texinfo: Updating Commands

Updating Nodes and Menus

Updating Requirements

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2.5.1 The Updating Commands
---------------------------

You can use the updating commands to:

   * insert or update the 'Next', 'Previous', and 'Up' pointers of a
     node,

   * insert or update the menu for a section, and

   * create a master menu for a Texinfo source file.

  You can also use the commands to update all the nodes and menus in a
region or in a whole Texinfo file.

  The updating commands work only with conventional Texinfo files, which
are structured hierarchically like books.  In such files, a structuring
command line must follow closely after each '@node' line, except for the
'Top' '@node' line.  (A "structuring command line" is a line beginning
with '@chapter', '@section', or other similar command.)

  You can write the structuring command line on the line that follows
immediately after an '@node' line or else on the line that follows after
a single '@comment' line or a single '@ifinfo' line.  You cannot
interpose more than one line between the '@node' line and the
structuring command line; and you may interpose only an '@comment' line
or an '@ifinfo' line.

  Commands which work on a whole buffer require that the 'Top' node be
followed by a node with an '@chapter' or equivalent-level command.  The
menu updating commands will not create a main or master menu for a
Texinfo file that has only '@chapter'-level nodes!  The menu updating
commands only create menus _within_ nodes for lower level nodes.  To
create a menu of chapters, you must provide a 'Top' node.

  The menu updating commands remove menu entries that refer to other
Info files since they do not refer to nodes within the current buffer.
This is a deficiency.  Rather than use menu entries, you can use cross
references to refer to other Info files.  None of the updating commands
affect cross references.

  Texinfo mode has five updating commands that are used most often: two
are for updating the node pointers or menu of a single node (or a
region); two are for updating every node pointer and menu in a file; and
one, the 'texinfo-master-menu' command, is for creating a master menu
for a complete file, and optionally, for updating every node and menu in
the whole Texinfo file.

  The 'texinfo-master-menu' command is the primary command:

'C-c C-u m'
'M-x texinfo-master-menu'
     Create or update a master menu that includes all the other menus
     (incorporating the descriptions from pre-existing menus, if any).

     With an argument (prefix argument, 'C-u,' if interactive), first
     create or update all the nodes and all the regular menus in the
     buffer before constructing the master menu.  (Note: The Top Node
     and Master Menu, for more about a master menu.)

     For 'texinfo-master-menu' to work, the Texinfo file must have a
     'Top' node and at least one subsequent node.

     After extensively editing a Texinfo file, you can type the
     following:

          C-u M-x texinfo-master-menu
     or
          C-u C-c C-u m

     This updates all the nodes and menus completely and all at once.

  The other major updating commands do smaller jobs and are designed for
the person who updates nodes and menus as he or she writes a Texinfo
file.

  The commands are:

'C-c C-u C-n'
'M-x texinfo-update-node'
     Insert the 'Next', 'Previous', and 'Up' pointers for the node that
     point is within (i.e., for the '@node' line preceding point).  If
     the '@node' line has pre-existing 'Next', 'Previous', or 'Up'
     pointers in it, the old pointers are removed and new ones inserted.
     With an argument (prefix argument, 'C-u', if interactive), this
     command updates all '@node' lines in the region (which is the text
     between point and mark).

'C-c C-u C-m'
'M-x texinfo-make-menu'
     Create or update the menu in the node that point is within.  With
     an argument ('C-u' as prefix argument, if interactive), the command
     makes or updates menus for the nodes which are either within or a
     part of the region.

     Whenever 'texinfo-make-menu' updates an existing menu, the
     descriptions from that menu are incorporated into the new menu.
     This is done by copying descriptions from the existing menu to the
     entries in the new menu that have the same node names.  If the node
     names are different, the descriptions are not copied to the new
     menu.

'C-c C-u C-e'
'M-x texinfo-every-node-update'
     Insert or update the 'Next', 'Previous', and 'Up' pointers for
     every node in the buffer.

'C-c C-u C-a'
'M-x texinfo-all-menus-update'
     Create or update all the menus in the buffer.  With an argument
     ('C-u' as prefix argument, if interactive), first insert or update
     all the node pointers before working on the menus.

     If a master menu exists, the 'texinfo-all-menus-update' command
     updates it; but the command does not create a new master menu if
     none already exists.  (Use the 'texinfo-master-menu' command for
     that.)

     When working on a document that does not merit a master menu, you
     can type the following:

          C-u C-c C-u C-a
     or
          C-u M-x texinfo-all-menus-update

     This updates all the nodes and menus.

  The 'texinfo-column-for-description' variable specifies the column to
which menu descriptions are indented.  By default, the value is 32
although it can be useful to reduce it to as low as 24.  You can set the
variable via customization (Note: (emacs)Changing an Option) or with
the 'M-x set-variable' command (*note Examining and Setting Variables:
(emacs)Examining.).

  Also, the 'texinfo-indent-menu-description' command may be used to
indent existing menu descriptions to a specified column.  Finally, if
you wish, you can use the 'texinfo-insert-node-lines' command to insert
missing '@node' lines into a file.  (Note: Other Updating Commands,
for more information.)