Re: Setting Page Size and displaying result correctly

[Christopher Dimech]

These are two considerations for Page Sizes as described below.


1. Consistency in applying commands

It is true that the manual says that @pagesizes refers to text-area.
However, it should be remembered that papersizes such as @afourpaper
and @afivepaper always refer to the actual size of the paper. The
default margins will then set the text-area. The manual already says
that setting of margins is considered an elaboration that should
customarily be defined using commands in texinfo.tex.

Just as @afourpaper and @afivepaper always refer to to actual page
size rather than text-area, other settings for page sizes should ideally
follow same rule - User sets the actual page size, and not the size of
the text area.

2. Possibilities for using Texinfo for Screencasts, especially screencasts
that include the display of mathematical expressions.

The difficulty setting a different page size does not crop up for software
manuals.  But the problem crops up when you want to use a texinfo document
for a screen cast.  In such an instance, changing the page size would
be important, because the standard paper sizes make the text too small
for display purposes on the screen.

This would enable texinfo to be used in many other circumstances in addition
to simply writing manuals.

Regards
Christopher


> Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2020 at 6:11 PM
> From: "Gavin Smith" <gavinsmith0123@gmail.com>
> To: "Christopher Dimech" <dimech@gmx.com>
> Cc: "help-texinfo gnu" <help-texinfo@gnu.org>
> Subject: Re: Setting Page Size and displaying result correctly
>
> On Tue, Oct 06, 2020 at 09:58:32AM +0200, Christopher Dimech wrote:
> > Dear Compeers,
> >
> > I have recently mentioned allowing multiline titles in structured commands
> > (e.g. @chapter, @section, @unnumberedsec)
> >
> > Another Texinfo aspect to mention is properly setting the page size using 
> > @pagesizes.
> >
> > Firstly, if one uses a smaller pagesize, the resulting pdf simply cuts the
> > page out to the required size. This means that the part of the text, 
> > figures,
> > etc ... that is outside the area are cut out.
>
> That does not appear to be strictly true, as formatting with a narrow
> page width does shorten the formatted lines, only that the right-hand
> margin completely disappears.
>
> > Have used @pagesizes 250mm,176mm I have also noticed that the result is 
> > almost
> > correct, showing a pagesize of 250mm,182mm. Perhaps it is also something to 
> > look
> > at.
>
> Note the following excerpt from the manual:
>
> >>>
>  Examples:
>
>      @pagesizes 200mm,150mm
> and
>      @pagesizes 11.5in
>
>    This would be reasonable for printing on B5-size paper.  To
> emphasize, this command specifies the size of the _text area_, not the
> size of the paper (which is 250mm by 177mm for B5, 14in by 8.5in for
> legal).
> >>>
>
> So the page size that appears in e.g. a PDF reader would not match
> the arguments exactly.
>
> >
> > Making @pagesizes work would be extremely beneficial for users.
>
> I doubt that many people will actually print Texinfo manuals onto paper,
> but I don't see why it couldn't be fixed for other paper sizes (assuming
> someone works out how to do it).  Are you going to print on paper that is
> 250x176 mm?  Is that B5?
>