1 Getting Started with Texinfo
2 ============================
6 Most of the installation instructions are described in the file `INSTALL'.
7 One additional note to make is that if your info files are in a nonstandard
8 place (i.e. not in the `info' directory immediately under $prefix) you may
9 wish to change the default info path as specified via DEFAULT_INFOPATH in
12 "Texinfo" is a documentation system that uses a single source file to
13 produce both on-line information and printed output. Using Texinfo,
14 you can create a printed document with the normal features of a book,
15 including chapters, sections, cross references, and indices. From the
16 same Texinfo source file, you can create a menu-driven, on-line Info
17 file with nodes, menus, cross references, and indices.
19 The name of the Texinfo source documentation file is `texinfo.texi'.
20 You can produce both on-line information and printed output from this
21 source file. The documentation describes Texinfo in detail, including
22 how to write Texinfo files, how to format them for both hard copy and
23 Info, and how to install Info files.
25 To get started, you need to create either a printed manual or an
26 on-line Info file from the `texinfo.texi' file. You do not need to
27 create both, although you will probably want both eventually.
29 To learn how to use Info, read the info documentation. You can do this in
30 one of two ways: using the standalone `info' program, or using Info mode in
33 * If you want to use the `info' program, type
37 * If you want to use Emacs, start up emacs and type `C-h i' [M-x info].
38 Follow the instructions to learn how to use Info.
40 After learning how to use Info, you can read the Texinfo documentation.
41 Using the standalone `info', type the following at the shell prompt:
45 To use read this manual in Emacs, you first need to edit the Info-directory
46 menu (the file `dir' in the system info directory) to contain the
47 appropriate node. To learn how to do this, see node: Add in the Info
50 The Texinfo documentation describes Texinfo in detail; among other things,
51 it tells how to install Info files in the usual manner. (See node: Install
54 The `info-stnd.info' file describes the standalone Info reader in detail. To
59 If you are using GNU Emacs, you may want to install the Emacs Lisp files
60 permanently. Move them them to a directory in the load-path for Emacs;
61 otherwise Emacs will not be able to load the autoloaded support files, such
64 The `texinfo.el' file contains the autoload commands; it is the only
65 file that needs to be loaded initially. If your Emacs does not
66 automatically load `texinfo.el', you can tell it to do so by placing
67 the following in `default.el' or in your `.emacs' file:
72 To create a printed manual
73 ==========================
77 * The `tex' program, which typesets the manual using TeX.
78 * The `texinfo.tex' definition file that tells TeX how to typeset
80 * The `texindex' program, which sorts the unsorted index files
82 * A printing program such as `lp' or `lpr',
85 This Texinfo distribution package contains `texinfo.tex', the C source
86 for `texindex', and the handy shell script `texi2dvi'. The `tex'
87 program is not part of this distribution, but is available separately.
88 (See `How to Obtain TeX' in the Texinfo documentation.)
90 * Install `tex'. (`texindex' is installed automagically by
91 `make install' in this distribution.)
93 * Move the `texinfo.tex' file to an appropriate directory; the current
94 directory will do. (`/usr/local/lib/tex/inputs' might be a good place.
95 See ``Preparing to Use TeX'' in the Texinfo manual, for more
98 After following those instructions, type the following to make the .dvi
102 $ (cd info; make info.dvi info-stnd.dvi)
103 $ (cd makeinfo; make makeinfo.dvi)
105 You can then print the resulting .dvi files with the `lpr' command (on BSD
106 systems. On SysV systems the command is `lp'. Consult your man pages for
109 For example, the command to print the texinfo.dvi file might be:
113 The name of the printing command depends on the system; `lpr -d' is
114 common, and is illustrated here. You may use a different name for the
117 Please report bugs to bug-texinfo@prep.ai.mit.edu.