RE: [docbook-apps] Re: Request For Clarification: Indexterm processing in auto-index generation.

["Dick Hamilton" <rlhamilton@frii.com>]

Title: Message

I agree with Tony on the problem of consecutive numbers. Seems like perturbing all the entries for one addition is dangerous, and an index the size of his would have some pretty big numbers.

I like using the section title, the way the HTML stylesheets currently work, but it might be nice to give authors direct control over text.  With those thoughts in mind, here are a few rendering suggestions. (sorry about the html for those who don't like it in email; that was the best way I could think of to show the visual effect of links).

1) Add an element that lets you directly enter the text you want to be hot in the index. For example,

<indexterm>
  <primary>aardvark</primary>
  <secondary>diet of</secondary>
  <indextext>fruits<indextext>
</indexterm>

... some more text ...

<indexterm>
  <primary>aardvark</primary>
  <secondary>diet of</secondary>
  <indextext>insects<indextext>
</indexterm>

This would render as:
aardvark
  diet of,  fruits, insects

2) Add an attribute that would make the text of the lowest level term hot. For example,

<indexterm indextext="useterm">
  <primary>aardvark</primary>
  <secondary>diet of</secondary>
  <tertiary>insects<indextext>
</indexterm>

This would render as:
aardvark
  diet of
     insects

3) For a default, I'd be inclined to keep section titles and use numbers to render something like:

aardvark
  diet of,  Eating habits of the Aardvark (1), (2), (3)

The numbers would only be used when there was more than one entry under the same section title.

Just some thoughts to stimulate more discussion.

Dick Hamilton
rlhamilton@frii.com