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Author Topic: Suggestion :add indexes to PDF  (Read 4651 times)

LArgonnais

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Suggestion :add indexes to PDF
« on: December 16, 2021, 04:06:46 pm »
Hello.

I used to use the HTML help pages. I just have downloaded the pdf version in order to get help offline. And I have noticed the main indexes of the RTL / FCL / LCL, which gather all the constants, classes, types, functions, and so on names of the library is not present in the pdf (ex. https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/current/rtl/index-8.html )

Would it be possible to add it in a future version? Sometimes it eases a lot the search for a reference when one has forgotten the unit it comes from.

More, the same with the classes' hierarchy, would be great.

As this data already exist in HTML, that should be not that difficult to copy it in PDF and link to the correct page.

Both could be set in annexes.

PascalDragon

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Re: Suggestion :add indexes to PDF
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2021, 03:29:48 pm »
I just have downloaded the pdf version in order to get help offline.

Independent of your suggestion: for offline viewing you can also use the CHM based help either with LHelp provided with Lazarus or by using Windows' help viewer.

dsiders

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Re: Suggestion :add indexes to PDF
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2021, 04:26:18 pm »
I just have downloaded the pdf version in order to get help offline.

Independent of your suggestion: for offline viewing you can also use the CHM based help either with LHelp provided with Lazarus or by using Windows' help viewer.

And HTML help can be downloaded and installed locally.
Preview Lazarus 3.99 documentation at: https://dsiders.gitlab.io/lazdocsnext

MarkMLl

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Re: Suggestion :add indexes to PDF
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2021, 04:52:53 pm »
I'm always very dubious when somebody who isn't directly involved uses the words "should be not that difficult".

I'd be the first to admit that I've never tackled FPC/Lazarus document preparation: I've tinkered a bit with trying to add e.g. a permuted index but I was working backwards from the PDFs.

I can say however that I've done quite a lot of PDF preparation using Lyx, and- with cautious use of extension packages- was able to get both a TOC and an index fully operational: so it's definitely doable. And unlike e.g. Ventura Publisher I don't remember having to run things multiple times to get pagination correct.

The thing I did mean to look at but never got round to is (I think I've got the name right) "trails", where the author specifies an entry point and then a sequence of sections as being appropriate for study of some facet of the overall system.

MarkMLl
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