Bug#1120388: XvGetStill.3: Some remarks and a patch with editorial changes for this man page
Package: libxv-dev
Version: 2:1.0.13-1
Severity: minor
Tags: patch
>From "/usr/share/doc/debian/bug-reporting.txt.gz":
Don't file bugs upstream
If you file a bug in Debian, don't send a copy to the upstream software
maintainers yourself, as it is possible that the bug exists only in
Debian. If necessary, the maintainer of the package will forward the
bug upstream.
-.-
I do not send reports upstream if I have to get an account there.
The Debian maintainers have one already.
If I get a negative (or no) response from upstream, I send henceforth
bugs to Debian.
-.-
* 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=0 -ww -z < "man page"
[Use
grep -n -e ' $' -e '\\~$' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <file>
to find (most) 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?
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=0 -ww -z ":
troff:<stdin>:53: warning: name 'PN' not defined
* 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: forky/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 6.16.12+deb14+1-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 libxv-dev depends on:
ii libx11-dev 2:1.8.12-1
ii libxext-dev 2:1.3.4-1+b3
ii libxv1 2:1.0.13-1
ii x11proto-dev 2024.1-1
libxv-dev recommends no packages.
libxv-dev suggests no packages.
-- no debconf information
Input file is XvGetStill.3
Output from "mandoc -T lint XvGetStill.3": (shortened list)
1 ERROR: skipping unknown macro: .PN XvGetStill
Find most trailing spaces with:
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
-.-.
Output from
test-nroff -mandoc -t -ww -z XvGetStill.3: (shortened list)
1 name 'PN' not defined
Find most trailing spaces with:
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
-.-.
Reduce space between words.
XvGetStill.3:1:.TH XvGetStill 3 "libXv 1.0.13" "X Version 11" "libXv Functions"
-.-.
Split lines longer than 80 characters (fill completly
an A4 sized page line on a terminal)
into two or more lines.
Appropriate break points are the end of a sentence and a subordinate
clause; after punctuation marks.
Add "\:" to split the string for the output, "\<newline>" in the source.
Line 9, length 84
.BI "int XvGetStill(Display *" dpy ", XvPortID " port ", Drawable " d ", GC " gc ","
Line 10, length 86
.BI " int " vx ", int " vy ", unsigned int " vw ", unsigned int " vh ","
Line 11, length 87
.BI " int " dx ", int " dy ", unsigned int " dw ", unsigned int " dh ");"
Longest line is number 11 with 87 characters
-.-.
Put a parenthetical sentence, phrase on a separate line,
if not part of a code.
See man-pages(7), item "semantic newline".
XvGetStill.3:69:requested video region size (or the closest size supported) and
-.-.
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=0 -ww -z ":
troff:<stdin>:53: warning: name 'PN' not defined
-.-
Generally:
Split (sometimes) lines after a punctuation mark; before a conjunction.
-.-
--- XvGetStill.3 2025-11-08 16:50:20.672519024 +0000
+++ XvGetStill.3.new 2025-11-08 17:09:54.793487526 +0000
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.TH XvGetStill 3 "libXv 1.0.13" "X Version 11" "libXv Functions"
+.TH XvGetStill 3 "libXv 1.0.13" "X Version 11" "libXv Functions"
.SH NAME
XvGetStill \- capture a single frame of video from a drawable
.\"
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ define the width and height, in pixels,
.\"
.SH DESCRIPTION
.\"
+.\" Definition is from the groff file "tmac/man.ultrix"
+.de PN
+\&\f[CR]\\$1\fP\\$2
+..
.PN XvGetStill
captures a single frame of video from a drawable. The
position and size of the destination (video) rectangle is specified by
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>
To find trailing space use
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
The same goes for man pages that are used as an input.
-.-
For a style guide use
mandoc -T lint
-.-
For general input conventions consult the man page "nroff(7)" (item
"Input conventions") or the Texinfo manual about the same item.
-.-
Any "autogenerator" should check its products with the above mentioned
'groff', 'mandoc', and additionally with 'nroff ...'.
It should also check its input files for too long (> 80) lines.
This is just a simple quality control measure.
The "autogenerator" may have to be corrected to get a better man page,
the source file may, and any additional file may.
Common defects:
Not removing trailing spaces (in in- and output).
The reason for these trailing spaces should be found and eliminated.
"git" has a "tool" to point out whitespace,
see for example "git-apply(1)" and git-config(1)")
Not beginning each input sentence on a new line.
Line length and patch size should thus be reduced.
The script "reportbug" uses 'quoted-printable' encoding when a line is
longer than 1024 characters in an 'ascii' file.
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 -d -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 from 'diff -d -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)
-.-
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