H in info-mode as another describe-mode?

H in info-mode as another describe-mode?

[Karl Berry]

Hello Emacs folks.  Would you be ok with a change to make H in info-mode
do describe-mode (it's currently unbound), plus mention it up front in
the info.texi manual?

The principal reason would be to unify behavior between Emacs Info and
standalone Info; there are remarkably few discrepancies, and we can
eliminate this one, so my theory was, why not?  Although regular Emacs
users would probably think first of describe-mode (C-h m or whatever) no
matter what, there's no equivalent to that in standalone Info, and it
seems harmless to allow it.

Wdyt?

(For the record, standalone info has swapped meanings of h and H a few
times, and it's currently the opposite of the above.  I plan to swap
them again for the next release to match Emacs.)

Thanks,
karl


2014-02-14  Karl Berry  <karl@gnu.org>

	* info.el (Info-mode-map): H for describe-mode, to synchronize
	with standalone Info.

--- ./ORIG/lisp/info.el	2014-02-13 17:31:56.293310724 -0800
+++ ./lisp/info.el	2014-02-13 17:32:08.513914853 -0800
@@ -3840,4 +3840,5 @@ (defvar Info-mode-map
     (define-key map "g" 'Info-goto-node)
     (define-key map "h" 'Info-help)
+    (define-key map "H" 'describe-mode)
     (define-key map "i" 'Info-index)
     (define-key map "I" 'Info-virtual-index)


2014-02-14  Karl Berry  <karl@gnu.org>

	* info.texi (Top): mention H for a summary of all commands.

--- ./ORIG/doc/misc/info.texi	2013-01-01 12:37:17.000000000 -0800
+++ ./doc/misc/info.texi	2014-02-14 08:13:14.574523127 -0800
@@ -69,4 +69,6 @@ To read about advanced Info commands, ty
 brings you to @cite{Advanced Info Commands}, skipping over the `Getting
 Started' chapter.
+
+Type @kbd{H} to see a summary of all available commands.
 @end ifinfo
 @end ifnottex

Re: H in info-mode as another describe-mode?

[Glenn Morris]

Karl Berry wrote:

> Would you be ok with a change to make H in info-mode do describe-mode
> (it's currently unbound), plus mention it up front in the info.texi
> manual?

Sure, fine. I have been waiting for this since
http://debbugs.gnu.org/16455 . :)


BTW, should the "Expert Info" section of info.texi just be removed?
It's all about writing info files by hand, which seem pointless.

Re: H in info-mode as another describe-mode?

[N. Jackson]

At 12:23 -0400 on Friday 2014-02-14, Karl Berry wrote:

> Hello Emacs folks.  Would you be ok with a change to make H in info-mode
> do describe-mode (it's currently unbound), plus mention it up front in
> the info.texi manual?

I feel this ought to go in "(info)Top" near where it currently says:

    If you are new to the Info reader and want to learn how to use it,
    type the command ‘h’ now.  It brings you to a programmed instruction
    sequence.

Something like the following sentence could be added, perhaps at the end
of that very paragraph:

    For a quick summary of key bindings type ‘?’ or ‘H’.

This could be very helpful (by saving users from spending hours in the
very low-information-density Info tutorial when they might be able to
find the commands they need in a few seconds from the summary of key
bindings).

Note that the ‘?’ keybinding already works in both the Emacs Info viewer
and stand-alone Info. However it is not listed in the summary of key
bindings and maybe it ought to be?

Another thing: In the Emacs Info viewer, navigation in the summary of
key bindings is vexing. Scrolling with the mouse or with the cursor
(arrow) keys doesn't work, they just exit. Only SPC and S-SPC work.

Re: H in info-mode as another describe-mode?

[Karl Berry]

    Sure, fine. I have been waiting for this since
    http://debbugs.gnu.org/16455 . :)

Indeed.  Thanks Glenn.

    BTW, should the "Expert Info" section of info.texi just be removed?
    It's all about writing info files by hand, which seem pointless.

I think it would be good to remove it.  Patrice and I wrote a more
complete description of Info format some time ago, as best we could (it
was in the 5.0 manual), which seems to obviate to possible practical
value of that section.

Thanks,
Karl