Re: Agreeing on some "rules" for packaging.

[Ludovic Courtès]

Andreas Enge <address@hidden> skribis:

> On Sat, Aug 31, 2013 at 11:31:08AM +0200, Ludovic Courtès wrote:
>> > No, since @xref creates text starting by "See", so is only suitable for the
>> > beginning of a sentence.
>>     In general, it is best to use '@ref' only when you need some word
>>   other than "see" to precede the reference.  When "see" (or "See") is ok,
>>   '@xref' and '@pxref' are preferable.
>
> Well, but I would like to start my sentence with "But" and not "See", since
> I am pointing the reader to something that contradicts the previous 
> sentence...
>
>> >> s/defined in @ref {Package Naming}/previously defined (@pxref{Package 
>> >> Naming})/
>> > This also gives strange output with an additional "see".
>>   previously defined (see Section 4.2 “Package Naming”)
>
> and I would like to write "defined in Section..." and not "previously defined
> (see Section".
>
> These info rules should not meddle with our writing style.

Sure, but the topic of making cross-references that work across media
isn’t trivial, which is why Texinfo has several commands with clear
rules.

> The result is what I wanted to achieve in the pdf, and I think it
> looks acceptable in info.

Well, by definition, constructs like these look bad in Info.  However,
perhaps it’s kinda OK with Emacs’ Info reader, which uses hyperlinks.

Nevertheless, I’ve never found it such a hindrance to follow the Texinfo
rules.

>> > Okay. I suppose this also means that the period at the end of a sentence
>> > is not allowed to fall at the end of an input line?
>> No, that’s not necessary, fortunately.
>
> So texinfo interprets periods at the end of a line as ends of sentences?

Presumably, but I don’t know the details.

Thanks,
Ludo’.