GNU Texinfo 6.3

Short Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Next: , Up: (dir)   [Contents][Index]

Texinfo

This manual is for GNU Texinfo (version 6.3, 30 July 2016), 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.
• Writing a Texinfo File:  Format of a Texinfo source file.
• Beginning and Ending a File:  Beginning and end of a Texinfo file.
• Nodes:  Writing nodes, the basic unit of Texinfo.
• Chapter Structuring:  Creating chapters, sections, appendices, etc.
• 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. 

Appendices
• @-Command Details:  Details of the Texinfo @-commands.
• Tips:  Hints on how to write a Texinfo document.
• Sample Texinfo Files:  Complete examples, including full texts.
• Texinfo Mode:  Using the GNU Emacs Texinfo mode.
• 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.
• Output Formats:  Overview of the supported output formats.
• Info Files:  What is an Info file?
• Printed Books:  Characteristics of a printed book or manual.
• Adding Output Formats:  Man pages and implementing new formats.
• History:  Acknowledgements, contributors and genesis. 

Writing a Texinfo File
• Command Syntax:  @-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.
• Short Sample:  A short sample Texinfo file. 

Beginning and Ending 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.
• Ending a File:  What is at the end of a Texinfo file? 

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. 

Nodes
• Texinfo Document Structure:  How Texinfo manuals are usually arranged.
• Node Names:  How to choose node 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.
• Node Menu Illustration:  A diagram, and sample nodes and menus.
• makeinfo Pointer Creation:  Letting makeinfo determine node pointers.
• Menus:  Listing subordinate nodes. 

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

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’ …
• Referring to a Manual as a Whole:  Refer to an entire manual.
• @ref:  A reference for the last part of a sentence.
• @pxref:  How to write a parenthetical cross-reference.
• @anchor:  Defining arbitrary cross-reference targets
• @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
• 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. 

@url, @uref{url[, text][, replacement]}
• @url Examples:  Examples of using all the forms of @url.
• URL Line Breaking:  How lines are broken within @url text.
• @url PDF Output Format:  A special option to hide links in PDF output.
• PDF Colors:  Colorizing urls and other links in PDF output. 

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.
• Printing Indices & Menus:  How to print an index in hardcopy and generate index menus in Info.
• 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 Subscripts and Superscripts:  Inserting sub/superscripts.
• 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.
• Inserting Unicode:  Inserting a Unicode character by code point. 

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:  
• 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. 

Flags: @set, @clear, conditionals, and @value
• @set @value:  Expand a flag variable to a string.
• @ifset @ifclear:  Format a region if a flag is set.
• @inlineifset @inlineifclear:  Brace-delimited flag conditionals.
• @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:  
• Syntax:   

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 texi2dvi:  The simplest way to format.
• Format with tex/texindex:  Formatting with explicit shell commands.
• 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. 

Format with tex/texindex
• Formatting Partial Documents:  
• Details of texindex:   

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:  
• Options:  
• HTML:  
• Other:   

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:  
• Node Expansion:  
• Command Expansion:  
• 8-bit Expansion:  
• Mismatch:  
• Configuration:  htmlxref.cnf.
• Preserving links:  MANUAL-noderename.cnf. 

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

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. 

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:  
• Text:   

Info Format General Layout
• Whole:  Split vs. nonsplit manuals.
• Preamble:  
• Indirect:  
• Tag table:  
• Local variables:  
• Regular nodes:   

Info Format Text Constructs
• Menu:  
• Image:  
• Printindex:  
• Xref:  

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

Next: , Up: (dir)   [Contents][Index]