Re: [bug #47276] \typeout to log in LaTeX way index file access

[Gavin Smith]

On 26 February 2016 at 17:06, Vincent Belaïche <address@hidden> wrote:
>     _______________________________________________________
>
> Details:
>
> = latexmk Sale pitch =
>
> The latexmk perl script is an alternative tool to texi2dvi for compiling
> Texinfo file. There are at least two situations when latexmk may be preferred
> by the user:
>
> * User is under MSW with MikTeX, he/she does not have any texi2dvi wrapper and
> does not want to install a bash port, but he/she has some light perl
> installation, and hence MikTeX latexmk is working.
>
> * Texinfo file comprise material (e.g. figures) that is programmatically
> generated, ie custom dependencies, and the user prefers defining the custom
> dependencies using some latexmkrc or latexmk -e '...' statements rather than
> using a Makefile

Okay, I should have replied to this earlier. First, I don't see why we
need to care or worry about latexmk. We are not making Texinfo more
complicated for the sake of Microsoft Windows. (Famous last words.) I
don't know anything about latexmkrc's or how they are better than a
Makefile.

However, the patch you sent is tiny, so there's no harm in applying
it. Hopefully it won't open the way to new enhancements/problems.

> As stated in the ChangeLog, John Collins is the author of this patch, I only
> did the paperword (diff file, ChangeLog entry, bug filing). Once this patch is
> agreed, and the texinfo-latexmkrc is on CTAN, I can submit another patch to
> update the Texinfo manual.

Thank you, it is now applied.

> texi2any being also written in Perl, an evolution of it could be to detect
> automatically which of texi2dvi or latexmk is best on current platform, and to
> use that one --- that would mean in the case of latexmk
>
> O some argument translation/wrapping
> O maybe some need to make latexmk offer its kernel as a perl library (ie it
> would not only be a standalone script)

Just seems like extra complexity to me with no benefit. We've already
got texi2dvi, why do we need to worry about latexmk?

Are there existing Texinfo documents which benefit from or which would
benefit from functionality provided by latexmk? Should we enhance
texi2dvi in some way, or is using latexmk more appropriate?