Re: Some links to external manuals not followable in Info output

[Patrice Dumas]

On Tue, Apr 02, 2024 at 09:56:40PM +0100, Gavin Smith wrote:
> The Texinfo manual condones omitting the first argument:
> 
>      So, with cross-references to other manuals (*note Four and Five
>   Arguments::), if the first argument is either ‘Top’ (capitalized just
>   that way) or omitted entirely, and the third argument is omitted, the
>   printed output includes no node or section name.  (The Info output
>   includes ‘Top’ if it was given.)
> 
> (Info node (texinfo)Referring to a Manual as a Whole.)
> 
> I suggest that texi2any should supply the Top node name for links to
> external manuals when it is left blank.

I do not think that it is the right thing to do in the long term.  To me
the problem is in the Info reader(s) and they should be fixed.  I am
quite surprised actually, as it seemed to me that I had tested it and I
recalled that it worked.  It could be possible to add a Top as a
temporary measure for compatibility with Info readers that are not fixed
yet.

In node directions there is (dir) that is widely used.

In the 'Other Info Files' node in the manual, it is clearly stated for menu
entries:

   If you do not list the node name, but only name the file, then Info
  presumes that you are referring to the 'Top' node.  Examples:

     * Info: (info).         Documentation browsing system.
     * (emacs)::             The extensible, self-documenting
                              text editor.

To me there is no reason to do something different for cross-references,
menus entries and node directions.

-- 
Pat