22.2 HTML Splitting

When splitting output at nodes (which is the default), makeinfo writes HTML output into (basically) one output file per Texinfo source @node.

Each output file name is the node name with spaces replaced by ‘-’’s and special characters changed to ‘_’ followed by their code point in hex (see HTML Xref). This is to make it portable and easy to use as a filename. In the unusual case of two different nodes having the same name after this treatment, they are written consecutively to the same file, with HTML anchors so each can be referred to independently.

If makeinfo is run on a system which does not distinguish case in file names, nodes which are the same except for case (e.g., ‘index’ and ‘Index’) will also be folded into the same output file with anchors. You can also pretend to be on a case insensitive filesystem by setting the customization variable CASE_INSENSITIVE_FILENAMES.

It is also possible to split at chapters or sections with --split (see Invoking texi2any). In that case, the file names are constructed after the name of the node associated with the relevant sectioning command. Also, unless --no-node-files is specified, a redirection file is output for every node in order to more reliably support cross-references to that manual (see HTML Xref).

When splitting, the HTML output files are written into a subdirectory, with the name chosen as follows:

1. makeinfo first tries the subdirectory with the base name from @setfilename (that is, any extension is removed). For example, HTML output for @setfilename gcc.info would be written into a subdirectory named ‘gcc/’.
2. If that directory cannot be created for any reason, then makeinfo tries appending ‘.html’ to the directory name. For example, output for @setfilename texinfo would be written to ‘texinfo.html/’.
3. If the ‘name.html’ directory can’t be created either, makeinfo gives up.

In any case, the top-level output file within the directory is always named ‘index.html’.

Monolithic output (--no-split) is named according to @setfilename (with any ‘.info’ extension is replaced with ‘.html’), --output (the argument is used literally), or based on the input file name as a last resort (see @setfilename).