Re: [bug #43042] Texinfo manual typo and improvement in info node 'Node Line Requirements'

[Gavin Smith]

On Thu, Aug 21, 2014 at 6:22 PM, Vincent Belaïche
<address@hidden> wrote:
> = References =
> See bug report on EMACS info viewer
> <http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=18308#11>.
>
> = Position of problem =
>
> In texinfo manual info node `(texinfo) Node Line Requirements', one can read
> the following:
>
>
>      all define the same node, namely 'foo bar'.  References to the node
>      should all use that name, with no leading or trailing spaces a
>      single internal space.
>
>
> = Missing *and* =
>
> I think that it should read `with no leading or trailing spaces *and* a single
> internal space'.
>

This looks like it's been fixed in the current version.

> = Clarifying _References_ =
>
> Furthermore, what _References_ means it a bit ambiguous. I understand that it
> means references in the texinfo manual source code, and that it is one of the
> following:
>
> * a @ref, @xref, or @pxref
> * a menu entry
>

It could also be a "node line pointer" I suppose (i.e. Next, Prev or Up).

I don't think it is actually the case that references should use
normalized whitespace. For example, there is the following in the bash
manual, node "Shell Operation":

  3. Parses the tokens into simple and compound commands (*note Shell
     Commands::).

Here we have a newline and initial line indent in the middle of the
node name "Shell Commands", but following this cross-reference works
fine.

> = Node title =
>
> Title speaks about "node line", but the scope of the node is wider, it is
> about node names in general, not only within a node line. I am not sure wether
> it is wise to change the node name because it may be used for reference
> elsewhere, but the section title should be about '@node' Line Requirements _,
> and node naming_.
>

I think it means the requirements for the line of the Texinfo source
starting "@node", not a "node line" in the sense of the first line of
a node in a Info file (beginning "File:...").