GNU bug report logs - #26236
24.5; Info manual: need better index entry for node "`1'-`9' choose a menu subtopic by its number"

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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: 24.5; Info manual: need better index entry for node "`1'-`9' choose a
 menu subtopic by its number"
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:46:26 -0700 (PDT)

The Info manual should be exemplary in using the features of Info -
it should be among the best examples of Info.  There is room for
improvement in this regard.

1. To start with, see http://emacs.stackexchange.com/a/31679/105.

In the Info manual, please provide more and better index entries for
this node.  A user should be able to find it using `i menu TAB'.

2. Using `i menu TAB' you can get to node `Menus and the ‘m’
command' (which should be named `Menus and the ‘m’ Command').  But
from that node you cannot get to node ``1'-`9' choose a menu
subtopic by its number'.  Each of these nodes should have a
cross-reference to the other.  The first of these nodes purports
to be the main node about menus.  It should link to other nodes
that talk about using menus.

3. The index entry `select N’th menu item' should use "Nth", not
"N’th".

4. This node name, and some other node names in the manual, should use
title case, not sentence case.  E.g. `1'-`9' Choose a Menu Subtopic By
its Number".  (That title is anyway not so good.  Put the 1-9 at the
end, and remove the quotes.)

The menu item for this node in its parent menu should likewise be
"Choose Menu Subtopic", not "Choose menu subtopic", and "Create Info
buffer" in that menu should be "Create Info Buffer".

In GNU Emacs 24.5.1 (i686-pc-mingw32)
 of 2015-04-11 on LEG570
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 6.1.7601
Configured using:
 `configure --prefix=3D/c/usr --host=3Di686-pc-mingw32'

Message #10 received at 26236-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 26236-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#26236: 24.5;
 Info manual: need better index entry for node "`1'-`9' choose a menu
 subtopic by its number"
Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2017 10:55:29 +0300

> Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:46:26 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
> 
> 1. To start with, see http://emacs.stackexchange.com/a/31679/105.
> 
> In the Info manual, please provide more and better index entries for
> this node.  A user should be able to find it using `i menu TAB'.

Done.  You can now use any of

 i menu RET
 i star RET
 i 3 RET
 i third RET
 i 6 RET
 i sixth RET

to get to the "Choose menu subtopic" node.

> 2. Using `i menu TAB' you can get to node `Menus and the ‘m’
> command' (which should be named `Menus and the ‘m’ Command').  But
> from that node you cannot get to node ``1'-`9' choose a menu
> subtopic by its number'.  Each of these nodes should have a
> cross-reference to the other.  The first of these nodes purports
> to be the main node about menus.  It should link to other nodes
> that talk about using menus.

I don't see why adding cross-references in that node would be a good
idea.  That node is part of the "quick tour" section of the manual,
and as such it should not risk inadvertently showing to the reader
"advanced" features she didn't yet have chance reading about.

> 3. The index entry `select N’th menu item' should use "Nth", not
> "N’th".

I don't understand why.  I left that alone.

> 4. This node name, and some other node names in the manual, should use
> title case, not sentence case.  E.g. `1'-`9' Choose a Menu Subtopic By
> its Number".  (That title is anyway not so good.  Put the 1-9 at the
> end, and remove the quotes.)

These are not node names, they are section/subsection names.

This manual seems to have a consistent style regarding these names,
and I don't see why we should change its convention by another.

Thanks.

Message #13 received at 26236-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 26236-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: RE: bug#26236: 24.5; Info manual: need better index entry for node
 "`1'-`9' choose a menu subtopic by its number"
Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2017 07:08:35 -0700 (PDT)

> > In the Info manual, please provide more and better index entries for
> > this node.  A user should be able to find it using `i menu TAB'.
> 
> Done.  You can now use any of
>  i menu RET
>  i star RET
>  i 3 RET
>  i third RET
>  i 6 RET
>  i sixth RET
> to get to the "Choose menu subtopic" node.

Thanks.

> > 2. Using `i menu TAB' you can get to node `Menus and the ‘m’
> > command' (which should be named `Menus and the ‘m’ Command').  But
> > from that node you cannot get to node ``1'-`9' choose a menu
> > subtopic by its number'.  Each of these nodes should have a
> > cross-reference to the other.  The first of these nodes purports
> > to be the main node about menus.  It should link to other nodes
> > that talk about using menus.
> 
> I don't see why adding cross-references in that node would be a good
> idea.  That node is part of the "quick tour" section of the manual,
> and as such it should not risk inadvertently showing to the reader
> "advanced" features she didn't yet have chance reading about.

It's also the main node you get to from `i menu'.  There's
nothing wrong with cross-referencing some "advanced"
information from a "tour" node, as long as it is identified
as such.

I also mentioned an xref in the other direction.  Link to
general info about the menu and using `m', from the node
about using 1-9.

> > 3. The index entry `select N’th menu item' should use "Nth", not
> > "N’th".
> 
> I don't understand why.  I left that alone.

Because it is not how nth is written in English.  Or in
Emacs, for that matter.

> > 4. This node name, and some other node names in the manual, should use
> > title case, not sentence case.  E.g. `1'-`9' Choose a Menu Subtopic By
> > its Number".  (That title is anyway not so good.  Put the 1-9 at the
> > end, and remove the quotes.)
> 
> These are not node names, they are section/subsection names.

OK.  They are menu items, or menu-item descriptions.

> This manual seems to have a consistent style regarding these names,
> and I don't see why we should change its convention by another.

How is it consistent regarding these menu items/descriptions?
Some of them use title case and some use sentence case - in
the same menu.

Anyway, if you took care of #1 then thank you for that.

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