Bug#1092062: pod2texi.1: Some remarks about this man page
Package: texinfo
Version: 7.1.1-1
Severity: minor
Tags: upstream
* What led up to the situation?
Checking for defects with a new version
test-[g|n]roff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=10 -ww -z < "man page"
[Use "groff -e ' $' <file>" to find trailing spaces.]
["test-groff" is a script in the repository for "groff"; is not shipped]
(local copy and "troff" slightly changed by me).
[The fate of "test-nroff" was decided in groff bug #55941.]
* What was the outcome of this action?
troff:<stdin>:145: warning: font name 'CW' is deprecated
Bad use of \s0 in a string definition, the string "X" could be resized,
for example with "\s-1\*X\s0".
25:.ds C+ C\v'-.1v'\h'-1p'\s-2+\h'-1p'+\s0\v'.1v'\h'-1p'
* What outcome did you expect instead?
No output (no warnings).
-.-
General remarks and further material, if a diff-file exist, are in the
attachments.
-- System Information:
Debian Release: trixie/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 6.12.6-amd64 (SMP w/2 CPU threads; PREEMPT)
Locale: LANG=is_IS.iso88591, LC_CTYPE=is_IS.iso88591 (charmap=ISO-8859-1), LANGUAGE not set
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash
Init: sysvinit (via /sbin/init)
Versions of packages texinfo depends on:
ii libtext-unidecode-perl 1.30-3
ii libxml-libxml-perl 2.0207+dfsg+really+2.0134-5+b1
ii perl 5.40.0-8
ii tex-common 6.18
ii texinfo-lib 7.1.1-1+b1
texinfo recommends no packages.
Versions of packages texinfo suggests:
ii texlive-base 2024.20241115-1
pn texlive-fonts-recommended <none>
ii texlive-latex-base 2024.20241115-1
ii texlive-plain-generic 2024.20241115-1
-- no debconf information
Input file is pod2texi.1
Any program (person), that produces man pages, should check the output
for defects by using (both groff and nroff)
[gn]roff -mandoc -t -ww -b -z -K utf8 <man page>
The same goes for man pages that are used as an input.
For a style guide use
mandoc -T lint
-.-
So any 'generator' should check its products with the above mentioned
'groff', 'mandoc', and additionally with 'nroff ...'.
This is just a simple quality control measure.
The 'generator' may have to be corrected to get a better man page,
the source file may, and any additional file may.
Common defects:
Input text line longer than 80 bytes.
Not removing trailing spaces (in in- and output).
The reason for these trailing spaces should be found and eliminated.
Not beginning each input sentence on a new line.
Lines should thus be shorter.
See man-pages(7), item 'semantic newline'.
-.-
The difference between the formatted output of the original and patched file
can be seen with:
nroff -mandoc <file1> > <out1>
nroff -mandoc <file2> > <out2>
diff -u <out1> <out2>
and for groff, using
"printf '%s\n%s\n' '.kern 0' '.ss 12 0' | groff -mandoc -Z - "
instead of 'nroff -mandoc'
Add the option '-t', if the file contains a table.
Read the output of 'diff -u' with 'less -R' or similar.
-.-.
If 'man' (man-db) is used to check the manual for warnings,
the following must be set:
The option "-warnings=w"
The environmental variable:
export MAN_KEEP_STDERR=yes (or any non-empty value)
or
(produce only warnings):
export MANROFFOPT="-ww -b -z"
export MAN_KEEP_STDERR=yes (or any non-empty value)
-.-.
Output from "mandoc -T lint pod2texi.1": (shortened list)
10 input text line longer than 80 bytes
-.-.
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -ww -z pod2texi.1": (shortened list)
1 font name 'CW' is deprecated
-.-.
Wrong distance between sentences in the input file.
Separate the sentences and subordinate clauses; each begins on a new
line. See man-pages(7) ("Conventions for source file layout") and
"info groff" ("Input Conventions").
The best procedure is to always start a new sentence on a new line,
at least, if you are typing on a computer.
Remember coding: Only one command ("sentence") on each (logical) line.
E-mail: Easier to quote exactly the relevant lines.
Generally: Easier to edit the sentence.
Patches: Less unaffected text.
Search for two adjacent words is easier, when they belong to the same line,
and the same phrase.
The amount of space between sentences in the output can then be
controlled with the ".ss" request.
Mark a final abbreviation point as such by suffixing it with "\&".
161:Use appendix sectioning commands (\f(CW@appendix\fR, ...) instead of the
185:Use headings commands (\f(CW@heading\fR, ...) instead of the
187:\&\f(CW@section\fR, ...). The sectioning command covering the entire
195:Output node menus. If there is a main manual, its Top node menu
196:is always output, since a master menu is generated. Other nodes
224:Use unnumbered sectioning commands (\f(CW@unnumbered\fR, ...) instead of the
-.-.
Split lines longer than 80 characters into two or more lines.
Appropriate break points are the end of a sentence and a subordinate
clause; after punctuation marks.
Line 107, length 91
.ds : \\k:\h'-(\\n(.wu*8/10-\*(#H+.1m+\*(#F)'\v'-\*(#V'\z.\h'.2m+\*(#F'.\h'|\\n:u'\v'\*(#V'
Line 109, length 84
.ds o \\k:\h'-(\\n(.wu+\w'\(de'u-\*(#H)/2u'\v'-.3n'\*(#[\z\(de\v'.3n'\h'|\\n:u'\*(#]
Line 154, length 89
Second, if \f(CW\*(C`\-\-base\-level\*(C'\fR is set higher than 0, each Pod is translated
Line 166, length 82
Sets the level of the \f(CW\*(C`head1\*(C'\fR commands. It may be an integer or a
Line 167, length 82
Texinfo sectioning command (without the \f(CW\*(C`@\*(C'\fR): 1 corresponds to the
Line 168, length 89
\&\f(CW@chapter\fR/\f(CW@unnumbered\fR level, 2 to the \f(CW@section\fR level, and so on.
Line 169, length 83
The default is 0, meaning that \f(CW\*(C`head1\*(C'\fR commands are still output as
Line 175, length 86
above the \f(CW\*(C`\-\-base\-level\*(C'\fR value. Therefore, to make each Pod file a
Line 176, length 86
chapter in a large manual, you should use \f(CW\*(C`section\*(C'\fR as the base level.
Line 211, length 92
Insert \fI\s-1STR\s0\fR as top boilerplate before menu and includes. If \fI\s-1STR\s0\fR is
Line 212, length 95
set to \f(CW\*(C`\-\*(C'\fR, read the top boilerplate from the standard input. The default top
Line 216, length 90
Use \fI\s-1STR\s0\fR in top boilerplate before menu and includes for \f(CW@setfilename\fR.
Line 221, length 84
an input Pod file), then those include files are put in directory \fI\s-1NAME\s0\fR.
-.-.
Do not use "\s0" in a string definition but an absolute number,
as the size of the string could be changed.
Then a situation of "\s+X...\s+Y...\s0...\s0" could emerge.
Type size changes have an effect in "troff", but not in "nroff".
25:.ds C+ C\v'-.1v'\h'-1p'\s-2+\h'-1p'+\s0\v'.1v'\h'-1p'
-.-.
Add a zero (0) in front of a decimal fraction that begins with a period
(.)
6:.if t .sp .5v
77:. ds #V .8m
78:. ds #F .3m
84:. ds #V .6m
-.-.
Put a parenthetical sentence, phrase on a separate line,
if not part of a code.
See man-pages(7), item "semantic newline".
pod2texi.1:161:Use appendix sectioning commands (\f(CW@appendix\fR, ...) instead of the
pod2texi.1:163:\&\f(CW@section\fR, ...).
pod2texi.1:167:Texinfo sectioning command (without the \f(CW\*(C`@\*(C'\fR): 1 corresponds to the
pod2texi.1:185:Use headings commands (\f(CW@heading\fR, ...) instead of the
pod2texi.1:187:\&\f(CW@section\fR, ...). The sectioning command covering the entire
pod2texi.1:224:Use unnumbered sectioning commands (\f(CW@unnumbered\fR, ...) instead of the
pod2texi.1:244:or (at your option) any later version.
-.-.
Put a subordinate sentence (after a comma) on a new line.
151:operation. First, by default, each Pod is translated to a standalone
154:Second, if \f(CW\*(C`\-\-base\-level\*(C'\fR is set higher than 0, each Pod is translated
155:to a file suitable for \f(CW@include\fR, and one more file with a main menu
161:Use appendix sectioning commands (\f(CW@appendix\fR, ...) instead of the
163:\&\f(CW@section\fR, ...).
168:\&\f(CW@chapter\fR/\f(CW@unnumbered\fR level, 2 to the \f(CW@section\fR level, and so on.
169:The default is 0, meaning that \f(CW\*(C`head1\*(C'\fR commands are still output as
170:chapters, but the output is arranged as a standalone manual.
172:If the level is not 0, the Pod file is rendered as a fragment of a
173:Texinfo manual suitable for \f(CW@include\fR. In this case, each Pod file
174:has an additional sectioning command covering the entire file, one level
175:above the \f(CW\*(C`\-\-base\-level\*(C'\fR value. Therefore, to make each Pod file a
176:chapter in a large manual, you should use \f(CW\*(C`section\*(C'\fR as the base level.
185:Use headings commands (\f(CW@heading\fR, ...) instead of the
187:\&\f(CW@section\fR, ...). The sectioning command covering the entire
195:Output node menus. If there is a main manual, its Top node menu
196:is always output, since a master menu is generated. Other nodes
200:Name for the first manual, or the main manual if there is a main manual.
208:Ordinarily, it's good to keep the sectioning hierarchy intact.
212:set to \f(CW\*(C`\-\*(C'\fR, read the top boilerplate from the standard input. The default top
221:an input Pod file), then those include files are put in directory \fI\s-1NAME\s0\fR.
224:Use unnumbered sectioning commands (\f(CW@unnumbered\fR, ...) instead of the
226:\&\f(CW@section\fR, ...).
-.-.
Remove quotes when there is no space character between them
and the quotes are not for emphasis (markup),
for example as an argument to a macro.
141:.SH "NAME"
143:.SH "SYNOPSIS"
144:.IX Header "SYNOPSIS"
148:.SH "DESCRIPTION"
149:.IX Header "DESCRIPTION"
157:.SH "OPTIONS"
158:.IX Header "OPTIONS"
159:.IP "\fB\-\-appendix\-sections\fR" 4
160:.IX Item "--appendix-sections"
164:.IP "\fB\-\-base\-level\fR=\fINUM|NAME\fR" 4
165:.IX Item "--base-level=NUM|NAME"
180:.IP "\fB\-\-debug\fR=\fI\s-1NUM\s0\fR" 4
181:.IX Item "--debug=NUM"
183:.IP "\fB\-\-headings\-as\-sections\fR" 4
184:.IX Item "--headings-as-sections"
190:.IP "\fB\-\-help\fR" 4
191:.IX Item "--help"
193:.IP "\fB\-\-menus\fR" 4
194:.IX Item "--menus"
198:.IP "\fB\-\-output\fR=\fI\s-1NAME\s0\fR" 4
199:.IX Item "--output=NAME"
202:.IP "\fB\-\-no\-section\-nodes\fR" 4
203:.IX Item "--no-section-nodes"
205:.IP "\fB\-\-no\-fill\-section\-gaps\fR" 4
206:.IX Item "--no-fill-section-gaps"
209:.IP "\fB\-\-preamble\fR=\fI\s-1STR\s0\fR" 4
210:.IX Item "--preamble=STR"
214:.IP "\fB\-\-setfilename\fR=\fI\s-1STR\s0\fR" 4
215:.IX Item "--setfilename=STR"
218:.IP "\fB\-\-subdir\fR=\fI\s-1NAME\s0\fR" 4
219:.IX Item "--subdir=NAME"
222:.IP "\fB\-\-unnumbered\-sections\fR" 4
223:.IX Item "--unnumbered-sections"
227:.IP "\fB\-\-top\fR=\fI\s-1TOP\s0\fR" 4
228:.IX Item "--top=TOP"
230:.IP "\fB\-\-version\fR" 4
231:.IX Item "--version"
247:.SH "AUTHOR"
248:.IX Header "AUTHOR"
-.-.
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=10 -ww -z ":
troff:<stdin>:145: warning: font name 'CW' is deprecated
Bad use of \s0 in a string definition, the string "X" could be resized,
for example with "\s-1\*X\s0".
25:.ds C+ C\v'-.1v'\h'-1p'\s-2+\h'-1p'+\s0\v'.1v'\h'-1p'
-.-.
Additionally (general):
Abbreviations get a '\&' added after their final full stop (.) to mark them
as such and not as an end of a sentence.
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