GNU bug report logs - #20213
25.0.50; Info top level (dir) instructions

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 25.0.50; Info top level (dir) instructions
Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 12:49:32 -0700 (PDT)

The instructions say this:

  The Info Directory
  ******************

  The Info Directory is the top-level menu of major Info topics.
  Type "d" in Info to return to the Info Directory.  Type "q" to exit Info.
  Type "?" for a list of Info commands, or "h" to visit an Info tutorial.
  Type "m" to choose a menu item--for instance,
    "mEmacs<Return>" visits the Emacs manual.
  In Emacs Info, you can click mouse button 2 on a menu item
  or cross reference to follow it to its target.
  Each menu line that starts with a * is a topic you can select with "m".
  Every third topic has a red * to help pick the right number to type.

But what does this mean: "to help pick the right number to type"?  It
means something to oldtimers, no doubt, but to someone new to Emacs and
seeing that for the first time?  It probably means nothing to them.

What's missing, I think, is any mention that you can just type the
number of a menu item to follow its link (visit that manual or node).

For example, you can just hit `5' to go to the Elisp manual from the top
(dir) node.  And at the top level of the Elisp manual you can just hit
`2' to go to node `Lisp Data Types'.

Mentioning that in the top-level instructions, along with all the rest
that is said (e.g., mouse-2), will make the mysterious phrase clear.

FWIW, the quickest way to get to the Elisp manual is, AFAIK, `C-h i 5'.


In GNU Emacs 25.0.50.1 (i686-pc-mingw32)
 of 2014-10-20 on LEG570
Bzr revision: 118168 rgm <at> gnu.org-20141020195941-icp42t8ttcnud09g
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 6.1.7601
Configured using:
 `configure --enable-checking=yes,glyphs CPPFLAGS=-DGLYPH_DEBUG=1'

Message #10 received at 20213-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 20213-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#20213: 25.0.50; Info top level (dir) instructions
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2015 19:42:41 +0300

> Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 12:49:32 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
> 
>   In Emacs Info, you can click mouse button 2 on a menu item
>   or cross reference to follow it to its target.
>   Each menu line that starts with a * is a topic you can select with "m".
>   Every third topic has a red * to help pick the right number to type.
> 
> But what does this mean: "to help pick the right number to type"?  It
> means something to oldtimers, no doubt, but to someone new to Emacs and
> seeing that for the first time?  It probably means nothing to them.
> 
> What's missing, I think, is any mention that you can just type the
> number of a menu item to follow its link (visit that manual or node).

Thanks, fixed.

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