Re: allow : in node names is an implemented feature, not an idea that won't be implemented

[Gavin Smith]

On Mon, Aug 15, 2022 at 11:52:53AM +0200, Patrice Dumas wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> In the TODO file, there is
> 
> * Ideas that will not be implemented:
> 
> - Allow : in node names for info files, for names such as
>   `class::method'.  Likewise index entries.  A quoting mechanism
>   with DEL characters was implemented, but it is simpler to avoid :
>   altogether in node names and support : in index entries by changing
>   the interpretation of index nodes slightly.  See
>   https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gnu-emacs/2019-01/msg00235.html
> 
> I think that it is wrong to put that entry in "ideas that will not be
> implemented", since it has been implemented in texi2any and in the
> standalone info reader.  Also it seems to me to be a much needed feature
> for Info.  It is required by pod2texi output, or any perl package
> documentation.  It is in particular needed for the Texinfo modules
> documentation (that is actually generated by pod2texi) and consequently
> by the HTML customization API which refers a lot to the Texinfo modules
> documentation.
> 
> I would suggest simply removing this entry from the TODO file as it is
> done.  The part on index entries could be kept until the bug referred to
> is closed.

OK done.

> In addition, in my opinion, INFO_SPECIAL_CHARS_QUOTE should be set in
> the default case.  The resulting node names are not usable, so it does
> not matter if they have ^? appearing here and there.  It could even be
> considered a good thing as it points that either the manual or the
> reader should be fixed.

I'm happy if you enable this as it is clearly useful for the Perl
module documentation.  If you do enable it could you please check there
is no quoting for Info index entries in the text part (there could still
be quoting in the node part).  To state this again, if an index entry
contains a colon and is in a node whose name doesn't contain a colon,
there shouldn't be any quoting there.  The reason is that Info readers
should use the method described in the link above to read these entries.

(I'm going to check the manual for how well the use of colons in index
entries is described.)

If INFO_SPECIAL_CHARS_QUOTE is set by default, then
INFO_SPECIAL_CHARS_WARNING should still be set by default to give warnings
about these characters.

> I also think that it should be reported to the Emacs developpers that it
> should be implemented in the Emacs Info reader, if it is not already
> done.  I can do a bug report, but I do not use Emacs myself.  A test
> info file can be obtained from the Texinfo development source:
> 
>  cd doc/tp_api
>  make info
> 
> The resulting tp_api.info file uses extensively node name quoting.
> 
> Anybody willing to report the issue to Emacs Info reader developpers?
> 
> -- 
> Pat
>