Re: how do I visit a file in info mode?

[Bruce Korb]

Hi Drew,

Thanks.

On Mon, Mar 1, 2010 at 5:03 PM, Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> wrote:
>> > So try `C-u C-h i' instead of `M-2 C-h i'.
>>
>> That was it.  Thank you!!
>> Completely unclear why it was necessary to change it, though.
>
> Most changes are not strictly necessary. ;-)

Yeah, I know.  As a developer, I am acutely sensitive to both sides of the
issue.  The result:  never change things unless there's a real reason,
and when there is a real reason, leave around some bread crumbs
so nobody has to go Googling to figure things out.  Here, the new code
just quietly ignores the numeric prefix (a technique I've been using for
30 years now).  It left me grumpy.  :)  Thank you.  I will now retrain
my fingers to prefix this particular command with Ctl-u.  Ick.  :(
"non-numeric prefix" is a new feature that must have cropped up in the
last 20 years.  :-D

> The more common use of a prefix arg is as `C-u'. A numeric prefix arg 
> sometimes
> serves, like here, to provide a numeric value (or to provide some other
> alternative behavior).
>
> In this case, from the doc string (`C-h k C-h i'):
>
> "In interactive use, a non-numeric prefix argument directs
> this command to read a file name from the minibuffer.
> A numeric prefix argument selects an Info buffer with the
> prefix number appended to the Info buffer name."

I know the stuff is always documented somewhere.  The problem is
finding it.  Thank you again.  Regards, Bruce