use id="xx" instead of <a name="xx"> in html output

[Per Bothner]

Currently, in html output the node "Foo" generates a <a name="foo">
element.  In general I think it is better to an id="Foo" attributes.
Reasons that come to mind:
(1) Simpler and less cluttered html, since we can attach the id attribute
to some other suitable element, rather than generating a separate one.
(2) JavaScript code can use getElementById to find the node.
(3) Better logical structure, since we can attach the id to something
that "represents" the node - typically a <div> node.

These reasons don't apply as strongly to @anchor commands, so it is
plausible to keep generating <a name="Foo"> for @anchor{Foo}.
Definitions should probably use the id attribute.

However, using an id attribute doesn't answer the question: On what
element do we put the id attribute?  TexInfo's nested structure
complicates this.  Consider:

   @node Chapter1
   @chapter Chapter1
   Preamble
   @menu
   * Section11::
   * Section12::
   @end menu

   @node Section11
   @section Section11
   section11-text

   @node Section12
   @section Section12
   section12-text

I suggest two categories of <div> elements:
A "node" includes all the content of a single node,
but *not* sub-nodes.leaves unanswered
A "chapter" or "section" (or "part" or whatever) <div>
encloses the current node - and sub-nodes.

The id attribute could logically go on either the node
or the section/chapter element.  Putting it on the sectioning div
seems better, since it generalizes to subsections that aren't nodes.

<div class="chapter" id="Chapter1"><div class="node">
LINKS for chapter1
<h2>Chapter1</h2>
Preamble
<table class="menu">...</table>
</div><!--end of "node"-->

<div class="section" id="section11"><div class="node">
LINKS for section11
<h3>Section11</h3>
section11-text
</div><!--end of "node"-->
</div><!--end of "section"-->

<div class="section" id="section12"><div class="node">
LINKS for section12
<h3>Section12</h3>
section12-text
</div><!--end of "node"-->
</div><!--end of "section"-->

</div><!--end of "chapter"-->

A minor nuance: Putting the node <div> on the same line
as the section <div> (with no whitespace between) means
that the node element is the firstChild of the sectioning <div>,
which slightly simplifies JavaScript navigation.
--
        --Per Bothner
address@hidden   http://per.bothner.com/