@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits
@chapter Texinfo::OutputUnits

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits NAME
@section Texinfo::OutputUnits NAME

Texinfo::OutputUnits - setup and manage Texinfo document output units

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits SYNOPSIS
@section Texinfo::OutputUnits SYNOPSIS

@verbatim
  use Texinfo::OutputUnits qw(split_by_node split_by_section split_pages
    units_directions units_file_directions);

  # $document is a parsed Texinfo::Document document.
  # When customization variables information is needed, it is obtained
  # from the $document by calling the get_conf() method.
  my $identifier_target = $document->labels_information();
  my $output_units;
  if ($split_at_nodes) {
    $output_units = split_by_node($document);
  } else {
    $output_units = split_by_section($document);
  }
  split_pages($output_units, $split);
  units_directions($identifier_target, $output_units,
                   $document->get_conf('DEBUG'));
  units_file_directions($output_units);
@end verbatim

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits NOTES
@section Texinfo::OutputUnits NOTES

The Texinfo Perl module main purpose is to be used in @code{texi2any} to convert
Texinfo to other formats.  There is no promise of API stability.

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits DESCRIPTION
@section Texinfo::OutputUnits DESCRIPTION

You can convert a Texinfo parsed document to an output format in a Converter
code by first splitting the nodes and sectioning commands in units and then
converting those units.  We will call the main unit of output documents an
@emph{output unit}.  Usually a node is associated with a following sectioning
command, while a sectioning command is associated with a previous node; they
both together make up the output unit.  Either the node or the sectioning
command is considered to be the main element component.

The module provides methods to setup output units associated with
node and sectioning commands of a Texinfo parsed document. With
@code{split_by_node} nodes are used as the main component for the separation of
output units, while with @code{split_by_section} the sectioning command elements
are used to separate output units.  The first mode is typical of Info format,
while the second corresponds better to a traditional book.  Note that the
result is different when there are unassociated sectioning commands or nodes,
in the usual case of each node being associated with a sectioning command and
each sectioning command being associated with a node, splitting by node or by
section does not make much difference as each output unit will consist of the
node and the associated section in both cases.

Output units are used for conversion to HTML and Info output formats.  See
@ref{Texinfo@asis{::}Convert@asis{::}Converter $result = $converter->convert_output_unit($output_unit),, @code{Texinfo::Convert::Converter::convert_output_unit}}
for more information on conversion of output units in Converters.  Output units
are not relevant for all the formats, the Texinfo tree can also be converted
directly, see @ref{Texinfo@asis{::}Convert@asis{::}Converter $result = $converter->output_tree($document),, @code{Texinfo::Convert::Converter::output_tree}}.

The output units may be further grouped in @emph{pages}, which are not pages as
in book pages, but more like web pages, and hold series of output units.
The output units may have directions to other output units prepared
by @code{units_directions}.  @code{units_file_directions} should also
set direction related to files, provided files are associated with
output units by the user.

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits METHODS
@section Texinfo::OutputUnits METHODS

No method is exported in the default case.

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits Output units creation
@subsection Output units creation

Output units are hash references created with the following keys:

@table @asis
@item @code{type}
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits @code{type}}

The type of the output unit.  Set to @code{unit} for output units associated
with nodes and sectioning commands.

@item @code{unit_command}
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits @code{unit_command}}

Main node or sectioning command associated with the output unit.

@item @code{unit_contents}
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits @code{unit_contents}}

This array reference holds all the nodes and sectioning commands Texinfo tree
elements associated with the output unit (in order).  The Texinfo tree nodes
and sectioning commands elements have an @code{associated_unit} key set that points
to the output unit.

@item @code{tree_unit_directions}
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits @code{tree_unit_directions}}

Hash reference with @emph{next} and @emph{prev} pointing to the
previous and the next output unit.

@end table

Call one of the following methods to create output units and associate them
with nodes and sectioning command Texinfo tree elements:

@table @asis
@item $output_units = split_by_node($document)
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits $output_units = split_by_node($document)}
@cindex @code{split_by_node}

Returns a reference array of output units where a node is associated with
the following sectioning commands.  Sectioning commands without nodes
are also with the previous node, while nodes without sectioning commands
are alone in their output units.

Each output unit @emph{unit_command} key points to the node command
associated with the output unit.

@item $output_units = split_by_section($document)
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits $output_units = split_by_section($document)}
@cindex @code{split_by_section}

Similarly with @code{split_by_node}, returns an array of output units.  This
time, lone nodes are associated with the previous sections and lone
sections makes up an output unit.

Output units @emph{unit_command} keys point to the sectioning command associated
with the output unit.

@end table

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits Grouping output units in pages
@subsection Grouping output units in pages

You can call @code{split_pages} to group together output units:

@table @asis
@item split_pages($output_units, $split)
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits split_pages($output_units@comma{} $split)}
@cindex @code{split_pages}

Add the @emph{first_in_page} key to each output unit in the array
reference argument @emph{$output_units}, set to the first output unit in the group.

The first output unit in the group is based on the value of @emph{$split}:

@table @asis
@item @code{chapter}
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits @code{chapter}}

The output units are grouped at chapter or other toplevel sectioning commands.

@item @code{node}
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits @code{node}}

Each output unit is on its own.

@item @code{section}
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits @code{section}}

The output units are grouped at sectioning commands below chapter.

@item empty string
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits empty string}

No splitting, all the output units are together.

@end table

@end table

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits Setting output units directions
@subsection Setting output units directions

You can call the following methods to set output units directions:

@table @asis
@item units_directions($identifier_target, $output_units, $print_debug)
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits units_directions($identifier_target@comma{} $output_units@comma{} $print_debug)}
@cindex @code{units_directions}

The @emph{$identifier_target} argument associates identifiers with target elements
and is generally obtained from a parsed document,
@ref{Texinfo@asis{::}Document $identifier_target = labels_information($document),, @code{Texinfo::Document::labels_information}}.
Directions are set up for the output units in the array reference
@emph{$output_units} given in argument. The corresponding hash is associated
with the @emph{directions} key. In this hash, keys correspond to directions
while values are output units.

@emph{$print_debug} is optional.  If set, some debugging information is printed.

The following directions are set up:

@table @asis
@item This
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits This}

The output unit itself.

@item Forward
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits Forward}

Unit next.

@item Back
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits Back}

Previous output unit.

@item NodeForward
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits NodeForward}

Following node output unit in reading order.  It is the next node unit, or the
first in menu or the next of the up node.

@item NodeBack
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits NodeBack}

Preceding node output unit.

@item NodeUp
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits NodeUp}

@item NodeNext
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits NodeNext}

@item NodePrev
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits NodePrev}

The up, next and previous node output unit.

@item Up
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits Up}

@item Next
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits Next}

@item Prev
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits Prev}

The up, next and previous section output unit.

@item FastBack
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits FastBack}

For top level output units, the previous top level output unit.  For other
output units the up top level unit.  For example, for a chapter output unit it
is the previous chapter output unit, for a subsection output unit it is the
chapter output unit that contains the subsection.

@item FastForward
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits FastForward}

The next top level output unit.

@end table

@item units_file_directions($output_units)
@anchor{Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits units_file_directions($output_units)}
@cindex @code{units_file_directions}

In the directions reference described above for @code{units_directions},
sets the @emph{PrevFile} and @emph{NextFile} directions to the output units in
previous and following files.

It also sets @emph{FirstInFile*} directions for all the output units by using
the directions of the first output unit in file.  So, for example,
@emph{FirstInFileNodeNext} is the output unit associated with the next node
of the first output unit node in the file for each output unit in the file.

The API for association of pages/output units to files is not defined yet.

@end table

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits SEE ALSO
@section Texinfo::OutputUnits SEE ALSO

@url{http://www.gnu.org/s/texinfo/manual/texinfo/, Texinfo manual},
@ref{Texinfo@asis{::}Document NAME,, Texinfo::Document}, @ref{Texinfo@asis{::}Convert@asis{::}Converter NAME,, Texinfo::Convert::Converter}.

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits AUTHOR
@section Texinfo::OutputUnits AUTHOR

Patrice Dumas, <pertusus@@free.fr>

@node Texinfo@asis{::}OutputUnits COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
@section Texinfo::OutputUnits COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

Copyright 2010- Free Software Foundation, Inc.  See the source file for
all copyright years.

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
your option) any later version.