Info Node: (texinfo)Top

texinfo: Top

(dir) Copying Conditions Back to Software Index


Texinfo
*******

This manual is for GNU Texinfo (version 5.1, 11 March 2013), a
documentation system that can produce both online information and a
printed manual from a single source using semantic markup.

  The first part of this master menu lists the major nodes in this Info
document, including the @-command and concept indices.  The rest of the
menu lists all the lower level nodes in the document.

Copying Conditions: Your rights.
Overview: Texinfo in brief.
Texinfo Mode: Using the GNU Emacs Texinfo mode.
Beginning a File: What is at the beginning of a Texinfo file?
Ending a File: What is at the end of a Texinfo file?
Chapter Structuring: Creating chapters, sections, appendices, etc.
Nodes: Writing nodes, the basic unit of Texinfo.
Menus: Writing menus.
Cross References: Writing cross references.
Marking Text: Marking words and phrases as code, keyboard input, meta-syntactic variables, and the like.
Quotations and Examples: Block quotations, examples, etc.
Lists and Tables: Itemized or numbered lists, and tables.
Special Displays: Floating figures and footnotes.
Indices: Creating indices.
Insertions: Inserting @-signs, braces, etc.
Breaks: Forcing or preventing line and page breaks.
Definition Commands: Describing functions and the like uniformly.
Internationalization: Supporting languages other than English.
Conditionals: Specifying text for only some output cases.
Defining New Texinfo Commands: User-defined macros and aliases.
Include Files: How to incorporate other Texinfo files.
Hardcopy: Output for paper, with TeX.
Generic Translator texi2any: 'texi2any', an all-purpose converter.
Creating and Installing Info Files: Details on Info output.
Generating HTML: Details on HTML output.
Command List: All the Texinfo @-commands.
Tips: Hints on how to write a Texinfo document.
Sample Texinfo Files: Complete examples, including full texts.
Headings: How to write page headings and footings.
Catching Mistakes: How to find mistakes in formatting.
Info Format Specification: Technical details of the Info file format.
GNU Free Documentation License: Copying this manual.
Command and Variable Index: A menu containing commands and variables.
General Index: A menu covering many topics.

 -- The Detailed Node Listing --

Overview of Texinfo

Reporting Bugs: Submitting effective bug reports.
Using Texinfo: Create printed or online output.
Output Formats: Overview of the supported output formats.
Adding Output Formats: Man pages and implementing new formats.
Texinfo Document Structure: How Texinfo manuals are usually arranged.
Info Files: What is an Info file?
Printed Books: Characteristics of a printed book or manual.
Formatting Commands: @-commands are used for formatting.
Conventions: General rules for writing a Texinfo file.
Comments: Writing comments and ignored text in general.
Minimum: What a Texinfo file must have.
Six Parts: Usually, a Texinfo file has six parts.
Short Sample: A short sample Texinfo file.
History: Acknowledgements, contributors and genesis.

Using Texinfo Mode

Texinfo Mode Overview: How Texinfo mode can help you.
Emacs Editing: Texinfo mode adds to GNU Emacs' general purpose editing features.
Inserting: How to insert frequently used @-commands.
Showing the Structure: How to show the structure of a file.
Updating Nodes and Menus: How to update or create new nodes and menus.
Info Formatting: How to format for Info.
Printing: How to format and print part or all of a file.
Texinfo Mode Summary: Summary of all the Texinfo mode commands.

Updating Nodes and Menus

Updating Commands: Five major updating commands.
Updating Requirements: How to structure a Texinfo file for using the updating command.
Other Updating Commands: How to indent descriptions, insert missing nodes lines, and update nodes in sequence.

Beginning a Texinfo File

Sample Beginning: A sample beginning for a Texinfo file.
Texinfo File Header: The first lines.
Document Permissions: Ensuring your manual is free.
Titlepage & Copyright Page: Creating the title and copyright pages.
Contents: How to create a table of contents.
The Top Node: Creating the 'Top' node and master menu.
Global Document Commands: Affecting formatting throughout.

Texinfo File Header

First Line: The first line of a Texinfo file.
Start of Header: Formatting a region requires this.
@setfilename: Tell Info the name of the Info file.
@settitle: Create a title for the printed work.
End of Header: Formatting a region requires this.

Document Permissions

@copying: Declare the document's copying permissions.
@insertcopying: Where to insert the permissions.

Title and Copyright Pages

@titlepage: Create a title for the printed document.
@titlefont @center @sp: The '@titlefont', '@center', and '@sp' commands.
@title @subtitle @author: The '@title', '@subtitle', and '@author' commands.
Copyright: How to write the copyright notice and include copying permissions.
Heading Generation: Turn on page headings after the title and copyright pages.

The 'Top' Node and Master Menu

Top Node Example
Master Menu Parts

Global Document Commands

@documentdescription: Document summary for the HTML output.
@setchapternewpage: Start chapters on right-hand pages.
@headings: An option for turning headings on and off and double or single sided printing.
@paragraphindent: Specify paragraph indentation.
@firstparagraphindent: Suppressing first paragraph indentation.
@exampleindent: Specify environment indentation.

Ending a Texinfo File

Printing Indices & Menus: How to print an index in hardcopy and generate index menus in Info.
File End: How to mark the end of a file.

Chapter Structuring

Tree Structuring: A manual is like an upside down tree ...
Structuring Command Types: How to divide a manual into parts.
@chapter: Chapter structuring.
@unnumbered @appendix
@majorheading @chapheading
@section
@unnumberedsec @appendixsec @heading
@subsection
@unnumberedsubsec @appendixsubsec @subheading
@subsubsection: Commands for the lowest level sections.
@part: Collections of chapters.
Raise/lower sections: How to change commands' hierarchical level.

Nodes

@node: Creating nodes, in detail.
makeinfo Pointer Creation: Letting makeinfo determine node pointers.
@anchor: Defining arbitrary cross reference targets.
Node Menu Illustration: A diagram, and sample nodes and menus.

The '@node' Command

Node Names: How to choose node and pointer names.
Writing a Node: How to write an '@node' line.
Node Line Requirements: Keep names unique.
First Node: How to write a 'Top' node.
@top Command: How to use the '@top' command.

Menus

Menu Location: Menus go at the ends of nodes.
Writing a Menu: What is a menu?
Menu Parts: A menu entry has three parts.
Less Cluttered Menu Entry: Two part menu entry.
Menu Example: Two and three part menu entries.
Other Info Files: How to refer to a different Info file.

Cross References

References: What cross references are for.
Cross Reference Commands: A summary of the different commands.
Cross Reference Parts: A cross reference has several parts.
@xref: Begin a reference with 'See' ...
Top Node Naming: How to refer to the beginning of another file.
@ref: A reference for the last part of a sentence.
@pxref: How to write a parenthetical cross reference.
@inforef: How to refer to an Info-only file.
@url: How to refer to a uniform resource locator.
@cite: How to refer to books not in the Info system.

'@xref'

Reference Syntax: What a reference looks like and requires.
One Argument: '@xref' with one argument.
Two Arguments: '@xref' with two arguments.
Three Arguments: '@xref' with three arguments.
Four and Five Arguments: '@xref' with four and five arguments.

Marking Text, Words and Phrases

Indicating: How to indicate definitions, files, etc.
Emphasis: How to emphasize text.

Indicating Definitions, Commands, etc.

Useful Highlighting: Highlighting provides useful information.
@code: Indicating program code.
@kbd: Showing keyboard input.
@key: Specifying keys.
@samp: Indicating a literal sequence of characters.
@verb: Indicating a verbatim sequence of characters.
@var: Indicating metasyntactic variables.
@env: Indicating environment variables.
@file: Indicating file names.
@command: Indicating command names.
@option: Indicating option names.
@dfn: Specifying definitions.
@abbr: Indicating abbreviations.
@acronym: Indicating acronyms.
@indicateurl: Indicating an example url.
@email: Indicating an electronic mail address.

Emphasizing Text

@emph @strong: How to emphasize text in Texinfo.
Smallcaps: How to use the small caps font.
Fonts: Various font commands for printed output.

Quotations and Examples

Block Enclosing Commands: Different constructs for different purposes.
@quotation: Writing a quotation.
@indentedblock: Block of text indented on left.
@example: Writing an example in a fixed-width font.
@verbatim: Writing a verbatim example.
@verbatiminclude: Including a file verbatim.
@lisp: Illustrating Lisp code.
@small...: Examples in a smaller font.
@display: Writing an example in the current font.
@format: Writing an example without narrowed margins.
@exdent: Undo indentation on a line.
@flushleft @flushright: Pushing text flush left or flush right.
@raggedright: Avoiding justification on the right.
@noindent: Preventing paragraph indentation.
@indent: Forcing paragraph indentation.
@cartouche: Drawing rounded rectangles around text.

Lists and Tables

Introducing Lists: Texinfo formats lists for you.
@itemize: How to construct a simple list.
@enumerate: How to construct a numbered list.
Two-column Tables: How to construct a two-column table.
Multi-column Tables: How to construct generalized tables.

Making a Two-column Table

@table: How to construct a two-column table.
@ftable @vtable: Automatic indexing for two-column tables.
@itemx: How to put more entries in the first column.

'@multitable': Multi-column Tables

Multitable Column Widths: Defining multitable column widths.
Multitable Rows: Defining multitable rows, with examples.

Special Displays

Floats: Figures, tables, and the like.
Images: Including graphics and images.
Footnotes: Writing footnotes.

Floats

@float: Producing floating material.
@caption @shortcaption: Specifying descriptions for floats.
@listoffloats: A table of contents for floats.

Inserting Images

Image Syntax
Image Scaling

Footnotes

Footnote Commands: How to write a footnote in Texinfo.
Footnote Styles: Controlling how footnotes appear in Info.

Indices

Index Entries: Choose different words for index entries.
Predefined Indices: Use different indices for different kinds of entries.
Indexing Commands: How to make an index entry.
Combining Indices: How to combine indices.
New Indices: How to define your own indices.

Combining Indices

@syncodeindex: How to merge two indices, using '@code' font for the merged-from index.
@synindex: How to merge two indices, using the roman font for the merged-from index.

Special Insertions

Special Characters: Inserting @ {} , \ #
Inserting Quote Characters: Inserting left and right quotes, in code.
Inserting Space: Inserting the right amount of whitespace.
Inserting Accents: Inserting accents and special characters.
Inserting Quotation Marks: Inserting quotation marks.
Inserting Math: Formatting mathematical expressions.
Glyphs for Text: Inserting Dots, bullets, currencies, etc.
Glyphs for Programming: Indicating results of evaluation, expansion of macros, errors, etc.

Special Characters: Inserting @ {} , \ #

Inserting an Atsign: '@@', '@atchar{}'.
Inserting Braces: '@{ @}', '@l rbracechar{}'.
Inserting a Comma: , and '@comma{}'.
Inserting a Backslash: \ and '@backslashchar{}'.
Inserting a Hashsign: # and '@hashchar{}'.

Inserting Space

Multiple Spaces: Inserting multiple spaces.
Not Ending a Sentence: Sometimes a . doesn't end a sentence.
Ending a Sentence: Sometimes it does.
@frenchspacing: Specifying end-of-sentence spacing.
@dmn: Formatting a dimension.

Glyphs for Text

@TeX @LaTeX: The TeX logos.
@copyright: The copyright symbol (c in a circle).
@registeredsymbol: The registered symbol (R in a circle).
@dots: How to insert ellipses: ... and ...
@bullet: How to insert a bullet: *
@euro: How to insert the euro currency symbol.
@pounds: How to insert the pounds currency symbol.
@textdegree: How to insert the degrees symbol.
@minus: How to insert a minus sign.
@geq @leq: How to insert greater/less-than-or-equal signs.

Glyphs for Programming

Glyphs Summary
@result: How to show the result of expression.
@expansion: How to indicate an expansion.
@print: How to indicate generated output.
@error: How to indicate an error message.
@equiv: How to indicate equivalence.
@point: How to indicate the location of point.
Click Sequences: Inserting GUI usage sequences.

Forcing and Preventing Breaks

Break Commands: Summary of break-related commands.
Line Breaks: Forcing line breaks.
@- @hyphenation: Helping TeX with hyphenation points.
@allowcodebreaks: Controlling line breaks within @code text.
@w: Preventing unwanted line breaks in text.
@tie: Inserting an unbreakable but varying space.
@sp: Inserting blank lines.
@page: Forcing the start of a new page.
@group: Preventing unwanted page breaks.
@need: Another way to prevent unwanted page breaks.

Definition Commands

Def Cmd Template: Writing descriptions using definition commands.
Def Cmd Continuation Lines: Continuing the heading over source lines.
Optional Arguments: Handling optional and repeated arguments.
@deffnx: Group two or more 'first' lines.
Def Cmds in Detail: Reference for all the definition commands.
Def Cmd Conventions: Conventions for writing definitions.
Sample Function Definition: An example.

The Definition Commands

Functions Commands: Commands for functions and similar entities.
Variables Commands: Commands for variables and similar entities.
Typed Functions: Commands for functions in typed languages.
Typed Variables: Commands for variables in typed languages.
Data Types: The definition command for data types.
Abstract Objects: Commands for object-oriented programming.

Object-Oriented Programming

Variables: Object-Oriented Variables.
Methods: Object-Oriented Methods.

Internationalization

@documentlanguage: Declaring the current language.
@documentencoding: Declaring the input encoding.

Conditionally Visible Text

Conditional Commands: Text for a given format.
Conditional Not Commands: Text for any format other than a given one.
Raw Formatter Commands: Using raw formatter commands.
Inline Conditionals: Brace-delimited conditional text.
@set @clear @value: Variable tests and substitutions.
Testing for Texinfo Commands: Testing if a Texinfo command is available.
Conditional Nesting: Using conditionals inside conditionals.

'@set', '@clear', and '@value'

@set @value: Expand a flag variable to a string.
@ifset @ifclear: Format a region if a flag is set.
@value Example: An easy way to update edition information.

Defining New Texinfo Commands

Defining Macros: Defining and undefining new commands.
Invoking Macros: Using a macro, once you've defined it.
Macro Details: Limitations of Texinfo macros.
@alias: Command aliases.
@definfoenclose: Customized highlighting.
External Macro Processors: '#line' directives.

External Macro Processors: Line Directives

#line Directive
TeX: #line and TeX.
Syntax: #line Syntax Details.

Include Files

Using Include Files: How to use the '@include' command.
texinfo-multiple-files-update: How to create and update nodes and menus when using included files.
Include Files Requirements: 'texinfo-multiple-files-update' needs.
Sample Include File: A sample outer file with included files within it; and a sample included file.
Include Files Evolution: How use of the '@include' command has changed over time.

Formatting and Printing Hardcopy

Use TeX: Use TeX to format for hardcopy.
Format with tex/texindex: How to format with explicit shell commands.
Format with texi2dvi: A simpler way to format.
Print with lpr: How to print.
Within Emacs: How to format and print from an Emacs shell.
Texinfo Mode Printing: How to format and print in Texinfo mode.
Compile-Command: How to print using Emacs's compile command.
Requirements Summary: TeX formatting requirements summary.
Preparing for TeX: What to do before you use TeX.
Overfull hboxes: What are and what to do with overfull hboxes.
@smallbook: How to print small format books and manuals.
A4 Paper: How to print on A4 or A5 paper.
@pagesizes: How to print with customized page sizes.
Cropmarks and Magnification: How to print marks to indicate the size of pages and how to print scaled up output.
PDF Output: Portable Document Format output.
Obtaining TeX: How to obtain TeX.

'texi2any': The Generic Translator for Texinfo

Reference Implementation: 'texi2any': the reference implementation.
Invoking texi2any: Running the translator from a shell.
texi2any Printed Output: Calling 'texi2dvi'.
Pointer Validation: How to check that pointers point somewhere.
Customization Variables: Configuring 'texi2any'.
Internationalization of Document Strings: Translating program-inserted text.
Invoking pod2texi: Translating Perl pod to Texinfo.
texi2html: An ancestor of 'texi2any'.

Customization Variables

Commands: Customization Variables for @-Commands.
Options: Customization Variables and Options.
Other: Other Customization Variables.

Creating and Installing Info Files

Creating an Info File
Installing an Info File

Creating an Info File

makeinfo Advantages: 'makeinfo' provides better error checking.
makeinfo in Emacs: How to run 'makeinfo' from Emacs.
texinfo-format commands: Two Info formatting commands written in Emacs Lisp are an alternative to 'makeinfo'.
Batch Formatting: How to format for Info in Emacs Batch mode.
Tag and Split Files: How tagged and split files help Info to run better.

Installing an Info File

Directory File: The top level menu for all Info files.
New Info File: Listing a new Info file.
Other Info Directories: How to specify Info files that are located in other directories.
Installing Dir Entries: How to specify what menu entry to add to the Info directory.
Invoking install-info: 'install-info' options.

Generating HTML

HTML Translation: Details of the HTML output.
HTML Splitting: How HTML output is split.
HTML CSS: Influencing HTML output with Cascading Style Sheets.
HTML Xref: Cross references in HTML output.

HTML Cross References

Link Basics: HTML Xref Link Basics.
Node Expansion: HTML Xref Node Name Expansion.
Command Expansion: HTML Xref Command Expansion.
8-bit Expansion: HTML Xref 8-bit Character Expansion.
Mismatch: HTML Xref Mismatch.
Configuration: HTML Xref Configuration. htmlxref.cnf.
Preserving links: HTML Xref Link Preservation. MANUAL-noderename.cnf.

@-Command List

Command Syntax: General syntax for varieties of @-commands.
Command Contexts: Guidelines for which commands can be used where.

Sample Texinfo Files

Short Sample Texinfo File
GNU Sample Texts
Verbatim Copying License
All-permissive Copying License

Page Headings

Headings Introduced: Conventions for using page headings.
Heading Format: Standard page heading formats.
Heading Choice: How to specify the type of page heading.
Custom Headings: How to create your own headings and footings.

Catching Mistakes

makeinfo Preferred: 'makeinfo' finds errors.
Debugging with Info: How to catch errors with Info formatting.
Debugging with TeX: How to catch errors with TeX formatting.
Using texinfo-show-structure: How to use 'texinfo-show-structure'.
Using occur: How to list all lines containing a pattern.
Running Info-validate: How to find badly referenced nodes.

Finding Badly Referenced Nodes

Using Info-validate: How to run 'Info-validate'.
Unsplit: How to create an unsplit file.
Tagifying: How to tagify a file.
Splitting: How to split a file manually.

Info Format Specification

General: Info Format General Layout.
Text: Info Format Text Constructs.

Info Format General Layout

Whole: Info Format Whole Manual. Split vs. nonsplit manuals.
Preamble: Info Format Preamble.
Indirect: Info Format Indirect Tag Table.
Tag table: Info Format Tag Table.
Local variables: Info Format Local Variables.
Regular nodes: Info Format Regular Nodes.

Info Format Text Constructs

Info Format Menu.

Image: Info Format Image.
Printindex: Info Format Printindex.
Xref: Info Format Cross Reference.

     Documentation is like sex: when it is good, it is very, very good;
     and when it is bad, it is better than nothing.  --Dick Brandon

automatically generated by info2www version 1.2