bug#11146: texinfo: could automake start using the '--tidy' option in its dvi and pdf rules?

[Stefano Lattarini]

Severity: wishlist
thanks

Hello everybody.

Reading the texi2dvi manpage, I've stumbled on this interesting bit of
information:

  --tidy:  compile in a local *.t2d directory, where the auxiliary files are
           left.  Output files are copied back to the original file.
  ...

  Using the `tidy' mode brings several advantages:

    -  the current directory is not cluttered with plethora of temporary
       files.

    -  clutter can be even reduced using --build-dir=dir: all the *.t2d
       directories are stored there.

    -  if the compilation fails, the previous state of the output file is
       preserved.

    -  PDF and DVI compilation are kept in separate subdirectories preventing
       any possibility of auxiliary file incompatibility.

I think it would be nice if automake started to use the '--tidy' option of
texi2vi in its PDF and DVI generation from .texi files.

WDYT?  Most importantly, is the '--tidy' option supported by all recently-ish
Texinfo releases, or has it been introduced too recently to mandate its use
in Automake-generated recipes?

Regards,
  Stefano