INTRODUCTION revision 146515
1146515Sru$Id: INTRODUCTION,v 1.3 2004/04/11 17:56:45 karl Exp $ 2114472SruGetting started with Texinfo. 393139Sru 4114472Sru Copyright (C) 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 5114472Sru Free Software Foundation, Inc. 693139Sru 7114472Sru Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, 8114472Sru are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright 9114472Sru notice and this notice are preserved. 1093139Sru 11114472Sru 12114472Sru 1321495SjmacdGetting Started with Texinfo 1421495Sjmacd============================ 1521495Sjmacd 1621495Sjmacd"Texinfo" is a documentation system that uses a single source file to 1721495Sjmacdproduce both on-line information and printed output. Using Texinfo, 1821495Sjmacdyou can create a printed document with the normal features of a book, 1921495Sjmacdincluding chapters, sections, cross references, and indices. From the 2021495Sjmacdsame Texinfo source file, you can create a menu-driven, on-line Info 2121495Sjmacdfile with nodes, menus, cross references, and indices. 2221495Sjmacd 2342660SmarkmThe name of the Texinfo source documentation file is `texinfo.txi'. 2421495SjmacdYou can produce both on-line information and printed output from this 2521495Sjmacdsource file. The documentation describes Texinfo in detail, including 2621495Sjmacdhow to write Texinfo files, how to format them for both hard copy and 2721495SjmacdInfo, and how to install Info files. 2821495Sjmacd 2921495SjmacdTo get started, you need to create either a printed manual or an 3042660Smarkmon-line Info file from the `texinfo.txi' file. You do not need to 3121495Sjmacdcreate both, although you will probably want both eventually. 3221495Sjmacd 3321495SjmacdTo learn how to use Info, read the info documentation. You can do this in 3421495Sjmacdone of two ways: using the standalone `info' program, or using Info mode in 3521495SjmacdGNU Emacs. 3621495Sjmacd 3742660Smarkm * If you want to use the `info' program, run 3821495Sjmacd 3942660Smarkm info -f info-stnd 4021495Sjmacd 4121495Sjmacd * If you want to use Emacs, start up emacs and type `C-h i' [M-x info]. 4221495Sjmacd Follow the instructions to learn how to use Info. 4321495Sjmacd 4421495SjmacdAfter learning how to use Info, you can read the Texinfo documentation. 4521495SjmacdUsing the standalone `info', type the following at the shell prompt: 4621495Sjmacd 4742660Smarkm info -f texinfo 4821495Sjmacd 4921495SjmacdTo use read this manual in Emacs, you first need to edit the Info-directory 5021495Sjmacdmenu (the file `dir' in the system info directory) to contain the 5121495Sjmacdappropriate node. To learn how to do this, see node: Add in the Info 5221495Sjmacddocumentation. 5321495Sjmacd 5421495SjmacdThe Texinfo documentation describes Texinfo in detail; among other things, 5521495Sjmacdit tells how to install Info files in the usual manner. (See node: Install 5621495Sjmacdan Info File.) 5721495Sjmacd 5821495SjmacdThe `info-stnd.info' file describes the standalone Info reader in detail. To 5921495Sjmacdread this file, type 6021495Sjmacd 6121495Sjmacd $ info -f info-stnd 6221495Sjmacd 6321495Sjmacd 6421495SjmacdTo create a printed manual 6521495Sjmacd========================== 6621495Sjmacd 6721495SjmacdYou need: 6821495Sjmacd 6921495Sjmacd * The `tex' program, which typesets the manual using TeX. 7021495Sjmacd * The `texinfo.tex' definition file that tells TeX how to typeset 7121495Sjmacd a Texinfo file. 7221495Sjmacd * The `texindex' program, which sorts the unsorted index files 7321495Sjmacd created by TeX. 7421495Sjmacd * A printing program such as `lp' or `lpr', 7521495Sjmacd * A printer. 7621495Sjmacd 7721495SjmacdThis Texinfo distribution package contains `texinfo.tex', the C source 7821495Sjmacdfor `texindex', and the handy shell script `texi2dvi'. The `tex' 7921495Sjmacdprogram is not part of this distribution, but is available separately. 8021495Sjmacd(See `How to Obtain TeX' in the Texinfo documentation.) 8121495Sjmacd 8221495Sjmacd * Install `tex'. (`texindex' is installed automagically by 8321495Sjmacd `make install' in this distribution.) 8421495Sjmacd 8521495Sjmacd * Move the `texinfo.tex' file to an appropriate directory; the current 8621495Sjmacd directory will do. (`/usr/local/lib/tex/inputs' might be a good place. 8721495Sjmacd See ``Preparing to Use TeX'' in the Texinfo manual, for more 8821495Sjmacd information.) 8921495Sjmacd 9021495SjmacdAfter following those instructions, type the following to make the .dvi 9121495Sjmacdfiles: 9221495Sjmacd 9356160Sru $ (cd doc; make dvi) 9421495Sjmacd 9556160SruYou can then print the resulting .dvi files with the `lpr' or `lp' 9656160Srucommands, or maybe `dvips'. 9721495Sjmacd 9821495SjmacdFor example, the command to print the texinfo.dvi file might be: 9921495Sjmacd 10021495Sjmacd $ lpr -d texinfo.dvi 10121495Sjmacd 10221495SjmacdThe name of the printing command depends on the system; `lpr -d' is 10321495Sjmacdcommon, and is illustrated here. You may use a different name for the 10421495Sjmacdprinting command. 10521495Sjmacd 10642660SmarkmPlease report bugs to bug-texinfo@gnu.org. 10721495Sjmacd 10821495SjmacdHappy formatting. 109