Re: bad filenames when creating html/docbook using pretest

[Per Bothner]

On 11/22/2012 05:09 PM, Patrice Dumas wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 22, 2012 at 04:31:25PM -0800, Per Bothner wrote:
> > The node files seems a very heavy-handed solution, cluttering up
> > the directory with lots of extra files that are very seldom used.
> > If a *specific* anchor may be externally referenced, then that
> > could be specified in htmlxref.cnf or some other way.
>
> I can't envision a proper design of that use of htmlxref.cnf.  What
> would you propose exactly?

I was hand-waving.  I haven't read the specs too carefully, but
perhaps htmlxref.cnf could be extended to declare "exported" anchors.
Or there could be an option in the actual texinfo file to declare that
the anchor is exported.  Or extend the @ref syntax to specify
both node and anchor name,  or some other way to just use NODE#ANCHOR
as the URL.

> I have no iddea on how to implement selecting precise anchors.  I have
> tried using 'HTML Xref Link Preservation' but it doesn't work.  I could
> add some code to make it work but I am a bit reluctant.
>
> You should be able to uses the hook for 'format_node_redirection_page'.
> I can show you code example that does that if you want to.

I was arguing more in terms of general design - it seems inelegant
to use such a heavy-handed feature which is very seldom used, and
has the disadvantage of generate lots of stub files.
If you need a cross-reference to an anchor from an external file,
use the URL#ANCHOR syntax.  If that ANCHOR goes away, then you
can extend the MANUAL-noderename.cnf mechanism.

For me personally it's not an issue: When generating html directly
I can use --no-node-files; normally I generate DocBook so I don't
see these extra files.  I just noticed them when testing --html.
--
        --Per Bothner
address@hidden   http://per.bothner.com/