version 1.12, 2009/06/11 07:26:35 |
version 1.19, 2009/07/14 15:56:44 |
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.Nm man |
.Nm man |
language was historically used to format |
language was historically used to format |
.Ux |
.Ux |
manuals. This reference document describes the syntax and structure of |
manuals. This reference document describes its syntax, structure, and |
this language. |
usage. |
.Pp |
.Pp |
.Em \&Do not |
.Bf Em |
use |
Do not use |
.Nm |
.Nm |
to write your manuals. Use the |
to write your manuals. |
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.Ef |
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Use the |
.Xr mdoc 7 |
.Xr mdoc 7 |
language, instead. |
language, instead. |
.\" PARAGRAPH |
.\" PARAGRAPH |
Line 52 Other lines are interpreted within the current state. |
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Line 54 Other lines are interpreted within the current state. |
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.\" SECTION |
.\" SECTION |
.Sh INPUT ENCODING |
.Sh INPUT ENCODING |
.Nm |
.Nm |
documents may contain only graphable 7-bit ASCII characters and the |
documents may contain only graphable 7-bit ASCII characters, the |
space character |
space character, and the tabs character. All manuals must have |
.Sq \ . |
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All manuals must have |
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.Ux |
.Ux |
.Sq \en |
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line termination. |
line termination. |
.Pp |
.Pp |
Blank lines are acceptable; where found, the output will assert a |
Blank lines are acceptable; where found, the output will assert a |
Line 70 escape is common in historical |
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Line 69 escape is common in historical |
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documents; if encountered at the end of a word, it ensures that the |
documents; if encountered at the end of a word, it ensures that the |
subsequent word isn't off-set by whitespace. |
subsequent word isn't off-set by whitespace. |
.\" SUB-SECTION |
.\" SUB-SECTION |
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.Ss Comments |
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Anything following a |
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.Sq \e" |
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delimiter is considered a comment (unless the |
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.Sq \e |
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itself has been escaped) and is ignored to the end of line. |
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Furthermore, a macro line with only a control character |
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.Sq \. , |
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optionally followed by whitespace, is ignored. |
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.\" SUB-SECTION |
.Ss Special Characters |
.Ss Special Characters |
Special character sequences begin with the escape character |
Special character sequences begin with the escape character |
.Sq \e |
.Sq \e |
Line 83 or a single one-character sequence. |
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Line 92 or a single one-character sequence. |
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.Pp |
.Pp |
Characters may alternatively be escaped by a slash-asterisk, |
Characters may alternatively be escaped by a slash-asterisk, |
.Sq \e* , |
.Sq \e* , |
with the same combinations as described above. This form is deprecated. |
with the same combinations as described above. |
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.Pp |
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Terms may also be text-decorated using the |
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.Sq \ef |
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escape followed by a text-decoration letter: B (bold), I, (italic), or P |
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and R (Roman, or reset). |
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.\" SUB-SECTION |
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.Ss Whitespace |
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Unless specifically escaped, consecutive blocks of whitespace are pruned |
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from input. These are later re-added, if applicable, by a front-end |
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utility such as |
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.Xr mandoc 1 . |
.\" SECTION |
.\" SECTION |
.Sh STRUCTURE |
.Sh STRUCTURE |
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Each |
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.Nm |
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document must contain contains at least the |
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.Sq \&.TH |
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macro describing the document's section and title. It may occur |
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anywhere in the document, although conventionally, it appears as the |
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first macro. |
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.Pp |
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Beyond the |
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.Sq \&.TH , |
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at least one macro or text node must appear in the document. |
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.\" SECTION |
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.Sh SYNTAX |
Macros are one to three three characters in length and begin with a |
Macros are one to three three characters in length and begin with a |
control character , |
control character , |
.Sq \&. , |
.Sq \&. , |
|
|
.Sq \&.TP |
.Sq \&.TP |
macro is similar, but does not need an empty argument line to trigger |
macro is similar, but does not need an empty argument line to trigger |
the behaviour. |
the behaviour. |
.\" PARAGRAPH |
.\" SECTION |
.Sh MACROS |
.Sh MACROS |
This section contains a complete list of all |
This section contains a complete list of all |
.Nm |
.Nm |
Line 186 system, the following macros are also supported: |
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Line 219 system, the following macros are also supported: |
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These follow the same calling conventions as the above |
These follow the same calling conventions as the above |
.Nm |
.Nm |
macros. |
macros. |
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.\" SECTION |
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.Sh COMPATIBILITY |
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See |
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.Xr mdoc 7 |
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for groff compatibility notes. |
.\" SECTION |
.\" SECTION |
.Sh SEE ALSO |
.Sh SEE ALSO |
.Xr mandoc 1 , |
.Xr mandoc 1 , |