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authorGlenn Morris2008-10-21 03:22:25 +0000
committerGlenn Morris2008-10-21 03:22:25 +0000
commit8e5de32397a71181ec8f5025fcea9277ff3274dc (patch)
treec0c551e64e3081bf5880d493fe01ca8c2f594228 /admin/notes/documentation
parent8be68090963c9306b016df9fbefca1c634ec8da9 (diff)
downloademacs-8e5de32397a71181ec8f5025fcea9277ff3274dc.tar.gz
emacs-8e5de32397a71181ec8f5025fcea9277ff3274dc.zip
New file, with some wisdom from emacs-devel.
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1-*- outline -*-
2
3Some documentation tips culled from emacs-devel postings.
4
5
6** Manual indices
7
8http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2008-10/msg00400.html
9
10For example, this text:
11
12 @vindex x-gtk-show-hidden-files
13 @vindex x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text
14 When Emacs is compiled with GTK+ support, it uses the GTK+ ``file
15 chooser'' dialog. Emacs adds an additional toggle button to this
16 dialog, which you can use to enable or disable the display of hidden
17 files (files starting with a dot) in that dialog. If you want this
18 toggle to be activated by default, change the variable
19 @code{x-gtk-show-hidden-files} to @code{t}. In addition, Emacs adds
20 help text to the GTK+ file chooser dialog; to disable this help text,
21 change the variable @code{x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text} to @code{nil}.
22
23has index entries for the variables it describes, which is good, but
24what if a user looks for this information without knowing the names of
25these variables? For those, I added these two concept index entries:
26
27 @cindex hidden files, in GTK+ file chooser
28 @cindex help text, in GTK+ file chooser
29
30Thus, if a user types "i hidden files TAB" in Info, she will see the
31first entry, and if so if she types "i file chooser RET". See why it
32is better?
33
34The way to come up with useful index entries is to put yourself in the
35shoes of someone who looks for the information, and think about words
36and phrases you'd use to find it.
37
38One other rule for good indexing is not to have several index entries
39that begin with the same substring and point to the same page or
40screenful (i.e. to places that are close to one another). Here's a
41fictitious example of such redundant entries:
42
43 @cindex foobar, how to use
44 @cindex foobar rules
45
46 Either leave only one of these, e.g. just "@cindex foobar", or
47combine them into a single entry, e.g.:
48
49 @cindex foobar, rules and usage
50
51
52** Point is a proper name
53
54http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2008-10/msg00414.html
55
56In Emacs tradition, we treat "point" as a proper name when it refers
57to the current editing location. It should not have an article.
58
59Thus, it is incorrect to write, "The point does not move". It should
60be, "Point does not move".
61
62If you see "the point" anywhere in Emacs documentation or comments,
63referring to point, please fix it.
64
65
66** Don't use passive verbs
67
68http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2008-10/msg00414.html
69
70Documentation is clearer if it avoids the passive voice whenever
71possible. For example, rather than saying "Point does not move", say
72"This does not move point". If you come across passive verbs in Emacs
73documentation or comments, please see if it is possible to make the
74text shorter and clearer using the active voice. Usually that does
75make an improvement. The explicit subject required by the active voice
76often provides important information which makes the text clearer, too.