4 Current version of the manual: 2.8.0
5 *** Please update this whenever you run convert-ly on the docs.
7 convert-ly --from=... --to=... --no-version *.itely
10 Distributions will want to install lilypond.info in postinstall, doing:
12 install-info --info-dir=/usr/share/info out/lilypond.info
14 * Prepend GNU for dir, must be unique.
16 * Do not list the `lilypond' node at toplevel, so that `info lilypond'
19 * List all commands in direntry.
21 @c * lilypond: (lilypond/lilypond)Running LilyPond. Invoking the
27 * Do not forget to create @cindex entries for new sections of text.
29 * Try not to use punctuation between an introductory sentence and
30 display material (music, example code).
32 * Do not refer to LilyPond in the text. The reader knows what the
33 manual is about. If you do, capitalization is LilyPond.
35 * If you explicitly refer to `lilypond', the program (or any other
36 command to be executed), say `@command{lilypond}'.
38 * Do not explicitly refer to the reader/user. There is no one else
39 besides the reader and the writer.
41 * Do not use abbreviations (don't, won't, etc.). If you do, use a
44 blabla blabla, i.e., blabla blabla
46 * Avoid fluff (``Notice that,'' ``as you can see,'' ``Currently,'').
48 * The above three suggestions refer to the formal Notation Manual
49 (chapters 5 and up). In the Tutorial, Example templates, and
50 Putting it all together, you may write more colloquially.
52 * The use of the word `illegal' is inappropriate in most cases. Say
55 * Avoid long stretches of input code. Noone is going to read them in
56 print. Instead refer to an example input file (@inputfileref), these
57 are clickable in HTML.
59 * Abbrevs in caps, e.g., HTML, DVI, MIDI, etc.
63 0. Do not use a colon to introduce examples, sentences just continue
65 in the display material.
68 2. When beginning a quote: "So, he said,..."
69 This usage is rarer. Americans often just use a comma.
70 3. When adding a defining example at the end of a sentence.
72 * To produce good looking texinfo output (for both TTY and DVI) some
73 additional formatting rules should be followed.
75 . Do not use tabs. They expand to nothing in DVI output.
77 . Do not use spaces at the beginning of a line (except in @example
78 or @verbatim environments), and do not use more than a single space
79 between words. `makeinfo' copies the input lines verbatim without
80 removing those spaces.
82 . Use two spaces after a priod.
84 . Variables or numbers which consist of a single character (probably
85 followed by a punctuation mark) should be tied properly, either to
86 the previous or the next word. Example:
88 The variable@tie{}@var{a} ...
90 . To get consistent indentation in the DVI output it is better to avoid
91 the @verbatim environment. Use the @example environment instead if
92 possible, but without extraneous indentation. For example, this
100 should be replaced with
108 where `@example' starts the line (without leading spaces).
110 . Use the `quote' option in @lilypond commands if possible.
112 . Do not compress the input vertically; this is, do not use
114 Beginning of logical unit
118 continuation of logical unit
122 Beginning of logical unit
129 continuation of logical unit
131 This makes it easier to not forget `@noindent'.
133 . Non-ASCII characters which are in utf-8 should be directly used;
134 this is, don't say `Ba@ss{}tuba' but `Baßtuba'. This ensures that
135 all such characters appear in all output formats.
137 * Lines should be less than 80 characters long.