how to make the man formatting better.

[martin f krafft <madduck@debian.org>]

I have just simply filled in a manpage.sgml.ex template, and the
OPTIONS section doesn't look all that great:

  OPTIONS
        These  programs  follow the usual GNU command line syntax,
        with long options starting with two dashes (`-').  A  sum­
        mary of options is included below.


        -o outputfile
                  Selects  the  output  method  according  to  the
                  extension of outputfile and causes  psconcat  to
                  write  the  concatenation  into this file, over­
                  writing it if necessary.

        -h           --help
                  Shows a summary of the available options.

        -V           --version
                  Shows the version of the program.


I can't seem to get rid of the newline between the text and the first
option, and the long options corresponding to -h and -V should be
written right underneath their short counterparts, not shifted over to
the right that much. I wonder if this is my incompetence, or an error
in the manpage.sgml.ex file. I also wouldn't mind to help commenting
it a little better with your help. I know jack about SGML, and since
I want to write manpages to help keep Debian's quality as high as it
is, I don't have the time or patience to work myself into the matter.

Here's the SGML that generated it:

  <refsect1>
    <title>OPTIONS</title>
    
    <para>These programs follow the usual GNU command line syntax,
      with long options starting with two dashes (`-').  A summary of
      options is included below. 
    <variablelist>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><option>-o <replaceable>outputfile</replaceable></option>
        </term>
        <listitem>
          <para>Selects the output method according to the extension of
          <replaceable>outputfile</replaceable> and causes 
          <command>&dhpackage;</command> to write the concatenation into this
          file, overwriting it if necessary.</para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><option>-h</option>
          <option>--help</option>
        </term>
        <listitem>
          <para>Shows a summary of the available options.</para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><option>-V</option>
          <option>--version</option>
        </term>
        <listitem>
          <para>Shows the version of the program.</para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
  </refsect1>

Cheers,

-- 
martin;              (greetings from the heart of the sun.)
  \____ echo mailto: !#^."<*>"|tr "<*> mailto:"; net@madduck
 
a life? where can i download that?

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