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Pod::Index.3pm

NAME

Pod::Index - Index and search PODs using X<> entries.

SYNOPSIS

     ### to create an index:
     use Pod::Index::Builder;
 
     my $p = Pod::Index::Builder->new;
     for my $file (@ARGV) {
         $p->parse_from_file($file);
     }
 
     $p->print_index("index.txt");
 
 
     ### to search for a keyword in the index:
     use Pod::Index::Search;
 
     my $q = Pod::Index::Search->new(
         filename => 'index.txt',
     );
 
     my @results = $q->search('getprotobyname');
 
     for my $r (@results) {
         printf "%s\t%s\n", $r->podname, $r->line;
         print $r->pod;
     }
 
 

DESCRIPTION

The Pod-Index distribution includes various modules for indexing and searching POD that is appropriately marked with X<> POD codes.

"Pod::Index", as a module, does nothing. Everything is done by Pod::Index::Builder, Pod::Index::Search, and other helper modules.

This document discusses some of the general issues with POD indexing; specifically, the recommended conventions for the use of X<> codes.

BACKGROUND

The little-known (or at least little-used) X<> formatting code is described in perlpod:

   "X<topic name>" -- an index entry
     This is ignored by most formatters, but some may use it for build-
     ing indexes.  It always renders as empty-string.  Example: "X<abso-
     lutizing relative URLs>"
 
 

CONVENTIONS FOR THE USE OF X<> CODES

Placement of the X<> entries

First, a definition. By ``scope'', I mean the part of the document that is deemed relevant to an index entry, and that may be extracted and shown in isolation by a processing or display tool. For example, perldoc -f considers the scope of a function to end at the beginning of the next =item, or at the end of the enclosing =over.

The X<> entries should be added at the end of a command or textblock paragraph (verbatim paragraphs are excluded). The scope of the index entry starts at the beginning of the paragraph to which it was attached; the end of the scope depends on the command type:

1) if the X<> is at the end of a textblock, the scope is that paragraph and zero or more verbatim paragraphs immediately following it.

2) if the X<> is at the end of a command paragraph, it depends on the type of command:

=head1, head2, etc.

The scope ends right before the next heading with equal or higher level. That is, a =head1 ends at the next =head1, and a =head2 ends at the next =head2 or =head1.

=item

The scope ends right before the next =item, or the =back that terminates the containing list. Note: ``empty'' items are not counted for terminating scopes, to allow for cases where multiple =items head a block of text. For example,

     =item function
     X<function>
     X<otherfunction>
 
     =item otherfunction
 
     C<function> and C<otherfunction> do the same thing,
     even if they    have different names...
 
     =item lemonade
 
 

Here the scope of the X<function> and X<otherfunction> entries starts with ``=item function'', and ends right before ``=item lemonade''.

3) other command paragraphs, such as =back, =over, =begin, =end, and =for should not be used for attaching X<> entries.

Content of the X<> entry.

•

It should contain plain text without further formatting codes (with the possible exception of E<>).

•

It should be in lowercase, unless caps are required due to case-sensitivity or correctness.

•

Non-word characters are allowed, so one can list things like operators and special variables.

•

Use of synonyms is encouraged, to make things easier to find.

•

To be consistent, words should be normalized to the singular whenever possible. For example, use X<operator> instead of X<operators>.

•

The use of a comma in an index entry has a special meaning: it separates levels of hierarchy (or namespaces), as a way of classifying entries in more specific ways. For example, ``X<operator, logical>'', or ``X<operator, logical, xor>''. This information may be used by processing programs to arrange the entries, or for listing results when a user searches for a namespace that contains several entries.

•

There's no limitation as to the number of times that a given entry can appear in a document or collection of documents. That is, it is not an error to have X<whatever> appear twice in the same file.

VERSION

0.14

SEE ALSO

Pod::Index::Builder, Pod::Index::Search, Pod::Index::Entry, perlpod

AUTHOR

Ivan Tubert-Brohman <itub@cpan.org>

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2005 Ivan Tubert-Brohman. All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.