[MPlayer-users] Re: Doc's Suggestion

Dean S. Messing deanm at sharplabs.com
Sat Jan 4 17:58:40 CET 2003


 :: On Fri,  3 Jan 2003 17:06:52 -0800 (PST)
 :: "Dean S. Messing" <deanm at sharplabs.com> wrote:
 :: 
 :: [about texinfo]
 :: > Huh?
 :: 
 :: MPlayer is running (and used) on a lot of systems that are
 :: not GNU. It would be just another software that must be installed
 :: for those. groff is good enough for a manpage.
 :: 
 :: 			Attila Kinali

Ok, that's a reasonable answer.  I only know Sun and Linux and both
have had `emacs' and `info' ever since I can remember.  Probably the sysadmin
on the Suns I've used had installed them on the side.

But I was not really talking about an alternative man page format
(though the original thread was about man pages if I recall).
I was talking about a format for the comprehensive docs (html, FAQs,
man page information, and everything else).

For example the entire Emacs Manual, the entire Elisp Manuaul, the
entire Gcc Manual, the entire Glibc Manual are at my figure tips with
the info system (w/in Emacs).  If I need to read the intricate details
of IEEE floating point signaling w/in Glibc I can be there in under
7 seconds.  I'd still be waiting for Netscape or Mozilla to simply
come up and get to the bookmark in that time.

No mousing around. No weighty GUI browswer.  I can move around those
docs at lightning speed.  And when I want to read documentation
remotely on my home 34,000 KBaud line I simply remotely log on to my
laboratory system from home and read in a VT.  It's all (extended)
ascii so it's quick even over a dog slow line.

Another great feature of having the docs in Texinfo is that a nice printed
version w/ Table of Contents and Indices can easily be generated.

Anyway, it was just a suggestion.  For a package whose documentation
is as big and complex as MPlayer/Mencoder, having the docs in such
an easily accessible format would be a boon, I think.

FYI below is the result of simply typing `info' on the Command Line of
my Stock Mandrake 9.0 system.  Each entry is an entire manual (some
more the 400 printed pages), fully searchable for partial or whole
strings using Regular Exression syntex, all hypertext linked with
footnotes, and links to other manuals.  And in Emacs everything is in
colour so links, footnotes, topic headings &c. are easy to spot.
Also navigation is done with five or six simple keystrokes like `l' for
"last node", `n' for next node, and `p' for previous node (distinct from
last node which is the last node you read).

Ok, I'll cut the commerical here and get off the soapbox.

Dean

   File: dir	Node: Top	This is the top of the INFO tree

     This (the Directory node) gives a menu of major topics. 
     Typing "q" exits, "?" lists all Info commands, "d" returns here,
     "h" gives a primer for first-timers,
     "mEmacs<Return>" visits the Emacs topic, etc.

     In Emacs, you can click mouse button 2 on a menu item or cross reference
     to select it.

   * Menu: 

   Texinfo documentation system
   * Info: (info).         How to use the documentation browsing system.
   * Texinfo: (texinfo).           The GNU documentation format.
   * install-info: (texinfo)Invoking install-info. Update info/dir entries.
   * makeinfo: (texinfo)Invoking makeinfo.         Translate Texinfo source.
   * texi2dvi: (texinfo)Format with texi2dvi.      Print Texinfo documents.
   * texindex: (texinfo)Format with tex/texindex.  Sort Texinfo index files.

   Miscellaneous
   * AUCTeX: (auctex).      A much enhanced LaTeX mode for GNU Emacs.
   * As: (as).                     The GNU assembler.
   * Autoconf: (autoconf).         Create source code configuration scripts.
   * Bfd: (bfd).                   The Binary File Descriptor library.
   * Binutils: (binutils).         The GNU binary utilities.
   * CVS: (cvs).          Concurrent Versions System
   * Common options: (coreutils)Common options.    Common options.
   * Date input formats: (coreutils)Date input formats.

   * DejaGnu: (dejagnu).            The GNU testing framework.
   * File permissions: (coreutils)File permission. Access modes.
   * Finding Files: (find).        Listing and operating on files
                                   that match certain criteria.
   * GNU Utilities: (coreutils).              GNU Utilities.
   * Gas: (as).                    The GNU assembler.
   * Gnucash: (gnucash-design).             Gnucash design.
   * Gpm: (gpm).   A server wich hands mouse events to non-X programs.
   * Ld: (ld).                       The GNU linker.
   * Mmalloc: (mmalloc).		The GNU mapped-malloc package.
   * Mtools: (mtools).        Mtools: utilities to access DOS disks in Unix.
   * Shar utilities: (sharutils).          GNU shar utilities.
   * Stabs: (stabs).                 The "stabs" debugging information format.
   * Standards: (standards).        GNU coding standards.
   * addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line
   * ar: (binutils)ar.               Create, modify, and extract from archives
   * basename: (coreutils)basename invocation.     Strip directory and suffix.
   * bash: (bash).                 The Bourne Again Shell.
   * bison: (bison).	GNU Project parser generator (yacc replacement).
   * c++filt: (binutils)c++filt.	  Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
   * cat: (coreutils)cat invocation.               Concatenate and write files.
   * chgrp: (coreutils)chgrp invocation.           Change file groups.
   * chmod: (coreutils)chmod invocation.           Change file permissions.
   * chown: (coreutils)chown invocation.           Change file owners/groups.
   * chroot: (coreutils)chroot invocation.         Specify the root directory.
   * cksum: (coreutils)cksum invocation.           Print POSIX CRC checksum.
   * comm: (coreutils)comm invocation.             Compare sorted files by line.
   * cp: (coreutils)cp invocation.                 Copy files.
   * cpio: (cpio).                 Making tape (or disk) archives.
   * csplit: (coreutils)csplit invocation.         Split by context.
   * cut: (coreutils)cut invocation.               Print selected parts of lines.
   * cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt.     MS-DOS name for c++filt
   * date: (coreutils)date invocation.             Print/set system date and time.
   * dc: (dc).                   Arbritrary precision RPN "Desktop Calculator".
   * dd: (coreutils)dd invocation.                 Copy and convert a file.
   * df: (coreutils)df invocation.                 Report filesystem disk usage.
   * dir: (coreutils)dir invocation.               List directories briefly.
   * dircolors: (coreutils)dircolors invocation.   Color setup for ls.
   * dirname: (coreutils)dirname invocation.       Strip non-directory suffix.
   * dlltool: (binutils)dlltool.	  Create files needed to build and use DLLs
   * du: (coreutils)du invocation.                 Report on disk usage.
   * echo: (coreutils)echo invocation.             Print a line of text.
   * env: (coreutils)env invocation.               Modify the environment.
   * expand: (coreutils)expand invocation.         Convert tabs to spaces.
   * expr: (coreutils)expr invocation.             Evaluate expressions.
   * factor: (coreutils)factor invocation.         Print prime factors
   * false: (coreutils)false invocation.           Do nothing, unsuccessfully.
   * fmt: (coreutils)fmt invocation.               Reformat paragraph text.
   * fold: (coreutils)fold invocation.             Wrap long input lines.
   * gprof: (gprof).                Profiling your program's execution
   * grep: (grep).                   print lines matching a pattern.
   * groups: (coreutils)groups invocation.         Print group names a user is in.
   * head: (coreutils)head invocation.             Output the first part of files.
   * hostid: (coreutils)hostid invocation.         Print numeric host identifier.
   * hostname: (coreutils)hostname invocation.     Print or set system name.
   * id: (coreutils)id invocation.                 Print real/effective uid/gid.
   * install: (coreutils)install invocation.       Copy and change attributes.
   * ipc: (ipc).           System V style inter process communication
   * join: (coreutils)join invocation.             Join lines on a common field.
   * kill: (coreutils)kill invocation.             Send a signal to processes.
   * link: (coreutils)link invocation.             Make hard links between files.
   * ln: (coreutils)ln invocation.                 Make links between files.
   * logname: (coreutils)logname invocation.       Print current login name.
   * ls: (coreutils)ls invocation.                 List directory contents.
   * m4: (m4).			A powerful macro processor.
   * md5sum: (coreutils)md5sum invocation.         Print or check message-digests.
   * mgetty: (mgetty).       A getty replacement use with data and fax modems.
   * mkdir: (coreutils)mkdir invocation.           Create directories.
   * mkfifo: (coreutils)mkfifo invocation.         Create FIFOs (named pipes).
   * mknod: (coreutils)mknod invocation.           Create special files.
   * mv: (coreutils)mv invocation.                 Rename files.
   * mysql: (mysql).               MySQL documentation.
   * nice: (coreutils)nice invocation.             Modify scheduling priority.
   * nl: (coreutils)nl invocation.                 Number lines and write files.
   * nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv.     Converts object code into an NLM
   * nm: (binutils)nm.               List symbols from object files
   * nohup: (coreutils)nohup invocation.           Immunize to hangups.
   * objcopy: (binutils)objcopy.	  Copy and translate object files
   * objdump: (binutils)objdump.     Display information from object files
   * od: (coreutils)od invocation.                 Dump files in octal, etc.
   * paste: (coreutils)paste invocation.           Merge lines of files.
   * pathchk: (coreutils)pathchk invocation.       Check file name portability.
   * pr: (coreutils)pr invocation.                 Paginate or columnate files.
   * printenv: (coreutils)printenv invocation.     Print environment variables.
   * printf: (coreutils)printf invocation.         Format and print data.
   * ptx: (coreutils)ptx invocation.               Produce permuted indexes.
   * pwd: (coreutils)pwd invocation.               Print working directory.
   * ranlib: (binutils)ranlib.       Generate index to archive contents
   * readelf: (binutils)readelf.	  Display the contents of ELF format files.
   * rm: (coreutils)rm invocation.                 Remove files.
   * rmdir: (coreutils)rmdir invocation.           Remove empty directories.
   * sed: (sed).                   Stream EDitor.
   * seq: (coreutils)seq invocation.               Print numeric sequences
   * shar: (sharutils)shar invocation.             Make a shell archive.
   * shred: (coreutils)shred invocation.           Remove files more securely.
   * size: (binutils)size.           List section sizes and total size
   * sleep: (coreutils)sleep invocation.           Delay for a specified time.
   * sort: (coreutils)sort invocation.             Sort text files.
   * split: (coreutils)split invocation.           Split into fixed-size pieces.
   * stat: (coreutils)stat invocation.             Report file or filesystem status.
   * strings: (binutils)strings.     List printable strings from files
   * strip: (binutils)strip.         Discard symbols
   * stty: (coreutils)stty invocation.             Print/change terminal settings.
   * su: (coreutils)su invocation.                 Modify user and group id.
   * sum: (coreutils)sum invocation.               Print traditional checksum.
   * sync: (coreutils)sync invocation.             Synchronize memory and disk.
   * tac: (coreutils)tac invocation.               Reverse files.
   * tail: (coreutils)tail invocation.             Output the last part of files.
   * tee: (coreutils)tee invocation.               Redirect to multiple files.
   * test: (coreutils)test invocation.             File/string tests.
   * time: (time).                                 GNU time Utility
   * touch: (coreutils)touch invocation.           Change file timestamps.
   * tr: (coreutils)tr invocation.                 Translate characters.
   * true: (coreutils)true invocation.             Do nothing, successfully.
   * tsort: (coreutils)tsort invocation.           Topological sort.
   * tty: (coreutils)tty invocation.               Print terminal name.
   * uname: (coreutils)uname invocation.           Print system information.
   * unexpand: (coreutils)unexpand invocation.     Convert spaces to tabs.
   * uniq: (coreutils)uniq invocation.             Uniquify files.
   * units: (units).	Units conversion.
   * unlink: (coreutils)unlink invocation.         Remove files via unlink syscall.
   * unshar: (sharutils)unshar invocation.         Explode a shell archive.
   * users: (coreutils)users invocation.           Print current user names.
   * vdir: (coreutils)vdir invocation.             List directories verbosely.
   * wc: (coreutils)wc invocation.                 Byte, word, and line counts.
   * who: (coreutils)who invocation.               Print who is logged in.
   * whoami: (coreutils)whoami invocation.         Print effective user id.
   * windres: (binutils)windres.	  Manipulate Windows resources
   * yes: (coreutils)yes invocation.               Print a string indefinitely.

   GNU Packages
   * Gawk: (gawk).           A text scanning and processing language.
   * Make: (make).            Remake files automatically.
   * Tar: (tar).			Making tape (or disk) archives.

   Individual utilities
   * aclocal: (automake)Invoking aclocal.          Generating aclocal.m4
   * awk: (gawk)Invoking gawk.           Text scanning and processing.
   * cmp: (diff)Invoking cmp.                      Compare 2 files byte by byte.
   * diff: (diff)Invoking diff.                    Compare 2 files line by line.
   * diff3: (diff)Invoking diff3.                  Compare 3 files line by line.
   * libtoolize: (libtool)Invoking libtoolize.     Adding libtool support.
   * patch: (diff)Invoking patch.                  Apply a patch to a file.
   * sdiff: (diff)Invoking sdiff.                  Merge 2 files side-by-side.
   * tar: (tar)tar invocation.                     Invoking GNU `tar'

   GNU packages
   * Diff: (diff).                 Comparing and merging files.

   Utilities
   * GNU/Which: (which).   The which command.
   * Gzip: (gzip).         The Gzip compressor.
   * ZSH: (zsh).                     The Z Shell Manual.

   Net Utilities
   * Wget: (wget).         The non-interactive network downloader.

   World Wide Web
   * Wget: (wget).         The non-interactive network downloader.

   Editors
   * GNU/Ed: (ed).   The Command line editor.

   Programming & development tools.
   * Gdb: (gdb).                     The GNU debugger.
   * Gdb-Internals: (gdbint).	The GNU debugger's internals.

   TeX
   * DVI-to-Postscript: (dvips).        Translating TeX DVI files to PostScript.
   * Kpathsea: (kpathsea).                       File lookup along search paths.
   * LaTeX2e: (latex).                  LaTeXe help 1.6.
   * Web2c: (web2c).                    TeX, Metafont, and companion programs.
   * afm2tfm: (dvips)Invoking afm2tfm.  Making Type 1 fonts available to TeX.
   * bibtex: (web2c)bibtex invocation.             Maintaining bibliographies.
   * dmp: (web2c)dmp invocation.                   Troff->MPX (MetaPost pictures).
   * dvicopy: (web2c)dvicopy invocation.           Virtual font expansion
   * dvips: (dvips)Invoking Dvips.      DVI-to-PostScript translator.
   * dvitomp: (web2c)dvitomp invocation.           DVI to MPX (MetaPost pictures).
   * dvitype: (web2c)dvitype invocation.           DVI to human-readable text.
   * gftodvi: (web2c)gftodvi invocation.           Generic font proofsheets.
   * gftopk: (web2c)gftopk invocation.             Generic to packed fonts.
   * gftype: (web2c)gftype invocation.             GF to human-readable text.
   * inimf: (web2c)inimf invocation.               Initial Metafont.
   * inimpost: (web2c)inimpost invocation.         Initial MetaPost.
   * initex: (web2c)initex invocation.             Initial TeX.
   * kpsewhich: (kpathsea)Invoking kpsewhich.    TeX file searching.
   * makempx: (web2c)makempx invocation.           MetaPost label typesetting.
   * mf: (web2c)mf invocation.                     Creating typeface families.
   * mft: (web2c)mft invocation.                   Prettyprinting Metafont source.
   * mktexlsr: (kpathsea)Filename database.      Update ls-R.
   * mktexmf: (kpathsea)mktex scripts.           MF source generation.
   * mktexpk: (kpathsea)mktex scripts.           PK bitmap generation.
   * mktextex: (kpathsea)mktex scripts.          TeX source generation.
   * mktextfm: (kpathsea)mktex scripts.          TeX font metric generation.
   * mltex: (web2c)MLTeX.                          Multi-lingual TeX.
   * mpost: (web2c)mpost invocation.               Creating technical diagrams.
   * mpto: (web2c)mpto invocation.                 MetaPost label extraction.
   * newer: (web2c)newer invocation.               Compare modification times.
   * patgen: (web2c)patgen invocation.             Creating hyphenation patterns.
   * pktogf: (web2c)pktogf invocation.             Packed to generic fonts.
   * pktype: (web2c)pktype invocation.             PK to human-readable text.
   * pltotf: (web2c)pltotf invocation.             Property list to TFM.
   * pooltype: (web2c)pooltype invocation.         Display WEB pool files.
   * tangle: (web2c)tangle invocation.             WEB to Pascal.
   * tex: (web2c)tex invocation.                   Typesetting.
   * tftopl: (web2c)tftopl invocation.             TFM -> property list.
   * vftovp: (web2c)vftovp invocation.             Virtual font -> virtual pl.
   * virmf: (web2c)virmf invocation.               Virgin Metafont.
   * virmpost: (web2c)virmpost invocation.         Virgin MetaPost.
   * virtex: (web2c)virtex invocation.             Virgin TeX.
   * vptovf: (web2c)vptovf invocation.             Virtual pl -> virtual font.
   * weave: (web2c)weave invocation.               WEB to TeX.

   Programming
   * Cpp: (cpp).		       The GNU C preprocessor.
   * MikMod: (mikmod).            MikMod Sound Library.
   * NASM: (nasm).                The Netwide Assembler for x86.
   * cvsclient: (cvsclient).      The CVS client/server protocol.
   * g77: (g77).                  The GNU Fortran compiler.
   * gcc: (gcc).                  The GNU Compiler Collection.
   * gnat_rm: (gnat_rm).            GNAT Reference Manual
   * gnat_ug: (gnat_ug).            GNAT User's Guide

   GNU programming tools
   * Libtool: (libtool).           Generic shared library support script.

   GNU admin
   * automake: (automake).		Making Makefile.in's

   Emacs
   * Ada mode: (ada-mode). The GNU Emacs mode for editing Ada.
   * Autotype: (autotype). Convenient features for text that you enter frequently
                             in Emacs.
   * CC Mode: (ccmode).   Emacs mode for editing C, C++, Objective-C,
                             Java, Pike, and IDL code.
   * CL: (cl).		Partial Common Lisp support for Emacs Lisp.
   * Dired-X: (dired-x).   Dired Extra Features.
   * EUDC: (eudc).   A client for directory servers (LDAP, PH)
   * Ebrowse: (ebrowse).   A C++ class browser for Emacs.
   * Ediff: (ediff).       A visual interface for comparing and merging programs.
   * Emacs: (emacs).	The extensible self-documenting text editor.
   * Emacs FAQ: (efaq).	Frequently Asked Questions about Emacs.
   * Emacs MIME: (emacs-mime).   The MIME de/composition library.
   * Eshell: (eshell).     A command shell implemented in Emacs Lisp.
   * Forms: (forms).	Emacs package for editing data bases
   			  by filling in forms.
   * Gnus: (gnus).         The newsreader Gnus.
   * IDLWAVE: (idlwave).	Major mode and shell for IDL and WAVE/CL files.
   * MH-E: (mh-e).		Emacs interface to the MH mail system.
   * Message: (message).   Mail and news composition mode that goes with Gnus.
   * PCL-CVS: (pcl-cvs).	Emacs front-end to CVS.
   * RefTeX: (reftex).	Emacs support for LaTeX cross-references and citations.
   * SC: (sc).		Supercite lets you cite parts of messages you're
   			  replying to, in flexible ways.
   * Speedbar: (speedbar).        File/Tag summarizing utility.
   * VIP: (vip).		An older VI-emulation for Emacs.
   * VIPER: (viper).       The newest Emacs VI-emulation mode.
                             (also, A VI Plan for Emacs Rescue
                              or the VI PERil.)
   * Widget: (widget).      Documenting the "widget" package used by the
                              Emacs Custom facility.
   * WoMan: (woman).       Browse UN*X Manual Pages `Wo (without) Man'.

   Kernel
   * GRUB: (grub).                 The GRand Unified Bootloader
   * Multiboot Specification: (multiboot).		Multiboot Specification.
   * grub-install: (grub)Invoking grub-install.    Install GRUB on your drive
   * grub-md5-crypt: (grub)Invoking grub-md5-crypt.        Encrypt a password
                                                           in MD5 format
   * mbchk: (grub)Invoking mbchk.  Check for the format of a Multiboot kernel

   Indent Code Formatter
   * indent: (indent).				Program to format source code.

   Library of useful routines for 'C' programing
   * GLIB: (glib).        useful routines for 'C' programming

   Libraries
   * Termcap: (termcap).               The GNU termcap library.
   * libIDL: (libIDL).     Interface Definition Language parsing library.

   User Interface Toolkit
   * GDK: (gdk).		The General Drawing Kit
   * GTK: (gtk).		The GIMP Toolkit

   Programming Languages
   * UMB Scheme: (umb-scheme).		An implementation of the Scheme programming language

   GNU Gettext Utilities
   * Gettext: (gettext).                           GNU gettext utilities.
   * gettextize: (gettext)gettextize Invocation.   Prepare a package for gettext.
   * msgfmt: (gettext)msgfmt Invocation.           Make MO files out of PO files.
   * msgmerge: (gettext)msgmerge Invocation.       Update two PO files into one.
   * xgettext: (gettext)xgettext Invocation.       Extract strings into a PO file.

   The Algorithmic Language Scheme
   * data-rep: (data-rep).  Data Representation in Guile -- how to use
                            Guile objects in your C code.

   Internationalization and character sets
   * recode: (recode).     Conversion between character sets and surfaces.

   Programming Tools
   * Gperf: (gperf).                Perfect Hash Function Generator.

   Printing Tools
   * PreScript: (a2ps) PreScript.     Input language for a2ps
   * a2ps: (a2ps).                    PostScript Generating Utility
   * card: (a2ps) card.               Print Reference Cards
   * fixnt: (a2ps) fixnt.             Fixing Microsoft NT PostScript Files
   * fixps: (a2ps) fixps.             Fixing Some Ill Designed PostScript Files
   * ogonkify: (ogonkify).            Ogonkify
   * pdiff: (a2ps) pdiff.             Produce Pretty Comparison of Files
   * psmandup: (a2ps) psmandup.       Printing Duplex on Simplex Printers
   * psset: (a2ps) psset.             Inserting calls to setpagedevice

   C library code
   * Regex: (regex).                  Regular expression library.

   Libraries:
   * AA-lib: (aalib).			An ASCII-art graphics library

   Games
   * xboard: (xboard).         An X Window System graphical chessboard.

   GNU libraries
   * Libc: (libc).                 C library.

   Editors
   * Elisp: (elisp).	The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
   * Bibtex: (bibtex).     Bibtex mode for GNU Emacs.



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