INTRODUCTION revision 42660 
1Getting Started with Texinfo
2============================
3
4"Texinfo" is a documentation system that uses a single source file to
5produce both on-line information and printed output.  Using Texinfo,
6you can create a printed document with the normal features of a book,
7including chapters, sections, cross references, and indices.  From the
8same Texinfo source file, you can create a menu-driven, on-line Info
9file with nodes, menus, cross references, and indices.
10  
11The name of the Texinfo source documentation file is `texinfo.txi'.
12You can produce both on-line information and printed output from this
13source file.  The documentation describes Texinfo in detail, including
14how to write Texinfo files, how to format them for both hard copy and
15Info, and how to install Info files.
16
17To get started, you need to create either a printed manual or an
18on-line Info file from the `texinfo.txi' file.  You do not need to
19create both, although you will probably want both eventually.
20
21To learn how to use Info, read the info documentation.  You can do this in
22one of two ways: using the standalone `info' program, or using Info mode in
23GNU Emacs.
24
25  * If you want to use the `info' program, run
26
27         info -f info-stnd
28
29  * If you want to use Emacs, start up emacs and type `C-h i' [M-x info].
30    Follow the instructions to learn how to use Info.
31
32After learning how to use Info, you can read the Texinfo documentation.
33Using the standalone `info', type the following at the shell prompt:
34
35         info -f texinfo
36
37To use read this manual in Emacs, you first need to edit the Info-directory
38menu (the file `dir' in the system info directory) to contain the
39appropriate node.  To learn how to do this, see node: Add in the Info
40documentation.
41
42The Texinfo documentation describes Texinfo in detail; among other things,
43it tells how to install Info files in the usual manner.  (See node: Install
44an Info File.)
45
46The `info-stnd.info' file describes the standalone Info reader in detail.  To
47read this file, type
48
49         $ info -f info-stnd
50
51If you are using GNU Emacs, you may want to install the Emacs Lisp files
52permanently.  Move them them to a directory in the load-path for Emacs;
53otherwise Emacs will not be able to load the autoloaded support files, such
54as `texinfmt.el'.
55
56The `texinfo.el' file contains the autoload commands; it is the only
57file that needs to be loaded initially.  If your Emacs does not
58automatically load `texinfo.el', you can tell it to do so by placing
59the following in `default.el' or in your `.emacs' file:
60
61         (load "texinfo")
62
63
64To create a printed manual
65==========================
66
67You need:
68
69  * The `tex' program, which typesets the manual using TeX.
70  * The `texinfo.tex' definition file that tells TeX how to typeset
71    a Texinfo file.
72  * The `texindex' program, which sorts the unsorted index files
73    created by TeX.
74  * A printing program such as `lp' or `lpr',
75  * A printer.
76
77This Texinfo distribution package contains `texinfo.tex', the C source
78for `texindex', and the handy shell script `texi2dvi'.  The `tex'
79program is not part of this distribution, but is available separately.
80(See `How to Obtain TeX' in the Texinfo documentation.)
81
82  * Install `tex'.  (`texindex' is installed automagically by 
83    `make install' in this distribution.)
84
85  * Move the `texinfo.tex' file to an appropriate directory; the current
86    directory will do.  (`/usr/local/lib/tex/inputs' might be a good place.
87    See ``Preparing to Use TeX'' in the Texinfo manual, for more
88    information.)
89
90After following those instructions, type the following to make the .dvi
91files:
92
93      $ make texinfo.dvi
94      $ (cd info; make info.dvi info-stnd.dvi)
95      $ (cd makeinfo; make makeinfo.dvi)
96
97You can then print the resulting .dvi files with the `lpr' command (on BSD
98systems.  On SysV systems the command is `lp'.  Consult your man pages for
99more information). 
100
101For example, the command to print the texinfo.dvi file might be:
102
103      $ lpr -d texinfo.dvi
104
105The name of the printing command depends on the system; `lpr -d' is
106common, and is illustrated here.  You may use a different name for the
107printing command.
108
109Please report bugs to bug-texinfo@gnu.org.
110
111Happy formatting.
112