 * Cross-refs:: How to add cross-references to Info nodes.
|
|
925 * Tags:: How to make tags tables for Info files.
|
|
926 * Checking:: Checking an Info File
|
|
927 * Emacs Info Variables:: Variables modifying the behavior of Emacs Info.
|
|
928 @end menu
|
|
929
|
44785
|
930 @node Advanced, Info Search, , Expert Info
|
25839
|
931 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
932 @section Advanced Info Commands
|
|
933
|
37344
|
934 Here are some more Info commands that make it easier to move around.
|
|
935
|
|
936 @unnumberedsubsec @kbd{g} goes to a node by name
|
25839
|
937
|
37344
|
938 @kindex g @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
939 @findex Info-goto-node
|
|
940 @cindex go to a node by name
|
|
941 If you know a node's name, you can go there by typing @kbd{g}, the
|
25839
|
942 name, and @key{RET}. Thus, @kbd{gTop@key{RET}} would go to the node
|
37344
|
943 called @samp{Top} in this file. (This is equivalent to @kbd{t}, see
|
44801
|
944 @ref{Help-Int}.) @kbd{gAdvanced@key{RET}} would come back here.
|
37344
|
945 @kbd{g} in Emacs runs the command @code{Info-goto-node}.
|
25839
|
946
|
37344
|
947 Unlike @kbd{m}, @kbd{g} does not allow the use of abbreviations.
|
|
948 But it does allow completion, so you can type @key{TAB} to complete a
|
|
949 partial node name.
|
25839
|
950
|
37344
|
951 @cindex go to another Info file
|
|
952 To go to a node in another file, you can include the file name in the
|
25839
|
953 node name by putting it at the front, in parentheses. Thus,
|
|
954 @kbd{g(dir)Top@key{RET}} would go to the Info Directory node, which is
|
37344
|
955 the node @samp{Top} in the Info file @file{dir}. Likewise,
|
|
956 @kbd{g(emacs)Top@key{RET}} goes to the top node of the Emacs manual.
|
25839
|
957
|
37344
|
958 The node name @samp{*} specifies the whole file. So you can look at
|
|
959 all of the current file by typing @kbd{g*@key{RET}} or all of any
|
|
960 other file with @kbd{g(@var{filename})@key{RET}}.
|
|
961
|
|
962 @unnumberedsubsec @kbd{1} -- @kbd{9} choose a menu subtopic by its number
|
25839
|
963
|
37344
|
964 @kindex 1 @r{through} 9 @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
965 @findex Info-nth-menu-item
|
|
966 @cindex select @var{n}'th menu item
|
|
967 If you begrudge each character of type-in which your system requires,
|
|
968 you might like to use the commands @kbd{1}, @kbd{2}, @kbd{3}, @kbd{4},
|
|
969 @dots{}, @kbd{9}. They are short for the @kbd{m} command together
|
|
970 with a name of a menu subtopic. @kbd{1} goes through the first item
|
|
971 in the current node's menu; @kbd{2} goes through the second item, etc.
|
|
972 In the stand-alone reader, @kbd{0} goes through the last menu item;
|
|
973 this is so you need not count how many entries are there. In Emacs,
|
|
974 the digit keys run the command @code{Info-nth-menu-item}.
|
25839
|
975
|
37344
|
976 If your display supports multiple fonts, and you are using Emacs'
|
|
977 Info mode to read Info files, the @samp{*} for the fifth menu item
|
|
978 stands out, either in color or in some other attribute, such as
|
|
979 underline, and so is the @samp{*} for the ninth item; this makes it
|
|
980 easy to see at a glance which number to use for an item.
|
25839
|
981
|
37344
|
982 Some terminals don't support colors or underlining. If you need to
|
25839
|
983 actually count items, it is better to use @kbd{m} instead, and specify
|
37344
|
984 the name, or use @key{TAB} to quickly move between menu items.
|
|
985
|
|
986 @unnumberedsubsec @kbd{e} makes Info document editable
|
25839
|
987
|
37344
|
988 @kindex e @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
989 @findex Info-edit
|
|
990 @cindex edit Info document
|
|
991 The Info command @kbd{e} changes from Info mode to an ordinary
|
25839
|
992 Emacs editing mode, so that you can edit the text of the current node.
|
|
993 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to switch back to Info. The @kbd{e} command is allowed
|
|
994 only if the variable @code{Info-enable-edit} is non-@code{nil}.
|
|
995
|
37344
|
996 The @kbd{e} command only works in Emacs, where it runs the command
|
|
997 @code{Info-edit}. The stand-alone Info reader doesn't allow you to
|
|
998 edit the Info file, so typing @kbd{e} there goes to the end of the
|
|
999 current node.
|
|
1000
|
44785
|
1001 @node Info Search, Add, Advanced, Expert Info
|
37344
|
1002 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
1003 @section How to search Info documents for specific subjects
|
|
1004
|
|
1005 @cindex searching Info documents
|
|
1006 @cindex Info document as a reference
|
|
1007 The commands which move between and inside nodes allow you to read
|
|
1008 the entire manual or its large portions. But what if you need to find
|
|
1009 some information in the manual as fast as you can, and you don't know
|
|
1010 or don't remember in what node to look for it? This need arises when
|
|
1011 you use a manual as a @dfn{reference}, or when it is impractical to
|
|
1012 read the entire manual before you start using the programs it
|
|
1013 describes.
|
|
1014
|
|
1015 Info has powerful searching facilities that let you find things
|
|
1016 quickly. You can search either the manual indices or its text.
|
|
1017
|
|
1018 @kindex i @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
1019 @findex Info-index
|
|
1020 Since most subjects related to what the manual describes should be
|
|
1021 indexed, you should try the index search first. The @kbd{i} command
|
|
1022 prompts you for a subject and then looks up that subject in the
|
|
1023 indices. If it finds an index entry with the subject you typed, it
|
|
1024 goes to the node to which that index entry points. You should browse
|
|
1025 through that node to see whether the issue you are looking for is
|
|
1026 described there. If it isn't, type @kbd{,} one or more times to go
|
|
1027 through additional index entries which match your subject.
|
|
1028
|
|
1029 The @kbd{i} command finds all index entries which include the string
|
|
1030 you typed @emph{as a substring}. For each match, Info shows in the
|
|
1031 echo area the full index entry it found. Often, the text of the full
|
|
1032 index entry already gives you enough information to decide whether it
|
|
1033 is relevant to what you are looking for, so we recommend that you read
|
52942
|
1034 what Emacs shows in the echo area before looking at the node it
|
37344
|
1035 displays.
|
|
1036
|
|
1037 Since @kbd{i} looks for a substring, you can search for subjects even
|
|
1038 if you are not sure how they are spelled in the index. For example,
|
|
1039 suppose you want to find something that is pertinent to commands which
|
|
1040 complete partial input (e.g., when you type @key{TAB}). If you want
|
|
1041 to catch index entries that refer to ``complete'', ``completion'', and
|
|
1042 ``completing'', you could type @kbd{icomplet@key{RET}}.
|
|
1043
|
|
1044 Info documents which describe programs should index the commands,
|
|
1045 options, and key sequences that the program provides. If you are
|
|
1046 looking for a description of a command, an option, or a key, just type
|
|
1047 their names when @kbd{i} prompts you for a topic. For example, if you
|
|
1048 want to read the description of what the @kbd{C-f} key does, type
|
|
1049 @kbd{iC-f@key{RET}}. Here @kbd{C-f} are 3 literal characters
|
|
1050 @samp{C}, @samp{-}, and @samp{f}, not the ``Control-f'' command key
|
|
1051 you type inside Emacs to run the command bound to @kbd{C-f}.
|
|
1052
|
|
1053 In Emacs, @kbd{i} runs the command @code{Info-index}.
|
|
1054
|
|
1055 @kindex s @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
1056 @findex Info-search
|
|
1057 The @kbd{s} command allows you to search a whole file for a string.
|
|
1058 It switches to the next node if and when that is necessary. You
|
|
1059 type @kbd{s} followed by the string to search for, terminated by
|
|
1060 @key{RET}. To search for the same string again, just @kbd{s} followed
|
|
1061 by @key{RET} will do. The file's nodes are scanned in the order
|
|
1062 they are in in the file, which has no necessary relationship to the
|
|
1063 order that they may be in the tree structure of menus and @samp{next}
|
|
1064 pointers. But normally the two orders are not very different. In any
|
|
1065 case, you can always do a @kbd{b} to find out what node you have
|
|
1066 reached, if the header is not visible (this can happen, because @kbd{s}
|
|
1067 puts your cursor at the occurrence of the string, not at the beginning
|
|
1068 of the node).
|
|
1069
|
|
1070 @kindex M-s @r{(Info mode)}
|
|
1071 In Emacs, @kbd{Meta-s} is equivalent to @kbd{s}. That is for
|
|
1072 compatibility with other GNU packages that use @kbd{M-s} for a similar
|
|
1073 kind of search command. Both @kbd{s} and @kbd{M-s} run in Emacs the
|
|
1074 command @code{Info-search}.
|
|
1075
|
|
1076
|
44785
|
1077 @node Add, Menus, Info Search, Expert Info
|
25839
|
1078 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
1079 @section Adding a new node to Info
|
|
1080
|
|
1081 To add a new topic to the list in the Info directory, you must:
|
37344
|
1082
|
25839
|
1083 @enumerate
|
|
1084 @item
|
|
1085 Create some nodes, in some file, to document that topic.
|
|
1086 @item
|
|
1087 Put that topic in the menu in the directory. @xref{Menus, Menu}.
|
|
1088 @end enumerate
|
|
1089
|
37344
|
1090 Usually, the way to create the nodes is with Texinfo (@pxref{Top,,
|
|
1091 Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU Documentation Format});
|
44785
|
1092 this has the advantage that you can also make a printed manual or HTML
|
|
1093 from them. You would use the @samp{@@dircategory} and
|
|
1094 @samp{@@direntry} commands to put the manual into the Info directory.
|
|
1095 However, if you want to edit an Info file manually and install it
|
|
1096 manually, here is how.
|
25839
|
1097
|
37344
|
1098 @cindex node delimiters
|
25839
|
1099 The new node can live in an existing documentation file, or in a new
|
37392
|
1100 one. It must have a @samp{^_} character before it (invisible to the
|
25839
|
1101 user; this node has one but you cannot see it), and it ends with either
|
37392
|
1102 a @samp{^_}, a @samp{^L} (``formfeed''), or the end of file.@footnote{If
|
|
1103 you put in a @samp{^L} to end a new node, be sure that there is a
|
|
1104 @samp{^_} after it to start the next one, since @samp{^L} cannot
|
|
1105 @emph{start} a node. Also, a nicer way to make a node boundary be a
|
|
1106 page boundary as well is to put a @samp{^L} @emph{right after} the
|
|
1107 @samp{^_}.}
|
25839
|
1108
|
37392
|
1109 The @samp{^_} starting a node must be followed by a newline or a
|
44785
|
1110 @samp{^L} newline, after which comes the node's header line. The
|
|
1111 header line must give the node's name (by which Info finds it), and
|
|
1112 state the names of the @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}, and @samp{Up}
|
|
1113 nodes (if there are any). As you can see, this node's @samp{Up} node
|
|
1114 is the node @samp{Expert Info}. The @samp{Next} node is @samp{Menus}.
|
25839
|
1115
|
37344
|
1116 @cindex node header line format
|
|
1117 @cindex format of node headers
|
|
1118 The keywords @dfn{Node}, @dfn{Next}, @dfn{Previous}, and @dfn{Up}
|
25839
|
1119 may appear in any order, anywhere in the header line, but the
|
|
1120 recommended order is the one in this sentence. Each keyword must be
|
|
1121 followed by a colon, spaces and tabs, and then the appropriate name.
|
|
1122 The name may be terminated with a tab, a comma, or a newline. A space
|
|
1123 does not end it; node names may contain spaces. The case of letters
|
|
1124 in the names is insignificant.
|
|
1125
|
37344
|
1126 @cindex node name format
|
|
1127 @cindex Directory node
|
25839
|
1128 A node name has two forms. A node in the current file is named by
|
|
1129 what appears after the @samp{Node: } in that node's first line. For
|
|
1130 example, this node's name is @samp{Add}. A node in another file is
|
|
1131 named by @samp{(@var{filename})@var{node-within-file}}, as in
|
|
1132 @samp{(info)Add} for this node. If the file name starts with ``./'',
|
37344
|
1133 then it is relative to the current directory; otherwise, it is
|
|
1134 relative starting from the standard directory for Info files of your
|
|
1135 site. The name @samp{(@var{filename})Top} can be abbreviated to just
|
|
1136 @samp{(@var{filename})}. By convention, the name @samp{Top} is used
|
|
1137 for the ``highest'' node in any single file---the node whose @samp{Up}
|
|
1138 points out of the file. The @samp{Directory} node is @file{(dir)}, it
|
|
1139 points to a file @file{dir} which holds a large menu listing all the
|
|
1140 Info documents installed on your site. The @samp{Top} node of a
|
|
1141 document file listed in the @samp{Directory} should have an @samp{Up:
|
25839
|
1142 (dir)} in it.
|
|
1143
|
37344
|
1144 @cindex unstructured documents
|
25839
|
1145 The node name @kbd{*} is special: it refers to the entire file.
|
|
1146 Thus, @kbd{g*} shows you the whole current file. The use of the
|
|
1147 node @kbd{*} is to make it possible to make old-fashioned,
|
|
1148 unstructured files into nodes of the tree.
|
|
1149
|
|
1150 The @samp{Node:} name, in which a node states its own name, must not
|
37344
|
1151 contain a file name, since when Info searches for a node, it does not
|
|
1152 expect a file name to be there. The @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous} and
|
|
1153 @samp{Up} names may contain them. In this node, since the @samp{Up}
|
|
1154 node is in the same file, it was not necessary to use one.
|
25839
|
1155
|
|
1156 Note that the nodes in this file have a file name in the header
|
|
1157 line. The file names are ignored by Info, but they serve as comments
|
|
1158 to help identify the node for the user.
|
|
1159
|
44785
|
1160 @node Menus, Cross-refs, Add, Expert Info
|
25839
|
1161 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
1162 @section How to Create Menus
|
|
1163
|
37344
|
1164 Any node in the Info hierarchy may have a @dfn{menu}---a list of subnodes.
|
25839
|
1165 The @kbd{m} command searches the current node's menu for the topic which it
|
|
1166 reads from the terminal.
|
|
1167
|
37344
|
1168 @cindex menu and menu entry format
|
51713
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1169 A menu begins with a line starting with @w{@samp{* Menu:}}. The
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1170 rest of the line is a comment. After the starting line, every line
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1171 that begins with a @samp{* } lists a single topic. The name of the
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1172 topic--what the user must type at the @kbd{m}'s command prompt to
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1173 select this topic---comes right after the star and space, and is
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1174 followed by a colon, spaces and tabs, and the name of the node which
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1175 discusses that topic. The node name, like node names following
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1176 @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous} and @samp{Up}, may be terminated with a
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1177 tab, comma, or newline; it may also be terminated with a period.
|
25839
|
1178
|
|
1179 If the node name and topic name are the same, then rather than
|
37344
|
1180 giving the name twice, the abbreviation @samp{* @var{name}::} may be
|
|
1181 used (and should be used, whenever possible, as it reduces the visual
|
25839
|
1182 clutter in the menu).
|
|
1183
|
|
1184 It is considerate to choose the topic names so that they differ
|
|
1185 from each other very near the beginning---this allows the user to type
|
|
1186 short abbreviations. In a long menu, it is a good idea to capitalize
|
|
1187 the beginning of each item name which is the minimum acceptable
|
|
1188 abbreviation for it (a long menu is more than 5 or so entries).
|
|
1189
|
37344
|
1190 The nodes listed in a node's menu are called its ``subnodes'', and it
|
|
1191 is their ``superior''. They should each have an @samp{Up:} pointing at
|
|
1192 the superior. It is often useful to arrange all or most of the subnodes
|
|
1193 in a sequence of @samp{Next} and @samp{Previous} pointers so that
|
|
1194 someone who wants to see them all need not keep revisiting the Menu.
|
25839
|
1195
|
|
1196 The Info Directory is simply the menu of the node @samp{(dir)Top}---that
|
|
1197 is, node @samp{Top} in file @file{.../info/dir}. You can put new entries
|
|
1198 in that menu just like any other menu. The Info Directory is @emph{not} the
|
|
1199 same as the file directory called @file{info}. It happens that many of
|
37344
|
1200 Info's files live in that file directory, but they do not have to; and
|
|
1201 files in that directory are not automatically listed in the Info
|
25839
|
1202 Directory node.
|
|
1203
|
|
1204 Also, although the Info node graph is claimed to be a ``hierarchy'',
|
|
1205 in fact it can be @emph{any} directed graph. Shared structures and
|
|
1206 pointer cycles are perfectly possible, and can be used if they are
|
|
1207 appropriate to the meaning to be expressed. There is no need for all
|
|
1208 the nodes in a file to form a connected structure. In fact, this file
|
|
1209 has two connected components. You are in one of them, which is under
|
|
1210 the node @samp{Top}; the other contains the node @samp{Help} which the
|
|
1211 @kbd{h} command goes to. In fact, since there is no garbage
|
|
1212 collector, nothing terrible happens if a substructure is not pointed
|
|
1213 to, but such a substructure is rather useless since nobody can
|
|
1214 ever find out that it exists.
|
|
1215
|
44785
|
1216 @node Cross-refs, Tags, Menus, Expert Info
|
25839
|
1217 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
1218 @section Creating Cross References
|
|
1219
|
37344
|
1220 @cindex cross reference format
|
25839
|
1221 A cross reference can be placed anywhere in the text, unlike a menu
|
|
1222 item which must go at the front of a line. A cross reference looks
|
37344
|
1223 like a menu item except that it has @samp{*note} instead of @samp{*}.
|
25839
|
1224 It @emph{cannot} be terminated by a @samp{)}, because @samp{)}'s are
|
|
1225 so often part of node names. If you wish to enclose a cross reference
|
|
1226 in parentheses, terminate it with a period first. Here are two
|
|
1227 examples of cross references pointers:
|
|
1228
|
|
1229 @example
|
|
1230 *Note details: commands. (See *note 3: Full Proof.)
|
|
1231 @end example
|
|
1232
|
37344
|
1233 @noindent
|
|
1234 @emph{These are just examples.} The places they ``lead to'' do not
|
|
1235 really exist!
|
25839
|
1236
|
37552
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1237 @menu
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1238 * Help-Cross:: Target of a cross-reference.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1239 @end menu
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1240
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1241
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1242 @node Help-Cross, , , Cross-refs
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1243 @subsection The node reached by the cross reference in Info
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1244
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1245 This is the node reached by the cross reference named @samp{Cross}.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1246
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1247 While this node is specifically intended to be reached by a cross
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1248 reference, most cross references lead to nodes that ``belong''
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1249 someplace else far away in the structure of an Info document. So you
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1250 cannot expect this node to have a @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous} or
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1251 @samp{Up} links pointing back to where you came from. In general, the
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1252 @kbd{l} (el) command is the only way to get back there.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1253
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1254 @format
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1255 >> Type @kbd{l} to return to the node where the cross reference was.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1256 @end format
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1257
|
39355
|
1258 @node Help-Q, , Help-Int, Getting Started
|
37552
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1259 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1260 @section Quitting Info
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1261
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1262 @kindex q @r{(Info mode)}
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1263 @findex Info-exit
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1264 @cindex quitting Info mode
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1265 To get out of Info, back to what you were doing before, type @kbd{q}
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1266 for @dfn{Quit}. This runs @code{Info-exit} in Emacs.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1267
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1268 This is the end of the basic course on using Info. You have learned
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1269 how to move in an Info document, and how to follow menus and cross
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1270 references. This makes you ready for reading manuals top to bottom,
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1271 as new users should do when they learn a new package.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1272
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1273 Another set of Info commands is useful when you need to find
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1274 something quickly in a manual---that is, when you need to use a manual
|
44785
|
1275 as a reference rather than as a tutorial. We urge you to learn
|
37552
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1276 these search commands as well. If you want to do that now, follow this
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1277 cross reference to @ref{Info Search}.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1278
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1279 Yet another set of commands are meant for experienced users; you can
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1280 find them by looking in the Directory node for documentation on Info.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1281 Finding them will be a good exercise in using Info in the usual
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1282 manner.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1283
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1284 @format
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1285 >> Type @kbd{d} to go to the Info directory node; then type
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1286 @kbd{mInfo} and Return, to get to the node about Info and
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1287 see what other help is available.
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1288 @end format
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1289
|
7615043715cd
(Help-Cross): move to be a subnode of Cross-refs, instead of leaving it dangling.
Karl Berry <karl@gnu.org>
diff
changeset
|
1290
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44785
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1291 @node Tags, Checking, Cross-refs, Expert Info
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1292 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
|
|
1293 @section Tags Tables for Info Files
|
|
1294
|
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1295 @cindex tags tables in info files
|
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1296 You can speed up the access to nodes of a large Info file by giving
|
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1297 it a tags table. Unlike the tags table for a program, the tags table for
|
37344
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1298 an Info file lives inside the file itself and is used
|
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1299 automatically whenever Info reads in the file.
|
|
1300
|
37344
|
1301 @findex Info-tagify
|
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1302 To make a tags table, go to a node in the file using Emacs Info mode and type
|
|
1303 @kbd{M-x Info-tagify}. Then you must use @kbd{C-x C-s} to save the
|
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1304 file. Info files produced by the @code{makeinfo} command that is part
|
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1305 of the Texinfo package always have tags tables to begin with.
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1306
|
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1307 @cindex stale tags tables
|
|
1308 @cindex update Info tags table
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1309 Once the Info file has a tags table, you must make certain it is up
|
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1310 to date. If you edit an Info file directly (as opposed to editing its
|
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1311 Texinfo source), and, as a result of deletion of text, any node moves back
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1312 more than a thousand characters in the file from the position
|
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1313 recorded in the tags table, Info will no longer be able to find that
|
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1314 node. To update the tags table, use the @code{Info-tagify} command
|
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1315 again.
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1316
|
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1317 An Info file tags table appears at the end of the file and looks like
|
|
1318 this:
|
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1319
|
|
1320 @example
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1321 ^_^L
|
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1322 Tag Table:
|
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1323 File: info, Node: Cross-refs^?21419
|
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1324 File: info, Node: Tags^?22145
|
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1325 ^_
|
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1326 End Tag Table
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1327 @end example
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1328
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1329 @noindent
|
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1330 Note that it contains one line per node, and this line contains
|
|
1331 the beginning of the node's header (ending just after the node name),
|
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1332 a @samp{DEL} character, and the character position in the file of the
|
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1333 beginning of the node.
|
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1334
|
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1335
|
44785
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1336 @node Checking, Emacs Info Variables, Tags, Expert Info
|
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1337 @section Checking an Info File
|
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1338
|
37344
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1339 When creating an Info file, it is easy to forget the name of a node when
|
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1340 you are making a pointer to it from another node. If you put in the
|
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1341 wrong name for a node, this is not detected until someone tries to go
|
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1342 through the pointer using Info. Verification of the Info file is an
|
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1343 automatic process which checks all pointers to nodes and reports any
|
|
1344 pointers which are invalid. Every @samp{Next}, @samp{Previous}, and
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1345 @samp{Up} is checked, as is every menu item and every cross reference. In
|
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1346 addition, any @samp{Next} which does not have a @samp{Previous} pointing
|
|
1347 back is reported. Only pointers within the file are checked, because
|
|
1348 checking pointers to other files would be terribly slow. But those are
|
|
1349 usually few.
|
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|
1350
|
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|
1351 @findex Info-validate
|
|
1352 To check an Info file, do @kbd{M-x Info-validate} while looking at any
|
|
1353 node of the file with Emacs Info mode.
|
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1354
|
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1355 @node Emacs Info Variables, , Checking, Expert Info
|
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|
1356 @section Emacs Info-mode Variables
|
|
1357
|
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1358 The following variables may modify the behavior of Info-mode in Emacs;
|
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1359 you may wish to set one or several of these variables interactively, or
|
|
1360 in your @file{~/.emacs} init file. @xref{Examining, Examining and Setting
|
|
1361 Variables, Examining and Setting Variables, emacs, The GNU Emacs
|
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1362 Manual}. The stand-alone Info reader program has its own set of
|
|
1363 variables, described in @ref{Variables,, Manipulating Variables,
|
|
1364 info-stnd, GNU Info}.
|
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|
1365
|
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1366 @vtable @code
|
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|
1367 @item Info-directory-list
|
|
1368 The list of directories to search for Info files. Each element is a
|
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1369 string (directory name) or @code{nil} (try default directory). If not
|
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1370 initialized Info uses the environment variable @env{INFOPATH} to
|
|
1371 initialize it, or @code{Info-default-directory-list} if there is no
|
|
1372 @env{INFOPATH} variable in the environment.
|
|
1373
|
42914
|
1374 If you wish to customize the Info directory search list for both Emacs
|
|
1375 info and stand-alone Info, it is best to set the @env{INFOPATH}
|
|
1376 environment variable, since that applies to both programs.
|
|
1377
|
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|
1378 @item Info-additional-directory-list
|
|
1379 A list of additional directories to search for Info documentation files.
|
|
1380 These directories are not searched for merging the @file{dir} file.
|
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|
1381
|
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|
1382 @item Info-fontify
|
|
1383 When set to a non-@code{nil} value, enables highlighting of Info
|
|
1384 files. The default is @code{t}. You can change how the highlighting
|
48162
|
1385 looks by customizing the faces @code{info-node}, @code{info-xref},
|
|
1386 @code{info-header-xref}, @code{info-header-node}, @code{info-menu-5},
|
|
1387 @code{info-menu-header}, and @code{info-title-@var{n}-face} (where
|
|
1388 @var{n} is the level of the section, a number between 1 and 4). To
|
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|
1389 customize a face, type @kbd{M-x customize-face @key{RET} @var{face}
|
|
1390 @key{RET}}, where @var{face} is one of the face names listed here.
|
|
1391
|
|
1392 @item Info-use-header-line
|
|
1393 If non-@code{nil}, Emacs puts in the Info buffer a header line showing
|
|
1394 the @samp{Next}, @samp{Prev}, and @samp{Up} links. A header line does
|
|
1395 not scroll with the rest of the buffer, making these links always
|
|
1396 visible.
|
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|
1397
|
51713
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1398 @item Info-hide-note-references
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1399 As explained in earlier nodes, the Emacs version of Info normally
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1400 hides some text in menus and cross-references. You can completely
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1401 disable this feature, by setting this option to @code{nil}. Setting
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1402 it to a value that is neither @code{nil} nor @code{t} produces an
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1403 intermediate behavior, hiding a limited amount of text, but showing
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1404 all text that could potentially be useful.
|
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1405
|
37344
|
1406 @item Info-scroll-prefer-subnodes
|
37362
|
1407 If set to a non-@code{nil} value, @key{SPC} and @key{BACKSPACE} (or
|
|
1408 @key{DEL}) keys in a menu visit subnodes of the current node before
|
|
1409 scrolling to its end or beginning, respectively. For example, if the
|
|
1410 node's menu appears on the screen, the next @key{SPC} moves to a
|
|
1411 subnode indicated by the following menu item. Setting this option to
|
|
1412 @code{nil} results in behavior similar to the stand-alone Info reader
|
|
1413 program, which visits the first subnode from the menu only when you
|
51713
205602055b5f
(Help): Mention existence of Emacs and stand-alone Info at the very
Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu>
diff
changeset
|
1414 hit the end of the current node. The default is @code{nil}.
|
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|
1415
|
37344
|
1416 @item Info-enable-active-nodes
|
|
1417 When set to a non-@code{nil} value, allows Info to execute Lisp code
|
|
1418 associated with nodes. The Lisp code is executed when the node is
|
|
1419 selected. The Lisp code to be executed should follow the node
|
37392
|
1420 delimiter (the @samp{DEL} character) and an @samp{execute: } tag, like
|
37362
|
1421 this:
|
37344
|
1422
|
|
1423 @example
|
|
1424 ^_execute: (message "This is an active node!")
|
|
1425 @end example
|
|
1426
|
|
1427 @item Info-enable-edit
|
|
1428 Set to @code{nil}, disables the @samp{e} (@code{Info-edit}) command. A
|
|
1429 non-@code{nil} value enables it. @xref{Add, Edit}.
|
|
1430 @end vtable
|
|
1431
|
|
1432
|
|
1433 @node Creating an Info File
|
|
1434 @chapter Creating an Info File from a Texinfo File
|
25839
|
1435
|
|
1436 @code{makeinfo} is a utility that converts a Texinfo file into an Info
|
|
1437 file; @code{texinfo-format-region} and @code{texinfo-format-buffer} are
|
|
1438 GNU Emacs functions that do the same.
|
|
1439
|
37344
|
1440 @xref{Top,, Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU
|
|
1441 Documentation Format}, to learn how to write a Texinfo file.
|
|
1442
|
|
1443 @xref{Creating an Info File,,, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU Documentation
|
|
1444 Format}, to learn how to create an Info file from a Texinfo file.
|
25839
|
1445
|
37344
|
1446 @xref{Installing an Info File,,, texinfo, Texinfo: The GNU
|
|
1447 Documentation Format}, to learn how to install an Info file after you
|
|
1448 have created one.
|
|
1449
|
|
1450 @node Index
|
|
1451 @unnumbered Index
|
|
1452
|
|
1453 This is an alphabetical listing of all the commands, variables, and
|
|
1454 topics discussed in this document.
|
|
1455
|
|
1456 @printindex cp
|
25839
|
1457
|
|
1458 @bye
|
52401
|
1459
|
|
1460 @ignore
|
|
1461 arch-tag: 965c1638-01d6-4156-9227-b10418b9d8e8
|
|
1462 @end ignore
|