GNU bug report logs - #7766
docs: work on index issues

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

From: karl <at> freefriends.org (Karl Berry)
To: bug-automake <at> gnu.org
Subject: (lack of) config.h description in manual
Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2011 00:00:20 GMT

Hi Ralf and all,

A new GNU maintainer just asked me about how to use $(pkgdatadir) from
his C program.  I looked at the Automake manual and didn't see anywhere
especially good to point him at :(.  A couple thoughts I had as a result
of looking at this for him:

First, tiny English point in node Optional:
< As for `AC_CONFIG_FILES' (*note Requirements::), parts of the
> As with ...

The main point: although "amhello Explained" talks about
AC_CONFIG_HEADERS and gives a partial example, I don't see any "real"
description of how to determine what ends up in config.h and what the
#define names are.  If I'm not just missing something, I suggest a new
node, perhaps under "Generalities", which talks about Automake/C
linkage, including autoheader, etc.

The apparent reference definition for AC_CONFIG_HEADERS (in node
"Optional") says nothing about what it really does.

It belatedly occurs to me that perhaps this topic is gone into in more
detail in the Autoconf manual.  I don't have the energy to search
through it now, but if that is so, at least a cross-reference to that
would be nice.  (FWIW, I looked at all occurrences of config\.h and
CONFIG_HEADERS in the automake manual.)


Subsidiary points: in the general index (I continue to very strongly
encourage you to merge all indexes, BTW), I didn't find anything useful
for "preprocessor", or "#define", or "config.h", or anything else I
could think of.  Fortran preprocessing was the only thing.

Finally, the "amhello explained" node is pretty long.  It seems to break
up naturally into three pieces, for each of the files being explained.
Perhaps it would be good to make them each separate (sub)nodes.


Of course, all the above are just some ideas, please do whatever makes
sense and forget the rest.

Happy hacking in 2011,
karl

Message #8 received at 7766 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ralf Wildenhues <Ralf.Wildenhues <at> gmx.de>
To: Karl Berry <karl <at> freefriends.org>, automake-patches <at> gnu.org
Cc: 7766 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#7766: (lack of) config.h description in manual
Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2011 20:21:29 +0100

Hi Karl,

* Karl Berry wrote on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 01:00:20AM CET:
> Finally, the "amhello explained" node is pretty long.  It seems to break
> up naturally into three pieces, for each of the files being explained.
> Perhaps it would be good to make them each separate (sub)nodes.

Hmm, I see a natural split into two, not three nodes.  Below, I replaced
the existing one rather than using another lower hierarchy level.  Does
this seem acceptable to you?

Thanks,
Ralf

    docs: split 'amhello Explained' node.
    
    * doc/automake.texi (amhello Explained): Split node ...
    (amhello/configure.ac, amhello/Makefile.am): ... into these two.
    (Top, Hello World): Adjust, and add @anchor for stable URL links.
    Suggestion by Karl Berry in automake bug#7766.

diff --git a/doc/automake.texi b/doc/automake.texi
index c63dbf3..9e29951 100644
--- a/doc/automake.texi
+++ b/doc/automake.texi
@@ -157,7 +157,8 @@ Top
 A Small Hello World
 
 * Creating amhello::            Create @file{amhello-1.0.tar.gz} from scratch
-* amhello Explained::           @file{configure.ac} and @file{Makefile.am} explained
+* amhello/configure.ac::        Configure setup explained
+* amhello/Makefile.am::         Makefile setup explained
 
 General ideas
 
@@ -1392,9 +1393,11 @@ Hello World
 meaning of the @file{configure.ac} and @file{Makefile.am} files read
 by the Autotools.
 
+@anchor{amhello Explained}
 @menu
 * Creating amhello::            Create @file{amhello-1.0.tar.gz} from scratch
-* amhello Explained::           @file{configure.ac} and @file{Makefile.am} explained
+* amhello/configure.ac::        Configure setup explained
+* amhello/Makefile.am::         Makefile setup explained
 @end menu
 
 @node Creating amhello
@@ -1555,8 +1558,10 @@ Creating amhello
 direct you to the right manual when seeking answers.
 
 
-@node amhello Explained
-@subsection @file{amhello-1.0} Explained
+@node amhello/configure.ac
+@subsection Configure setup explained
+
+@cindex @file{configure.ac}, Hello World
 
 Let us begin with the contents of @file{configure.ac}.
 
@@ -1664,6 +1669,10 @@ amhello Explained
 @command{autoscan} to Create @file{configure.ac}, autoconf, The
 Autoconf Manual}).
 
+
+@node amhello/Makefile.am
+@subsection Makefile setup explained
+
 @cindex @file{Makefile.am}, Hello World
 
 We now turn to @file{src/Makefile.am}.  This file contains

Message #11 received at 7766 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: karl <at> freefriends.org (Karl Berry)
To: Ralf.Wildenhues <at> gmx.de
Cc: 7766 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, automake-patches <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#7766: (lack of) config.h description in manual
Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2011 00:17:36 GMT

    Hmm, I see a natural split into two, not three nodes.  

Ok, fine.

    Below, I replaced the existing one rather than using another lower
    hierarchy level.  Does this seem acceptable to you?

Sure, but I suggest making the @node names closer to the @section names,
and not using that unusual-looking /.

@node amhello/configure.ac
->
@node amhello's configure.ac Setup Explained

@subsection Configure setup explained
->
@subsection @code{amhello}'s @file{configure.ac} Setup Explained

Ditto for the other node.

And then I think the upper-level menu could just use the node names.

(In general, despite longstanding precedent in various GNU manuals, my
belief is that it is not helpful to readers to have @node names that
unnecessarily differ from their section names.  The result is confusion
when an xref is made.)

Re capitalization, I seem to recall that we tried to systematically
Capitalize Node/Section Names a while back.  I don't see other downcased
names in the top-level menu just now, anyway.

    +@anchor{amhello Explained}

Very good.  Extra credit for thinking to do that :).

Thanks,
k

Message #14 received at 7766 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ralf Wildenhues <Ralf.Wildenhues <at> gmx.de>
To: Karl Berry <karl <at> freefriends.org>
Cc: 7766 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#7766: (lack of) config.h description in manual
Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2011 20:06:10 +0100

retitle 7766 docs: work on index issues
thanks

* Karl Berry wrote on Sat, Jan 01, 2011 at 01:00:20AM CET:
> 
> Subsidiary points: in the general index (I continue to very strongly
> encourage you to merge all indexes, BTW), I didn't find anything useful
> for "preprocessor", or "#define", or "config.h", or anything else I
> could think of.  Fortran preprocessing was the only thing.

AFAICS the index issues are the only remaining ones from this PR,
so I'm adjusting the title accordingly.

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