Manuals in pdf format

[Werner LEMBERG]

[about the PDF output of groff.texinfo]

> - I find something interesting somewhere, I try it out and it does
>   not work.  Yeah, this thing does not belong to groff, it does
>   belong to a macro package.
>
>     The header says:  "The GNU Troff Manual"
>     The header on the next page says: "Macro Packages" [The chapter
>                                                         title.]
>     Closer but not close enough.
>     They both should say: "The ms macro package". [The section
>                                                    title.]

I agree, this is a problem.  While texinfo.tex internally uses
\thissection, it doesn't give the current section's title.

Please add a proper @thissection command which expands to `Section
X.X: ...'!

Then I can say, for example, this:

  @headings off
  @evenheading @| @| @thischapter
  @oddheading @thissection @| @|
  @evenfooting @thispage @| @| @thistitle
  @oddfooting @thistitle @| @| @thispage

BTW, a footer string as defined with @xxxfooting jumps up and down
within the output -- this is *really* ugly, and I consider it as a
severe typographical bug (I use texinfo 4.8).  The vertical position
of a footer line must not be influenced by the page's contents.

[If you need an example for demonstration, just insert the above five
 lines into groff.texinfo, after the address@hidden titlepage' line.  Then say
 `make groff.pdf within the `doc' subdirectory of the groff package.]


    Werner


PS: A related thing is the use of `Chapter:' in the header line.  I
    consider this redundant; a simple number would be sufficient.
    Consequently, I would like to see @thissectionname, @thissecnum,
    and @thischapnum.