> Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:16:40 +0000 > Cc: [email protected] > From: Werner LEMBERG <[email protected]> > > >> In the info file I read the following about `@example`. > >> > >> Caution: Do not use tabs in the lines of an example! (Or > >> anywhere else in Texinfo, except in verbatim environments.) TeX > >> treats tabs as single spaces, and that is not what they look > >> like. > >> > >> However, this is not fully correct. Consider the following input > >> file. > >> > >> ``` > >> \input texinfo > >> > >> @example > >> no leading space > >> leading tab another tab > >> eight leading spaces > >> @end example > >> > >> @bye > >> ``` > >> > >> If processed with `texi2pdf`, the leading tab vanishes completely (as > >> shown in the image); it is not treated as a single space. > > > > Where does it say that _every_ tab is treated as a single space? > > My report talks about `@example` environments, which displays leading > spaces. If tabs are treated as single spaces, *of course* I do expect > that these single spaces are displayed. > > I don't see an alternate interpretation of the sentence 'TeX treats > tabs as single spaces [...]'. This is formulated in an absolute way, > so yes, it means *every* space according to my book.
The text that you quote has a single purpose: to recommend authors against using tabs in @example. Since this is what it wants to convey, why is it important that some tabs are left intact and some aren't? It should be enough to know that some tabs could in some cases be treated as spaces, no? IOW, a warning not to do something doesn't have to be pedantically rigorous about where and how the danger can bite you. > Note that I actually don't care about TeX's behaviour with respect to > tabs in `@example` environments. I just want to point out that the > implementation is not in sync with the documentation. To turn the table, what would you want to see the text say instead? that some tabs can be treated as single spaces? or something else?
