Subject: RE: bug#10451: 24.0.92; Bad cross reference in Info manual

From: "Drew Adams" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 10:56:54 -0800

> > I am suggesting what I said: let's try to cross-ref to a different
> > manual, in particular one that is included with Emacs.  The Emacs
> > manual, for instance.
> 
> AFAIK, Texinfo cross-references are not explained in the Emacs
> manual.  The real cross-reference to Texinfo, a few sentences below,
> needs to go there.  Pointing it to another manual would do a
> disservice to the reader.

That is completely wrong.  That "real cross-reference to Texinfo, a few
sentences below" does **not at all** need to be a reference to Texinfo.  It is
simply an example of a cross ref to another manual - nothing more.

The purpose of that cross ref in this node, like the overall purpose of the
node, is to introduce cross references and demo following them.  The user is not
expected here to follow a link to another manual to learn about that manual's
subject matter, but simply to go there and come back, to see what following a
cross ref link is like.

This is that "real cross-reference to Texinfo", which you mention:

"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 *Note Overview of Texinfo: (texinfo)Top, and watch what
 happens."

There is nothing special about referring to the Texinfo manual here.  Both this
cross ref and the one in the paragraph before it (see below) could just as well
be changed to a cross ref to another manual - a manual that is more likely to be
present in Emacs.  The Emacs manual is an obvious choice.

Of course, the text needs to be modified to replace "the name `texinfo'" by "the
name `emacs'", in addition to replacing the cross ref by a cross ref to the
Emacs manual:

"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 remote
 machine (although Info files distributed with Emacs or the stand-alone
 Info avoid using remote links).  Such a cross reference looks like
 this: *Note The Emacs Editor: (emacs)Top.  (After following this
 link, type `l' to get back to this node.)  Here the name `emacs'
 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."

Is this really so hard for you to see?