version 1.45, 2009/07/17 12:40:48 |
version 1.51, 2009/07/24 12:47:35 |
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.\" WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN |
.\" WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN |
.\" ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF |
.\" ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF |
.\" OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE. |
.\" OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE. |
.\" |
.\" |
.Dd $Mdocdate$ |
.Dd $Mdocdate$ |
.Dt MDOC 7 |
.Dt MDOC 7 |
.Os |
.Os |
|
|
.Sh DESCRIPTION |
.Sh DESCRIPTION |
The |
The |
.Nm mdoc |
.Nm mdoc |
language is used to format |
language is used to format |
.Bx |
.Bx |
.Ux |
.Ux |
manuals. In this reference document, we describe its syntax, structure, |
manuals. In this reference document, we describe its syntax, structure, |
and usage. Our reference implementation is |
and usage. Our reference implementation is |
.Xr mandoc 1 . |
.Xr mandoc 1 . |
The |
The |
.Sx COMPATIBILITY |
.Sx COMPATIBILITY |
section describes compatibility with |
section describes compatibility with |
.Xr groff 1 . |
.Xr groff 1 . |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.Pp |
.Pp |
An |
An |
.Nm |
.Nm |
document follows simple rules: lines beginning with the control |
document follows simple rules: lines beginning with the control |
character |
character |
.Sq \. |
.Sq \. |
are parsed for macros. Other lines are interpreted within the scope of |
are parsed for macros. Other lines are interpreted within the scope of |
prior macros: |
prior macros: |
|
|
Other lines are interpreted within the current state. |
Other lines are interpreted within the current state. |
.Ed |
.Ed |
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.Sh INPUT ENCODING |
.Sh LANGUAGE SYNTAX |
.Nm |
.Nm |
documents may contain only graphable 7-bit ASCII characters, the space |
documents may contain only graphable 7-bit ASCII characters, the space |
character, and, in certain circumstances, the tab character. All |
character, and, in certain circumstances, the tab character. All |
manuals must have |
manuals must have |
.Ux |
.Ux |
line termination. |
line terminators. |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.Ss Comments |
.Ss Comments |
Text following a |
Text following a |
Line 87 Within a macro line, the following characters are rese |
|
Line 87 Within a macro line, the following characters are rese |
|
.It \&? |
.It \&? |
.Pq question |
.Pq question |
.It \&! |
.It \&! |
.Pq exclamation |
.Pq exclamation |
.It \&| |
.It \&| |
.Pq vertical bar |
.Pq vertical bar |
.El |
.El |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.Pp |
.Pp |
Line 98 Use of reserved characters is described in |
|
Line 98 Use of reserved characters is described in |
|
For general use in macro lines, these characters must either be escaped |
For general use in macro lines, these characters must either be escaped |
with a non-breaking space |
with a non-breaking space |
.Pq Sq \e& |
.Pq Sq \e& |
or, if applicable, an appropriate escape sequence used. |
or, if applicable, an appropriate escape sequence used. |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.Ss Special Characters |
.Ss Special Characters |
Special characters may occur in both macro and free-form lines. |
Special characters may occur in both macro and free-form lines. |
Sequences begin with the escape character |
Sequences begin with the escape character |
.Sq \e |
.Sq \e |
followed by either an open-parenthesis |
followed by either an open-parenthesis |
.Sq \&( |
.Sq \&( |
for two-character sequences; an open-bracket |
for two-character sequences; an open-bracket |
.Sq \&[ |
.Sq \&[ |
Line 112 for n-character sequences (terminated at a close-brack |
|
Line 112 for n-character sequences (terminated at a close-brack |
|
.Sq \&] ) ; |
.Sq \&] ) ; |
or a single one-character sequence. See |
or a single one-character sequence. See |
.Xr mandoc_char 1 |
.Xr mandoc_char 1 |
for a complete list. Examples include |
for a complete list. Examples include |
.Sq \e(em |
.Sq \e(em |
.Pq em-dash |
.Pq em-dash |
and |
and |
.Sq \ee |
.Sq \ee |
.Pq back-slash . |
.Pq back-slash . |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
Line 133 escape followed by an indicator: B (bold), I, (italic) |
|
Line 133 escape followed by an indicator: B (bold), I, (italic) |
|
(Roman, or reset). This form is not recommended. |
(Roman, or reset). This form is not recommended. |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.Ss Whitespace |
.Ss Whitespace |
In general, consecutive blocks of whitespace are pruned from input. |
In non-literal free-form lines, consecutive blocks of whitespace are |
These are later re-added, when applicable, by |
pruned from input and added later in the output filter, if applicable: |
.Xr mandoc 1 . |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
|
These spaces are pruned from input. |
|
\&.Bd \-literal |
|
These are not. |
|
\&.Ed |
|
.Ed |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.Pp |
.Pp |
Blank lines are permitted within |
In macro lines, whitespace delimits arguments and is discarded. If |
.Sq \&Bd \-literal |
arguments are quoted, whitespace within the quotes is retained. |
or |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.Sq \&Bd \-unfilled |
.Pp |
contexts. Tab characters are only acceptable when delimiting |
Blank lines are only permitted within literal contexts, as are lines |
|
containing only whitespace. Tab characters are only acceptable when |
|
delimiting |
.Sq \&Bl \-column |
.Sq \&Bl \-column |
and in |
or when in a literal context. |
.Sq \&Bd \-literal |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
or |
.Ss Quotation |
.Sq \&Bd \-unfilled |
Macro arguments may be quoted with a double-quote to group |
contexts. |
space-delimited terms or to retain blocks of whitespace. A quoted |
|
argument begins with a double-quote preceded by whitespace. The next |
|
double-quote not pair-wise adjacent to another double-quote terminates |
|
the literal, regardless of surrounding whitespace. |
|
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
|
.Pp |
|
This produces tokens |
|
.Sq a" , |
|
.Sq b c , |
|
.Sq de , |
|
and |
|
.Sq fg" . |
|
Note that any quoted term, be it argument or macro, is indiscriminately |
|
considered literal text. Thus, the following produces |
|
.Sq \&Em a : |
|
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
|
\&.Em "Em a" |
|
.Ed |
|
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
|
.Pp |
|
In free-form mode, quotes are regarded as opaque text. |
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.Sh MANUAL STRUCTURE |
.Sh MANUAL STRUCTURE |
Each |
Each |
.Nm |
.Nm |
document must begin with a document prologue, containing, in order, |
document must begin with a document prologue, containing, in order, |
.Sq \&Dd , |
.Sq \&Dd , |
.Sq \&Dt , |
.Sq \&Dt , |
and |
and |
.Sq \&Os |
.Sq \&Os , |
(using this manual as an example): |
then the NAME section containing at least one |
|
.Sq \&Nm |
|
followed by |
|
.Sq \&Nd : |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
\&.Dd $\&Mdocdate$ |
\&.Dd $\&Mdocdate$ |
\&.Dt mdoc 7 |
\&.Dt mdoc 7 |
|
|
\&.Nm mdoc |
\&.Nm mdoc |
\&.Nd mdoc language reference |
\&.Nd mdoc language reference |
.Ed |
.Ed |
.Pp |
|
Following these, the document body must begin with the NAME section |
|
containing at least one |
|
.Sq \&Nm |
|
followed by |
|
.Sq \&Nd . |
|
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.Pp |
.Pp |
Subsequent SYNOPSIS and DESCRIPTION sections are strongly encouraged, |
Subsequent SYNOPSIS and DESCRIPTION sections are strongly encouraged, |
but non-compulsory. |
but non-compulsory. |
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.Sh MACRO SYNTAX |
.Sh MACRO SYNTAX |
Every line beginning with the control character |
Every line beginning with the control character |
.Sq \. |
.Sq \. |
is processed for macros, two- or three-character semantic annotations. |
is processed for macros, two- or three-character sequences. |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.Pp |
.Pp |
The syntax of macro depends on its classification. In this section, |
The syntax of a macro depends on its classification. In this section, |
.Sq \-arg |
.Sq \-arg |
refers to macro arguments, which may be followed by zero or more |
refers to macro arguments, which may be followed by zero or more |
.Sq parm |
.Sq parm |
parameters; |
parameters; |
|
|
The |
The |
.Em Callable |
.Em Callable |
column indicates that the macro may be called subsequent to the initial |
column indicates that the macro may be called subsequent to the initial |
line-macro. The |
line-macro. The |
.Qq Parsable |
.Em Parsable |
column indicates whether the macro may be followed by further |
column indicates whether the macro may be followed by further |
(ostensibly callable) macros. The |
(ostensibly callable) macros. The |
.Em Scope |
.Em Scope |
Line 211 contains bodies; only |
|
Line 235 contains bodies; only |
|
.Pq Sq \&Bf |
.Pq Sq \&Bf |
contains a head. |
contains a head. |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBparm...\(rB\(rB \(lBhead...\(rB |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBparm...\(rB\(rB \(lBhead...\(rB |
\(lBbody...\(rB |
\(lBbody...\(rB |
\&.Yc |
\&.Yc |
.Ed |
.Ed |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
Line 231 contains a head. |
|
Line 255 contains a head. |
|
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.Ss Block full-implicit |
.Ss Block full-implicit |
Multi-line scope closed by end-of-file or implicitly by another macro. |
Multi-line scope closed by end-of-file or implicitly by another macro. |
All macros have bodies; some |
All macros have bodies; some |
.Po |
.Po |
.Sq \&It \-bullet , |
.Sq \&It \-bullet , |
.Sq \-hyphen , |
.Sq \-hyphen , |
.Sq \-dash , |
.Sq \-dash , |
.Sq \-enum , |
.Sq \-enum , |
.Sq \-item |
.Sq \-item |
.Pc |
.Pc |
don't have heads, while |
don't have heads, while |
.Sq \&It \-column |
.Sq \&It \-column |
may have multiple heads. |
may have multiple heads. |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBparm...\(rB\(rB \(lBhead... \(lBTa head...\(rB\(rB |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBparm...\(rB\(rB \(lBhead... \(lBTa head...\(rB\(rB |
\(lBbody...\(rB |
\(lBbody...\(rB |
.Ed |
.Ed |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.Pp |
.Pp |
Line 258 may have multiple heads. |
|
Line 282 may have multiple heads. |
|
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.Ss Block partial-explicit |
.Ss Block partial-explicit |
Like block full-explicit, but also with single-line scope. Each |
Like block full-explicit, but also with single-line scope. Each |
has at least a body and, in limited circumstances, a head |
has at least a body and, in limited circumstances, a head |
.Pq So \&Fo Sc , So \&Eo Sc |
.Pq So \&Fo Sc , So \&Eo Sc |
and/or tail |
and/or tail |
.Pq So \&Ec Sc . |
.Pq So \&Ec Sc . |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBparm...\(rB\(rB \(lBhead...\(rB |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBparm...\(rB\(rB \(lBhead...\(rB |
\(lBbody...\(rB |
\(lBbody...\(rB |
\&.Yc \(lBtail...\(rB |
\&.Yc \(lBtail...\(rB |
|
|
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBparm...\(rB\(rB \(lBhead...\(rB \ |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBparm...\(rB\(rB \(lBhead...\(rB \ |
\(lBbody...\(rB \&Yc \(lBtail...\(rB |
\(lBbody...\(rB \&Yc \(lBtail...\(rB |
.Ed |
.Ed |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.Pp |
.Pp |
|
|
.El |
.El |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.Ss Block partial-implicit |
.Ss Block partial-implicit |
Like block full-implicit, but with single-line scope closed by |
Like block full-implicit, but with single-line scope closed by |
.Sx Reserved Characters |
.Sx Reserved Characters |
or end of line. |
or end of line. |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBval...\(rB\(rB \(lBbody...\(rB \(lBres...\(rB |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBval...\(rB\(rB \(lBbody...\(rB \(lBres...\(rB |
|
|
.El |
.El |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
.Ss In-line |
.Ss In-line |
Closed by |
Closed by |
.Sx Reserved Characters , |
.Sx Reserved Characters , |
end of line, fixed argument lengths, and/or subsequent macros. In-line |
end of line, fixed argument lengths, and/or subsequent macros. In-line |
macros have only text children. If a number (or inequality) of |
macros have only text children. If a number (or inequality) of |
arguments is |
arguments is |
.Pq n , |
.Pq n , |
then the macro accepts an arbitrary number of arguments. |
then the macro accepts an arbitrary number of arguments. |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBval...\(rB\(rB \(lBargs...\(rB \(lbres...\(rb |
\&.Yo \(lB\-arg \(lBval...\(rB\(rB \(lBargs...\(rB \(lbres...\(rb |
Line 363 then the macro accepts an arbitrary number of argument |
|
Line 387 then the macro accepts an arbitrary number of argument |
|
.It \&Bsx Ta Yes Ta Yes Ta n |
.It \&Bsx Ta Yes Ta Yes Ta n |
.It \&Bt Ta \&No Ta \&No Ta 0 |
.It \&Bt Ta \&No Ta \&No Ta 0 |
.It \&Bx Ta Yes Ta Yes Ta n |
.It \&Bx Ta Yes Ta Yes Ta n |
.It \&Cd Ta Yes Ta \&No Ta >0 |
.It \&Cd Ta Yes Ta Yes Ta >0 |
.It \&Cm Ta Yes Ta Yes Ta n |
.It \&Cm Ta Yes Ta Yes Ta n |
.It \&Db Ta \&No Ta \&No Ta 1 |
.It \&Db Ta \&No Ta \&No Ta 1 |
.It \&Dd Ta \&No Ta \&No Ta >0 |
.It \&Dd Ta \&No Ta \&No Ta >0 |
Line 419 then the macro accepts an arbitrary number of argument |
|
Line 443 then the macro accepts an arbitrary number of argument |
|
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.Sh COMPATIBILITY |
.Sh COMPATIBILITY |
This section documents compatibility with other roff implementations, at |
This section documents compatibility with other roff implementations, at |
this time limited to |
this time limited to |
.Xr groff 1 . |
.Xr groff 1 . |
The term |
The term |
.Qq historic groff |
.Qq historic groff |
refers to those versions before the |
refers to those versions before the |
.Pa doc.tmac |
.Pa doc.tmac |
file re-write |
file re-write |
.Pq somewhere between 1.15 and 1.19 . |
.Pq somewhere between 1.15 and 1.19 . |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.\" PARAGRAPH------------ |
.Pp |
.Pp |
.Bl -dash -compact |
.Bl -dash -compact |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.It |
.It |
The |
The |
|
.Sq \-split |
|
or |
|
.Sq \-nosplit |
|
argument to |
|
.Sq \&An |
|
applies to the whole document, not just to the current section as it |
|
does in groff. |
|
.\" LIST-ITEM |
|
.It |
|
In quoted literals, groff allowed pair-wise double-quotes to produce a |
|
standalone double-quote in formatted output. This idiosyncratic |
|
behaviour is no longer applicable. |
|
.\" LIST-ITEM |
|
.It |
|
The |
.Sq \&sp |
.Sq \&sp |
macro does not accept negative numbers. |
macro does not accept negative numbers. |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.It |
.It |
Some character sequences in groff are not handled depending on escape |
Some character sequences in groff are not handled depending on escape |
style, e.g., |
style, e.g., |
.Sq \e(ba |
.Sq \e(ba |
and |
and |
.Sq \e*(Ba |
.Sq \e*(Ba |
Line 456 some block-level macros) are now callable, conforming |
|
Line 495 some block-level macros) are now callable, conforming |
|
non-historic groff version. |
non-historic groff version. |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.It |
.It |
The vertical bar |
The vertical bar |
.Sq \(ba |
.Sq \(ba |
made historic groff |
made historic groff |
.Qq go orbital |
.Qq go orbital |
Line 475 syntax where column widths may be preceded by other ar |
|
Line 514 syntax where column widths may be preceded by other ar |
|
of proceeded) is not supported. |
of proceeded) is not supported. |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.It |
.It |
The |
The |
.Sq \&At |
.Sq \&At |
macro only accepts a single parameter. |
macro only accepts a single parameter. |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
Line 492 it will obviously not render the subsequent sequence. |
|
Line 531 it will obviously not render the subsequent sequence. |
|
versions of groff seem to dither on this. |
versions of groff seem to dither on this. |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.It |
.It |
In groff, the |
In groff, the |
.Sq \&Fo |
.Sq \&Fo |
macro only produces the first parameter. This is no longer the case. |
macro only produces the first parameter. This is no longer the case. |
.El |
.El |
Line 504 macro only produces the first parameter. This is no l |
|
Line 543 macro only produces the first parameter. This is no l |
|
.Sh AUTHORS |
.Sh AUTHORS |
The |
The |
.Nm |
.Nm |
utility was written by |
reference was written by |
.An Kristaps Dzonsons Aq kristaps@kth.se . |
.An Kristaps Dzonsons Aq kristaps@kth.se . |
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.\" SECTION--------------------------------------------- |
.Sh CAVEATS |
.Sh CAVEATS |
Line 515 There are many ambiguous parts of mdoc. |
|
Line 554 There are many ambiguous parts of mdoc. |
|
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.It |
.It |
.Sq \&Fa |
.Sq \&Fa |
should be |
should be |
.Sq \&Va |
.Sq \&Va |
as function arguments are variables. |
as function arguments are variables. |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
Line 538 variable name and optional, preceding type. |
|
Line 577 variable name and optional, preceding type. |
|
.It |
.It |
.Sq \&Fd |
.Sq \&Fd |
is ambiguous. It's commonly used to indicate an include file in the |
is ambiguous. It's commonly used to indicate an include file in the |
synopsis section. |
synopsis section. |
.Sq \&In |
.Sq \&In |
should be used, instead. |
should be used, instead. |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
|
|
makes sense. The remaining ones should be removed. |
makes sense. The remaining ones should be removed. |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.It |
.It |
The |
The |
.Sq \&Xo |
.Sq \&Xo |
and |
and |
.Sq \&Xc |
.Sq \&Xc |
Line 565 render when formatting the manual page. |
|
Line 604 render when formatting the manual page. |
|
.It |
.It |
A |
A |
.Sq \&Lx |
.Sq \&Lx |
should be provided for Linux (\(`a la |
should be provided for Linux (\(`a la |
.Sq \&Ox , |
.Sq \&Ox , |
.Sq \&Nx |
.Sq \&Nx |
etc.). |
etc.). |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.It |
.It |
Line 576 There's no way to refer to references in |
|
Line 615 There's no way to refer to references in |
|
blocks. |
blocks. |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.\" LIST-ITEM |
.It |
.It |
The \-split and \-nosplit arguments to |
The \-split and \-nosplit arguments to |
.Sq \&An |
.Sq \&An |
are inane. |
are inane. |
.El |
.El |