This file describes how to use Info, the on-line, menu-driven GNU
documentation system.
-Copyright (C) 1989, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
-Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+Copyright (C) 1989, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002,
+ 2003, 2004, 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@quotation
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
@dfn{Info format}, which you read using an @dfn{Info reader}. You are
probably using an Info reader to read this now.
+There are two primary Info readers: @code{info}, a stand-alone program
+designed just to read Info files, and the @code{info} package in GNU
+Emacs, a general-purpose editor. At present, only the Emacs reader
+supports using a mouse.
+
@ifinfo
If you are new to the Info reader and want to learn how to use it,
type the command @kbd{h} now. It brings you to a programmed
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
@chapter Getting Started
-This first part of the Info manual describes how to get around inside
+This first part of this Info manual describes how to get around inside
of Info. The second part of the manual describes various advanced
Info commands, and how to write an Info as distinct from a Texinfo
file. The third part briefly explains how to generate Info files from
@item
Type @code{emacs} at the command line; then type @kbd{C-h i}
(@kbd{Control-h}, followed by @kbd{i}). This approach uses the Info
-mode of the Emacs program, an editor with many other capabilities.
+mode of the Emacs editor.
@end enumerate
In either case, then type @kbd{mInfo} (just the letters), followed by
@end ifnotinfo
@menu
-* Help-Small-Screen:: Starting Info on a Small Screen
-* Help:: How to use Info
-* Help-P:: Returning to the Previous node
+* Help-Small-Screen:: Starting Info on a Small Screen.
+* Help:: How to use Info.
+* Help-P:: Returning to the Previous node.
* Help-^L:: The Space, DEL, B and ^L commands.
* Help-Inv:: Invisible text in Emacs Info.
-* Help-M:: Menus
-* Help-Xref:: Following cross-references
-* Help-Int:: Some intermediate Info commands
-* Help-Q:: Quitting Info
+* Help-M:: Menus.
+* Help-Xref:: Following cross-references.
+* Help-Int:: Some intermediate Info commands.
+* Help-Q:: Quitting Info.
@end menu
@node Help-Small-Screen
If you have managed to get here, go back to the beginning with
@kbd{DEL} (or @key{BACKSPACE}), and come back here again, then you
understand the about the @samp{Space} and @samp{Backspace} keys. So
-now type an @kbd{n} ---just one character; don't type the quotes and
-don't type the Return key afterward--- to get to the normal start of
+now type an @kbd{n}---just one character; don't type the quotes and
+don't type the Return key afterward---to get to the normal start of
the course.
@end ifinfo
(look at it now) says that the @samp{Next} node after this one is the
node called @samp{Help-P}. An advanced Info command lets you go to
any node whose name you know. In the stand-alone Info reader program,
-the header line shows the names of this node and the info file as
+the header line shows the names of this node and the Info file as
well. In Emacs, the header line is duplicated in a special typeface,
and the duplicate remains at the top of the window all the time even
if you scroll through the node.
- Besides a @samp{Next}, a node can have a @samp{Previous} or an
-@samp{Up} links, or both. As you can see, this node has all of these
+ Besides a @samp{Next}, a node can have a @samp{Previous} link, or an
+@samp{Up} link, or both. As you can see, this node has all of these
links.
@kindex n @r{(Info mode)}
node, @samp{Help-^L}.
@format
->> But do not type @kbd{n} yet. First, try the @kbd{p} command,
- or click the middle mouse button on the @samp{Prev} link. That
- takes you to the @samp{Previous} node. Then use @kbd{n} to return here.
+>> But do not type @kbd{n} yet. First, try the @kbd{p} command, or
+ (in Emacs) click the middle mouse button on the @samp{Prev} link.
+ That takes you to the @samp{Previous} node. Then use @kbd{n} to
+ return here.
@end format
If you read this in Emacs, you will see an @samp{Info} item in the
menu bar, close to its right edge. Clicking the mouse on the
@samp{Info} menu-bar item opens a menu of commands which include
-@samp{Next} and @samp{Prev} (and also some others which you didn't yet
+@samp{Next} and @samp{Previous} (and also some others which you didn't yet
learn about).
This all probably seems insultingly simple so far, but @emph{please
coming up.
@format
->> Now do an @kbd{n}, or click the middle mouse button on the @samp{Next}
- link, to get to the node @samp{Help-^L} and learn more.
+>> Now do an @kbd{n}, or (in Emacs) click the middle mouse button on
+ the @samp{Next} link, to get to the node @samp{Help-^L} and learn more.
@end format
@node Help-^L, Help-Inv, Help-P, Getting Started
@kindex C-l @r{(Info mode)}
If your screen is ever garbaged, you can tell Info to display it
-again by typing @kbd{C-l} (@kbd{Control-L}, that is---hold down
+again by typing @kbd{C-l} (@kbd{Control-L}---that is, hold down
@key{CTRL} and type @kbd{L} or @kbd{l}).
@format
(If you are using the stand-alone Info reader, type @kbd{C-x 0} to
return here, that is---press and hold @key{CTRL}, type an @kbd{x},
-then release @key{CTRL} and @kbd{x}, and press @kbd{0}---a zero, not
-the letter ``o''.)
+then release @key{CTRL} and @kbd{x}, and press @kbd{0}; that's a zero,
+not the letter ``o''.)
From now on, you will encounter large nodes without warning, and
will be expected to know how to use @key{SPC} and @key{BACKSPACE} to
Another way to move to the menu subtopic lines and between them is
to type @key{TAB}. Each time you type a @key{TAB}, you move to the
-next subtopic line. To move to a previous subtopic line, type
-@kbd{M-@key{TAB}}---that is, press and hold the @key{META} key and then
-press @key{TAB}. (On some keyboards, the @key{META} key might be labeled
-@samp{Alt}.)
+next subtopic line. To move to a previous subtopic line in the
+stand-alone reader, type @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}---that is, press and hold
+the @key{META} key and then press @key{TAB}. (On some keyboards, the
+@key{META} key might be labeled @samp{Alt}.) In Emacs Info, type
+@kbd{S-@key{TAB}} to move to a previous subtopic line (press and hold
+the @key{Shift} key and then press @key{TAB}).
Once you move cursor to a subtopic line, press @key{RET} to go to
that subtopic's node.
@code{Info-up}). That puts you at the @emph{front} of the node---to
get back to where you were reading you have to type some @key{SPC}s.
(Some Info readers, such as the one built into Emacs, put you at the
-same place where you were reading in @samp{Help-M}.)
+menu subtopic line which points to the subnode that the @kbd{u} command
+brought you from.)
Another way to go Up is to click @kbd{Mouse-2} on the @samp{Up}
pointer shown in the header line (provided that you have a mouse).
type a @kbd{Control-g} and see how the @samp{f} gives up.
@end format
- The @key{TAB} and @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} key, which move between menu
-items in a menu, also move between cross references outside of menus.
+ The @key{TAB}, @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} and @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} keys,
+which move between menu items in a menu, also move between cross
+references outside of menus.
+
+ Clicking @kbd{Mouse-2} on or near a cross reference also follows the
+reference. You can see that the cross reference is mouse-sensitive by
+moving the mouse pointer to the reference and watching how the
+underlying text and the mouse pointer change in response.
Sometimes a cross reference (or a node) can lead to another file (in
other words another ``manual''), or, on occasion, even a file on a
looks like this: @xref{Top,, Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo:
The GNU Documentation Format}. (After following this link, type
@kbd{l} to get back to this node.) Here the name @samp{texinfo}
-between parentheses (shown in the stand-alone version) refers to the
-file name. This file name appears in cross references and node names
-if it differs from the current file. In Emacs, the file name is
-hidden (along with other text). (Use @kbd{M-x visible-mode} to show
-or hide it.)
-
- The remainder of this node applies only to the Emacs version. If
-you use the stand-alone version, you can type @kbd{n} immediately.
-
- To some users, switching manuals is a much bigger switch than
-switching sections. These users like to know that they are going to
-be switching to another manual (and which one) before actually doing
-so, especially given that, if one does not notice, Info commands like
-@kbd{t} (see the next node) can have confusing results.
-
- If you put your mouse over the cross reference and if the cross
-reference leads to a different manual, then the information appearing
-in a separate box (tool tip) or in the echo area, will mention the
-file the cross reference will carry you to (between parentheses).
-This is also true for menu subtopic names. If you have a mouse, just
-leave it over the @samp{Overview} cross reference above and watch what
-happens.
-
- If you always like to have that information available without having
-to move your mouse over the cross reference, set
-@code{Info-hide-note-references} to a value other than t (@pxref{Emacs
-Info Variables}). You might also want to do that if you have a lot of
-cross references to files on remote machines and have non-permanent or
-slow access, since otherwise you might not be able to distinguish
-between local and remote links.
+between parentheses refers to the file name. This file name appears
+in cross references and node names if it differs from the current
+file, so you can always know that you are going to be switching to
+another manual and which one.
+
+However, Emacs normally hides some other text in cross-references.
+If you put your mouse over the cross reference, then the information
+appearing in a separate box (tool tip) or in the echo area will show
+the full cross-reference including the file name and the node name of
+the cross reference. If you have a mouse, just leave it over the
+cross reference @xref{Top,, Overview of Texinfo, texinfo, Texinfo:
+The GNU Documentation Format}, and watch what happens. If you
+always like to have that information visible without having to move
+your mouse over the cross reference, use @kbd{M-x visible-mode}, or
+set @code{Info-hide-note-references} to a value other than @code{t}
+(@pxref{Emacs Info Variables}).
@format
>> Now type @kbd{n} to learn more commands.
the start of the containing node.)
You can get to the index from the main menu of the file with the
-@kbd{m} command; then you can use the @kbd{m} command again in the
-index node to go to the node that describes the topic you want.
+@kbd{m} command and the name of the index node; then you can use the
+@kbd{m} command again in the index node to go to the node that
+describes the topic you want.
There is also a short-cut Info command, @kbd{i}, which does all of
that for you. It searches the index for a given topic (a string) and
@xref{Info Search}, for a full explanation.
@kindex l @r{(Info mode)}
-@findex Info-last
-@cindex going back in Info mode
+@findex Info-history-back
+@cindex going back in Info history
If you have been moving around to different nodes and wish to
retrace your steps, the @kbd{l} command (@kbd{l} for @dfn{last}) will
do that, one node-step at a time. As you move from node to node, Info
@kbd{l} command revisits nodes in the history list; each successive
@kbd{l} command moves one step back through the history.
- In Emacs, @kbd{l} runs the command @code{Info-last}.
+ In Emacs, @kbd{l} runs the command @code{Info-history-back}.
@format
>> Try typing @kbd{p p n} and then three @kbd{l}'s, pausing in between
which the header says is the @samp{Previous} node (from this node, the
@samp{Prev} link leads to @samp{Help-Xref}).
+@kindex r @r{(Info mode)}
+@findex Info-history-forward
+@cindex going forward in Info history
+ You can use the @kbd{r} command (@code{Info-history-forward} in Emacs)
+to revisit nodes in the history list in the forward direction, so that
+@kbd{r} will return you to the node you came from by typing @kbd{l}.
+
@kindex d @r{(Info mode)}
@findex Info-directory
@cindex go to Directory node
some specific top-level menu item. The Emacs command run by @kbd{t}
is @code{Info-top-node}.
- Clicking @kbd{Mouse-2} on or near a cross reference also follows the
-reference. You can see that the cross reference is mouse-sensitive by
-moving the mouse pointer to the reference and watching how the
-underlying text and the mouse pointer change in response.
-
@format
>> Now type @kbd{n} to see the last node of the course.
@end format
* Menus:: How to add to or create menus in Info nodes.
* Cross-refs:: How to add cross-references to Info nodes.
* Tags:: How to make tags tables for Info files.
-* Checking:: Checking an Info File
+* Checking:: Checking an Info File.
* Emacs Info Variables:: Variables modifying the behavior of Emacs Info.
@end menu
Here are some more Info commands that make it easier to move around.
-@unnumberedsubsec @kbd{g} goes to a node by name
+@subheading @kbd{g} goes to a node by name
@kindex g @r{(Info mode)}
@findex Info-goto-node
The node name @samp{*} specifies the whole file. So you can look at
all of the current file by typing @kbd{g*@key{RET}} or all of any
-other file with @kbd{g(@var{filename})@key{RET}}.
+other file with @kbd{g(@var{filename})*@key{RET}}.
-@unnumberedsubsec @kbd{1} -- @kbd{9} choose a menu subtopic by its number
+@subheading @kbd{1}--@kbd{9} choose a menu subtopic by its number
@kindex 1 @r{through} 9 @r{(Info mode)}
@findex Info-nth-menu-item
this is so you need not count how many entries are there. In Emacs,
the digit keys run the command @code{Info-nth-menu-item}.
- If your display supports multiple fonts, and you are using Emacs'
-Info mode to read Info files, the @samp{*} for the fifth menu item
-stands out, either in color or in some other attribute, such as
-underline, and so is the @samp{*} for the ninth item; this makes it
-easy to see at a glance which number to use for an item.
+ If your display supports multiple fonts, colors or underlining, and
+you are using Emacs' Info mode to read Info files, the third, sixth
+and ninth menu items have a @samp{*} that stands out, either in color
+or in some other attribute, such as underline; this makes it easy to
+see at a glance which number to use for an item.
- Some terminals don't support colors or underlining. If you need to
-actually count items, it is better to use @kbd{m} instead, and specify
-the name, or use @key{TAB} to quickly move between menu items.
+ Some terminals don't support either multiple fonts, colors or
+underlining. If you need to actually count items, it is better to use
+@kbd{m} instead, and specify the name, or use @key{TAB} to quickly
+move between menu items.
-@unnumberedsubsec @kbd{e} makes Info document editable
+@subheading @kbd{e} makes Info document editable
@kindex e @r{(Info mode)}
@findex Info-edit
edit the Info file, so typing @kbd{e} there goes to the end of the
current node.
+@subheading @kbd{M-n} creates a new independent Info buffer in Emacs
+
+@kindex M-n @r{(Info mode)}
+@findex clone-buffer
+@cindex multiple Info buffers
+ If you are reading Info in Emacs, you can select a new independent
+Info buffer in the same window by typing @kbd{M-n}. The new buffer
+starts out as an exact copy of the old one, but you will be able to
+move independently between nodes in the two buffers. (In Info mode,
+@kbd{M-n} runs the Emacs command @code{clone-buffer}.)
+
+ In Emacs Info, you can also produce new Info buffers by giving a
+numeric prefix argument to the @kbd{m} and @kbd{g} commands. @kbd{C-u
+m} and @kbd{C-u g} go to a new node in exactly the same way that
+@kbd{m} and @kbd{g} do, but they do so in a new Info buffer which they
+select in another window.
+
+ Another way to produce new Info buffers in Emacs is to use a numeric
+prefix argument for the @kbd{C-h i} command (@code{info}) which
+switches to the Info buffer with that number. Thus, @kbd{C-u 2 C-h i}
+switches to the buffer @samp{*info*<2>}, creating it if necessary.
+
@node Info Search, Add, Advanced, Expert Info
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
@section How to search Info documents for specific subjects
echo area the full index entry it found. Often, the text of the full
index entry already gives you enough information to decide whether it
is relevant to what you are looking for, so we recommend that you read
-what Emacs shows in the echo area before looking at the node it
+what Info shows in the echo area before looking at the node it
displays.
Since @kbd{i} looks for a substring, you can search for subjects even
In Emacs, @kbd{i} runs the command @code{Info-index}.
+@findex info-apropos
+@findex index-apropos
+If you don't know what manual documents something, try the @kbd{M-x
+info-apropos} command in Emacs, or the @kbd{M-x index-apropos} command
+in the stand-alone reader. It prompts for a string and then looks up
+that string in all the indices of all the Info documents installed on
+your system.
+
@kindex s @r{(Info mode)}
@findex Info-search
The @kbd{s} command allows you to search a whole file for a string.
type @kbd{s} followed by the string to search for, terminated by
@key{RET}. To search for the same string again, just @kbd{s} followed
by @key{RET} will do. The file's nodes are scanned in the order
-they are in in the file, which has no necessary relationship to the
+they are in the file, which has no necessary relationship to the
order that they may be in the tree structure of menus and @samp{next}
pointers. But normally the two orders are not very different. In any
-case, you can always do a @kbd{b} to find out what node you have
+case, you can always look at the echo area to find out what node you have
reached, if the header is not visible (this can happen, because @kbd{s}
puts your cursor at the occurrence of the string, not at the beginning
of the node).
kind of search command. Both @kbd{s} and @kbd{M-s} run in Emacs the
command @code{Info-search}.
+@kindex C-s @r{(Info mode)}
+@kindex C-r @r{(Info mode)}
+@findex isearch
+ Instead of using @kbd{s} in Emacs Info and in the stand-alone Info,
+you can use an incremental search started with @kbd{C-s} or @kbd{C-r}.
+It can search through multiple Info nodes. @xref{Incremental Search,,,
+emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. In Emacs, this behavior is enabled only
+if the variable @code{Info-isearch-search} is non-@code{nil}
+(@pxref{Emacs Info Variables}).
@node Add, Menus, Info Search, Expert Info
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
A menu begins with a line starting with @w{@samp{* Menu:}}. The
rest of the line is a comment. After the starting line, every line
that begins with a @samp{* } lists a single topic. The name of the
-topic--what the user must type at the @kbd{m}'s command prompt to
+topic---what the user must type at the @kbd{m}'s command prompt to
select this topic---comes right after the star and space, and is
followed by a colon, spaces and tabs, and the name of the node which
discusses that topic. The node name, like node names following
has two connected components. You are in one of them, which is under
the node @samp{Top}; the other contains the node @samp{Help} which the
@kbd{h} command goes to. In fact, since there is no garbage
-collector, nothing terrible happens if a substructure is not pointed
-to, but such a substructure is rather useless since nobody can
-ever find out that it exists.
+collector on the node graph, nothing terrible happens if a substructure
+is not pointed to, but such a substructure is rather useless since nobody
+can ever find out that it exists.
@node Cross-refs, Tags, Menus, Expert Info
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
@comment node-name, next, previous, up
@section Tags Tables for Info Files
-@cindex tags tables in info files
+@cindex tags tables in Info files
You can speed up the access to nodes of a large Info file by giving
it a tags table. Unlike the tags table for a program, the tags table for
an Info file lives inside the file itself and is used
@env{INFOPATH} variable in the environment.
If you wish to customize the Info directory search list for both Emacs
-info and stand-alone Info, it is best to set the @env{INFOPATH}
+Info and stand-alone Info, it is best to set the @env{INFOPATH}
environment variable, since that applies to both programs.
@item Info-additional-directory-list
A list of additional directories to search for Info documentation files.
These directories are not searched for merging the @file{dir} file.
-@item Info-fontify
-When set to a non-@code{nil} value, enables highlighting of Info
-files. The default is @code{t}. You can change how the highlighting
-looks by customizing the faces @code{info-node}, @code{info-xref},
-@code{info-header-xref}, @code{info-header-node}, @code{info-menu-5},
-@code{info-menu-header}, and @code{info-title-@var{n}-face} (where
-@var{n} is the level of the section, a number between 1 and 4). To
-customize a face, type @kbd{M-x customize-face @key{RET} @var{face}
-@key{RET}}, where @var{face} is one of the face names listed here.
+@item Info-mode-hook
+Hooks run when @code{Info-mode} is called. By default, it contains
+the hook @code{turn-on-font-lock} which enables highlighting of Info
+files. You can change how the highlighting looks by customizing the
+faces @code{info-node}, @code{info-xref}, @code{info-xref-visited},
+@code{info-header-xref}, @code{info-header-node}, @code{info-menu-header},
+@code{info-menu-star}, and @code{info-title-@var{n}} (where @var{n}
+is the level of the section, a number between 1 and 4). To customize
+a face, type @kbd{M-x customize-face @key{RET} @var{face} @key{RET}},
+where @var{face} is one of the face names listed here.
+
+@item Info-fontify-maximum-menu-size
+Maximum size of menu to fontify if @code{font-lock-mode} is non-@code{nil}.
+
+@item Info-fontify-visited-nodes
+If non-@code{nil}, menu items and cross-references pointing to visited
+nodes are displayed in the @code{info-xref-visited} face.
@item Info-use-header-line
If non-@code{nil}, Emacs puts in the Info buffer a header line showing
program, which visits the first subnode from the menu only when you
hit the end of the current node. The default is @code{nil}.
+@item Info-isearch-search
+If non-@code{nil}, isearch in Info searches through multiple nodes.
+
@item Info-enable-active-nodes
When set to a non-@code{nil} value, allows Info to execute Lisp code
associated with nodes. The Lisp code is executed when the node is