[tex-live] texdoc index

[Vladimir Lomov]

Hello,
** Reinhard Kotucha [2011-12-28 01:30:51 +0100]:

> On 2011-12-26 at 18:36:22 +0100, Martin Schröder wrote:

>> Hi,
>> 'texdoc index' shows
>>   doc/support/makeindex/ind.pdf
>> instead of
>>   doc/latex/index/index.pdf

>> I can understand the idea, but I expected the documentation for the
>> index package...

> When running 

>    texdoc --debug index

> I get:

>   texdoc debug-score: Name used: makeindex/ind.pdf
>   texdoc debug-score: Start heuristic scoring with pattern: index
>   texdoc debug-score: Final heuristic score: -10
>   texdoc debug-score: Matching alias 'ind', score: 10
>                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
>   texdoc debug-score: Max pattern score: 10
>   texdoc debug-score: Final score: 10

> It seems that it has been aliased deliberately.  With other words,
> someone decided that ind.pdf is more appropriate than index.pdf.

I would agree with Martin. 'makeindex' is the program that is used to
make document index. 'index' is the package that "reimplements LaTeX’s
indexing macros to provide better and more robust support for indexes".

> You can either unset the alias in your config file or try to convince
> Manuel that his decision was not ideal.

IMO, if one really need to read 'makeindex' documentation one should
spell it out fully: 'texdoc makeindex'. On the other hand (as Martin
expects) if someone want to read 'index' package documentation one would
run 'texdoc index'.

> My personal opinion is that one has to be extremely careful when
> adding aliases to the texdoc distribution.  Some are unavoidable and
> some are only for convenience.  The latter might make most people
> happy but are an annoyance to others.  It's always a tightrope walk.

"First rule: no ambiguity" :)

---
WBR, Vladimir Lomov

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