INTRODUCTION revision 56160
121495SjmacdGetting Started with Texinfo 221495Sjmacd============================ 321495Sjmacd 421495Sjmacd"Texinfo" is a documentation system that uses a single source file to 521495Sjmacdproduce both on-line information and printed output. Using Texinfo, 621495Sjmacdyou can create a printed document with the normal features of a book, 721495Sjmacdincluding chapters, sections, cross references, and indices. From the 821495Sjmacdsame Texinfo source file, you can create a menu-driven, on-line Info 921495Sjmacdfile with nodes, menus, cross references, and indices. 1021495Sjmacd 1142660SmarkmThe name of the Texinfo source documentation file is `texinfo.txi'. 1221495SjmacdYou can produce both on-line information and printed output from this 1321495Sjmacdsource file. The documentation describes Texinfo in detail, including 1421495Sjmacdhow to write Texinfo files, how to format them for both hard copy and 1521495SjmacdInfo, and how to install Info files. 1621495Sjmacd 1721495SjmacdTo get started, you need to create either a printed manual or an 1842660Smarkmon-line Info file from the `texinfo.txi' file. You do not need to 1921495Sjmacdcreate both, although you will probably want both eventually. 2021495Sjmacd 2121495SjmacdTo learn how to use Info, read the info documentation. You can do this in 2221495Sjmacdone of two ways: using the standalone `info' program, or using Info mode in 2321495SjmacdGNU Emacs. 2421495Sjmacd 2542660Smarkm * If you want to use the `info' program, run 2621495Sjmacd 2742660Smarkm info -f info-stnd 2821495Sjmacd 2921495Sjmacd * If you want to use Emacs, start up emacs and type `C-h i' [M-x info]. 3021495Sjmacd Follow the instructions to learn how to use Info. 3121495Sjmacd 3221495SjmacdAfter learning how to use Info, you can read the Texinfo documentation. 3321495SjmacdUsing the standalone `info', type the following at the shell prompt: 3421495Sjmacd 3542660Smarkm info -f texinfo 3621495Sjmacd 3721495SjmacdTo use read this manual in Emacs, you first need to edit the Info-directory 3821495Sjmacdmenu (the file `dir' in the system info directory) to contain the 3921495Sjmacdappropriate node. To learn how to do this, see node: Add in the Info 4021495Sjmacddocumentation. 4121495Sjmacd 4221495SjmacdThe Texinfo documentation describes Texinfo in detail; among other things, 4321495Sjmacdit tells how to install Info files in the usual manner. (See node: Install 4421495Sjmacdan Info File.) 4521495Sjmacd 4621495SjmacdThe `info-stnd.info' file describes the standalone Info reader in detail. To 4721495Sjmacdread this file, type 4821495Sjmacd 4921495Sjmacd $ info -f info-stnd 5021495Sjmacd 5121495Sjmacd 5221495SjmacdTo create a printed manual 5321495Sjmacd========================== 5421495Sjmacd 5521495SjmacdYou need: 5621495Sjmacd 5721495Sjmacd * The `tex' program, which typesets the manual using TeX. 5821495Sjmacd * The `texinfo.tex' definition file that tells TeX how to typeset 5921495Sjmacd a Texinfo file. 6021495Sjmacd * The `texindex' program, which sorts the unsorted index files 6121495Sjmacd created by TeX. 6221495Sjmacd * A printing program such as `lp' or `lpr', 6321495Sjmacd * A printer. 6421495Sjmacd 6521495SjmacdThis Texinfo distribution package contains `texinfo.tex', the C source 6621495Sjmacdfor `texindex', and the handy shell script `texi2dvi'. The `tex' 6721495Sjmacdprogram is not part of this distribution, but is available separately. 6821495Sjmacd(See `How to Obtain TeX' in the Texinfo documentation.) 6921495Sjmacd 7021495Sjmacd * Install `tex'. (`texindex' is installed automagically by 7121495Sjmacd `make install' in this distribution.) 7221495Sjmacd 7321495Sjmacd * Move the `texinfo.tex' file to an appropriate directory; the current 7421495Sjmacd directory will do. (`/usr/local/lib/tex/inputs' might be a good place. 7521495Sjmacd See ``Preparing to Use TeX'' in the Texinfo manual, for more 7621495Sjmacd information.) 7721495Sjmacd 7821495SjmacdAfter following those instructions, type the following to make the .dvi 7921495Sjmacdfiles: 8021495Sjmacd 8156160Sru $ (cd doc; make dvi) 8221495Sjmacd 8356160SruYou can then print the resulting .dvi files with the `lpr' or `lp' 8456160Srucommands, or maybe `dvips'. 8521495Sjmacd 8621495SjmacdFor example, the command to print the texinfo.dvi file might be: 8721495Sjmacd 8821495Sjmacd $ lpr -d texinfo.dvi 8921495Sjmacd 9021495SjmacdThe name of the printing command depends on the system; `lpr -d' is 9121495Sjmacdcommon, and is illustrated here. You may use a different name for the 9221495Sjmacdprinting command. 9321495Sjmacd 9442660SmarkmPlease report bugs to bug-texinfo@gnu.org. 9521495Sjmacd 9621495SjmacdHappy formatting. 97