Re: Problem with @setcontentsaftertitlepage

[Gavin Smith]

On 3 February 2016 at 23:47, Karl Berry <address@hidden> wrote:
>     motivation for this change in the first place.
>
> The motivation was simple enough: compatibility (what else).
>
> For many years, every Texinfo file had @contents (and optionally
> @shortcontents) at the end, because that was the way rms originally
> wrote texinfo.tex, so that the TOC would be typeset using the info from
> that run.  People used dviselect to move the toc page(s) to the right
> place.

I meant the change in October 2014, but thanks for the history anyway.

I'd never realised this was the reason why the TOC was put at the end:
I'd assumed it was some antiquated, hare-brained convention.

Hmm, I wonder if that's the reason why tables of contents are often
numbered with roman numerals: so they can be tacked on at the
beginning after the rest of the book is finished.

>     I don't think that there's a good reason to use
>     @setcontentsaftertitlepage in any Texinfo file anyway,
>
> Indeed, not any more.  I surmise the @set*contentsafter... commands
> could be non-implemented by an \errmessage saying "move your @*contents
> command".  -k

Good idea. I'd like to wait until after the release though before
removing or deprecating a command.