On Mon, Nov 09, 2020 at 08:04:46PM +0000, Gavin Smith wrote:
> > In the default case, unless I am missing something, the contents
> > and shortcontents are output where they appear in the document, as
> > INLINE_CONTENTS is set to 1. One possibility would be to change the
> > location of those @-commands in the manual Texinfo code. It would clash
> > with TeX, as TeX does not output the table of content if after the first
> > sectioning command.
>
> I see. I did not know about INLINE_CONTENTS.
>
> I don't like the idea of asking authors to move where the commands
> are in the document to get commands in a sensible place. I think
> the default should be to output @shortcontents and/or @contents at
> the end of the Top node.
>
> I understand that if INLINE_CONTENTS is 0, then the contents are
> output in a separate file (MANUAL_toc.html) or at the end of the
> file for non-split output. This is used with '-c TEXI2HTML=1'.
> INLINE_CONTENTS=1 would be useful if a file didn't have nodes.
I think that it is also a good option to use both a main menu in Top
at the beginning and the table of content also available in case
some users like it better.
> So I suggest having another variable, like
> 'MOVE_CONTENTS_AFTER_TOP_NODE' or 'OUTPUT_CONTENTS_IN_TOP_NODE',
> which would be set to 1 by default.
What about replacing INLINE_CONTENTS by a customization variable for all
the contents locations possibilities, for example
OUTPUT_CONTENTS_LOCATION
which could take value
inline or at_commands (INLINE_CONTENTS=1)
separate_or_end (current INLINE_CONTENTS=0 case, separate if split, at
end otherwise)
after_top (the new option you propose which would become the default)
before_top (after title)
and there could be too
separate
end
> As far as I understand it, there would not usually be anything else,
> other than @contents, output as part of the conversion of the tree
> before the Top node starts. (There can be a title which is treated
> specially.)
It is usual for book like output to have the table of contents ater the
title.
--
Pat
