version 1.12, 2009/06/11 07:26:35 |
version 1.21, 2009/07/27 12:35:53 |
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.Sh DESCRIPTION |
.Sh DESCRIPTION |
The |
The |
.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 -emphasis |
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 41 language, instead. |
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Line 43 language, instead. |
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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: |
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 |
line termination. |
line termination. |
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.Pp |
.Pp |
Blank lines are acceptable; where found, the output will assert a |
Blank lines are acceptable; where found, the output will assert a |
vertical space. |
vertical space. |
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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Text following a |
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.Sq \e" , |
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whether in a macro or free-form text line, is ignored to the end of |
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line. A macro line with only a control character and comment escape, |
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.Sq \&.\e" , |
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is also ignored. |
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.\" SUB-SECTION |
.Ss Special Characters |
.Ss Special Characters |
Special character sequences begin with the escape character |
Special characters may occur in both macro and free-form lines. |
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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 \&[ |
for n-character sequences (terminated at a close-bracket |
for n-character sequences (terminated at a close-bracket |
.Sq \&] ) ; |
.Sq \&] ) ; |
or a single one-character sequence. |
or a single one-character sequence. See |
.Pp |
.Xr mandoc_char 7 |
Characters may alternatively be escaped by a slash-asterisk, |
for a complete list. Examples include |
.Sq \e* , |
.Sq \e(em |
with the same combinations as described above. This form is deprecated. |
.Pq em-dash |
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and |
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.Sq \ee |
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.Pq back-slash . |
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.\" SUB-SECTION---------------------- |
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.Ss Text Decoration |
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Terms may be text-decorated using the |
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.Sq \ef |
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escape followed by an indicator: B (bold), I, (italic), or P and R |
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(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 \&.\ \ \ \&PP |
.Sq \&.\ \ \ \&PP |
are equivalent. |
are equivalent. |
.Pp |
.Pp |
All |
All |
.Nm |
.Nm |
macros follow the same structural rules: |
macros follow the same structural rules: |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
\&.YO \(lBbody...\(rB |
\&.YO \(lBbody...\(rB |
.Ed |
.Ed |
.Pp |
.Pp |
The |
The |
|
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consists of zero or more arguments to the macro. |
consists of zero or more arguments to the macro. |
.Pp |
.Pp |
.Nm |
.Nm |
has a primitive notion of multi-line scope for the following macros: |
has a primitive notion of multi-line scope for the following macros: |
.Sq \&.TM , |
.Sq \&.TM , |
.Sq \&.SM , |
.Sq \&.SM , |
.Sq \&.SB , |
.Sq \&.SB , |
Line 119 has a primitive notion of multi-line scope for the fol |
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Line 155 has a primitive notion of multi-line scope for the fol |
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.Sq \&.R , |
.Sq \&.R , |
.Sq \&.B , |
.Sq \&.B , |
.Sq \&.I , |
.Sq \&.I , |
.Sq \&.IR |
.Sq \&.IR |
and |
and |
.Sq \&.RI . |
.Sq \&.RI . |
When these macros are invoked without arguments, the subsequent line is |
When these macros are invoked without arguments, the subsequent line is |
considered a continuation of the macro. Thus: |
considered a continuation of the macro. Thus: |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
\&.RI |
\&.RI |
foo |
foo |
.Ed |
.Ed |
.Pp |
.Pp |
is equivalent to |
is equivalent to |
.Sq \&.RI foo . |
.Sq \&.RI foo . |
If two consecutive lines exhibit the latter behaviour, |
If two consecutive lines exhibit the latter behaviour, |
an error is raised. Thus, the following is not acceptable: |
an error is raised. Thus, the following is not acceptable: |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
.Bd -literal -offset indent |
\&.RI |
\&.RI |
\&.I |
\&.I |
Hello, world. |
Hello, world. |
.Ed |
.Ed |
.Pp |
.Pp |
|
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.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 |
macros and corresponding number of arguments. |
macros and corresponding number of arguments. |
.Pp |
.Pp |
Line 187 These follow the same calling conventions as the above |
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Line 223 These follow the same calling conventions as the above |
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.Nm |
.Nm |
macros. |
macros. |
.\" SECTION |
.\" 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. |
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.\" SECTION |
.Sh SEE ALSO |
.Sh SEE ALSO |
.Xr mandoc 1 , |
.Xr mandoc 1 , |
.Xr mandoc_char 7 |
.Xr mandoc_char 7 |
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.Sh AUTHORS |
.Sh AUTHORS |
The |
The |
.Nm |
.Nm |
utility was written by |
utility was written by |
.An Kristaps Dzonsons Aq kristaps@kth.se . |
.An Kristaps Dzonsons Aq kristaps@kth.se . |
.\" SECTION |
.\" SECTION |
.Sh CAVEATS |
.Sh CAVEATS |