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Diffstat (limited to 'contrib/groff/PROBLEMS')
| -rw-r--r-- | contrib/groff/PROBLEMS | 261 |
1 files changed, 210 insertions, 51 deletions
diff --git a/contrib/groff/PROBLEMS b/contrib/groff/PROBLEMS index 9ee5b40..b73db2f 100644 --- a/contrib/groff/PROBLEMS +++ b/contrib/groff/PROBLEMS @@ -2,20 +2,51 @@ This file describes various problems that have been encountered in compiling, installing and running groff. Suggestions for additions or other improvements to this file are welcome. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* My document says that the current year is 19100, not 2000. + +In groff, as in traditional troff, the yr number register yields the +year minus 1900. Unfortunately, there is a longstanding bug in the +Troff User's Manual <http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/cstr/54.ps.gz>, +which incorrectly claims that yr is the last two digits of the year. +This claim was never true of either Unix troff or of groff. + +If your text looks like this: + + .\" Wrong: + This document was formatted in 19\n(yr. + +you can correct it as follows: + + This document was formatted in \n[year]. + +or, if you want to be portable to older troff versions, as follows: + + .nr y4 1900+\n(yr + This document was formatted in \n(y4. + +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I get lots of `numeric overflow' error messages whenever I run -groff; I compiled groff with AT&T C++ 2.0 with an ANSI C compiler. + groff; I compiled groff with AT&T C++ 2.0 with an ANSI C compiler. Make sure -DCFRONT_ANSI_BUG is included in DEFINES in the top-level Makefile. If that doesn't solve the problem, define INT_MIN as -INT_MAX in libgroff/lib.h. -* I get errors when I try to compile groff with Sun C++ version 5.0 or 5.1. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* I get errors when I try to compile groff with Sun C++ version 5.0 + or 5.1. This is a known problem; see Sun bug #4301919. As of this writing, no patch is available. Use GCC 2.95.2 or later instead. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I get errors when I try to compile groff with Sun C++ version 3 or -earlier. + earlier. Groff requires header files that are moderately compatible with AT&T C++ and ANSI C. With some versions of Sun C++, the supplied header @@ -24,22 +55,67 @@ files need some of the following changes to meet this requirement: <memory.h>' to <string.h>); the first argument to fopen and freopen should be declared as `const char *'; the first argument to fread should be declared as `void *'; the first argument to fwrite should be -declared as `const void *'; malloc should be declared to return `void -*'; in <alloca.h>, the declaration `extern "C" { void -*__builtin_alloca(int); }' should be added; declarations of getopt(), -optarg, optind and opterr should be added to <stdlib.h>; in -<sys/signal.h> the return type and the second argument type of -signal() should be changed to be `void (*)(int)'. +declared as `const void *'; malloc should be declared to return +`void *'; in <alloca.h>, the declaration `extern "C" { void +*__builtin_alloca(int); }' should be added; in <sys/signal.h> the +return type and the second argument type of signal() should be changed +to be `void (*)(int)'. You can either change them in place, or copy them to some other directory and include that directory with a -I option. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* The configure script fails on OS/390 Unix. + +There is a bug in the Language Environment (LE) whereby the test +program for static destructors fails. You will see the message +'configure: error: a working C++ compiler is required' + +Applying PTF UQ42006 is supposed to fix this, but the test program is +still returning the wrong value (1). To work around this problem, you +can comment out the following in the configure script (near line 956). +This will effectively bypass the test (static constructors and +destructors do actually work properly): + +#if { (eval echo configure:957: \"$ac_link\") 1>&5; (eval $ac_link) 2>&5; } && test -s conftest${ac_exeext} && (./conftest; exit) 2>/dev/null +#then + echo "$ac_t""yes" 1>&6 +#else +# echo "configure: failed program was:" >&5 +# cat conftest.$ac_ext >&5 +# rm -fr conftest* +# echo "$ac_t""no" 1>&6;{ echo "configure: error: a working C++ compiler is required" 1>&2; exit 1; } +#fi + +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I get errors when I try to compile groff with DEC C++. Fix the declaration of write() in <unistd.h> so that the second argument is a const char *. Fix the declaration of open() in <sys/file.h> so that the first argument is a const char *. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* On a host using Unix make (e.g. Solaris), if you are compiling for + multiple architectures by building in a subdirectory, the make stops + with a message like this: + + make: Fatal error: Don't know how to make target `assert.o' + + or like this: + + make: Fatal error: Can't find /u/src/groff/src/include/Makefile.sub': No such file or directory + +This occurs because GNU make and Unix make handle VPATH differently, +and the groff build relies on GNU make's VPATH handling. + +Use GNU make to work around the problem. In Solaris 8, GNU make is +on the Software Companion CD and is installed as /opt/sfw/bin/gmake. + +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * On Ultrix, the make stops with the message *** Error code 1 @@ -50,6 +126,8 @@ for no apparent reason. Use GNU make. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I'm having problems compiling groff on 386BSD 0.1. If you're using ash as /bin/sh, you'll need the following patch. @@ -78,12 +156,22 @@ If you're using ash as /bin/sh, you'll need the following patch. You'll also need to change dirnamemax.c so that it doesn't use pathconf(). +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * While compiling on Xenix, ranlib libgroff.a fails. The system ranlib can't handle externals longer than 40 characters. Use the ranlib included in demon.co.uk:/pub/xenix/g++-1.40.3a.v1 instead. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* There are many empty `Makefile.dep' files. Is this a bug? + +No. Real dependency files are created with a `make depend' call. + +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * Groff can't handle my troff document. It works fine with AT&T troff. Read the section on incompatibilities in gtroff(1). Try using the -C @@ -91,20 +179,27 @@ option. Alternatively there's the sed script in tmac/fixmacros.sed which will attempt to edit a file of macros so that it can be used with groff without the -C flag. -* groff -Tdvi produces dvi files that use fonts at weird magnifications. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* groff -Tdvi produces dvi files that use fonts at weird + magnifications. Yes, it does. You may need to compile fonts with Metafont at these -magnifications. The CompileFonts script in the devdvi/generate -directory may help you to do this. (It will take a *long* time.) +magnifications. The CompileFonts script in the devdvi/generate +directory may help you to do this. (It will take a *long* time.) + +---------------------------------------------------------------------- * pic output is not centered horizontally; pictures sometimes run off -the bottom of the page. + the bottom of the page. + +The macro package you are using is not supplying appropriate +definitions of PS and PE. Give groff a -mpic option. -The macro package you are using is not supplying appropriate definitions -of PS and PE. Give groff a -mpic option. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- -* I'm having problems including PostScript illustrations using the PSPIC -macro. +* I'm having problems including PostScript illustrations using the + PSPIC macro. A PostScript document must meet three requirements in order to be included with the PSPIC macro: it must comply with the Adobe Document @@ -124,18 +219,24 @@ specification of Encapsulated PostScript format. (This is available from the Adobe file server; send a message with a body of `help' to ps-file-server@adobe.com.) +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I've configured groff for A4 paper, but gtroff still seems to think -that the length of a page (as returned by \n(.p) is 11 inches. + that the length of a page (as returned by \n(.p) is 11 inches. This is intentional. The PAGE option is used only by grops. For compatibility with ditroff, the default page length in gtroff is always 11 inches. The page length can be changed with the `pl' request. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * Groff doesn't use the font names I'm used to. Use the `ftr' request. See gtroff(1). +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I get errors using the Unix -ms macros with groff -e -C. Apply this change: @@ -163,51 +264,66 @@ Apply this change: .nr ZN \\n(dn .if \\n(ZN>0 .if \\n(YE=0 .LP +---------------------------------------------------------------------- -* gpic doesn't accept the syntax `chop N M' for chopping both ends of a -line. +* gpic doesn't accept the syntax `chop N M' for chopping both ends of + a line. The correct syntax is `chop N chop M'. -* With gpic -t, when I print `line ->; box' using a dvi to ps -program, the arrow head sticks through into the inside of the box. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* With gpic -t, when I print `line ->; box' using a dvi to ps program, + the arrow head sticks through into the inside of the box. + +The dvi to ps program should be modified to set the line cap and line +join parameters to 1 while printing tpic specials. -The dvi to ps program should be modified to set the line cap and -line join parameters to 1 while printing tpic specials. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- * When I print the output groff -Tps, the output is always shifted up -by about 0.7 inches; I'm using 8.5x11 inch paper. + by about 0.7 inches; I'm using 8.5x11 inch paper. Make sure that PAGE is defined to be `letter' in the top-level Makefile. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * When I try to print the output of groff -Tps, I get no output at all -from the printer, and the log file shows the error -%%[ error: undefined; offendingcommand: BP ]%% -I'm using TranScript spooling software. + from the printer, and the log file shows the error + %%[ error: undefined; offendingcommand: BP ]%% + I'm using TranScript spooling software. This is a bug in the page reversal filter in early versions of TranScript. Change the `broken' parameter in /usr/local/lib/groff/font/devps/DESC to 7. -* When I preview groff -Tps output using the Sun OpenWindows 2.0 pageview -program, all the pages are displayed on top of each other. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* When I preview groff -Tps output using the Sun OpenWindows 2.0 + pageview program, all the pages are displayed on top of each other. This is a defect in pageview. Change the `broken' parameter in /usr/local/lib/groff/font/devps/DESC to 2. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * With groff -TX75, -TX100 or -X, I can only view the first page. The left mouse button brings up a menu that allows you to view other pages. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * When I print the output of groff -Tdvi, I just get a black dot in -upper left corner. + upper left corner. Some dvi drivers (notably early versions of xtex) do not correctly handle dvi files that use a resolution different from that used by dvi files produced by TeX. Try getting a more up to date driver. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I get lots of errors when I use groff with the AT&T -mm macros. The AT&T -mm macros need a few changes to work with groff; `make @@ -216,57 +332,80 @@ and make the necessary changes. You may need to edit the commands for the install.mm target in the Makefile. Alternatively use the groff -mm macros. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * gtroff doesn't understand lines like `.ce99' with no space between -the name of the request or macro and the arguments. + the name of the request or macro and the arguments. -Gtroff requires a space between macro or request and its arguments +gtroff requires a space between macro or request and its arguments because it allows the use of long names for macros and requests. You can use the -C option or the `cp' request to put gtroff into a compatibility mode in which it is not possible to use long names for macros but in which no space is required between macros and their arguments. The use of compatibility mode is strongly discouraged. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * gtroff gives warnings about lines like .ev \" a comment -(with a tab after the .ev). + (with a tab after the .ev). A tab character cannot be used as a substitute for a space character (except in one case: between a control character at the beginning of a line and the name of a macro or request). For example, in Unix troff + .ps \" restore the previous point size + (with a tab after the .ps) will NOT restore the previous point-size; instead it will be silently ignored. Since this is very likely to be an error, gtroff can give a warning about it. If you want to align comments, you can do it like this: + .ev\" \" a comment +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I don't like the page headers and footers produced by groff -man. There seem to be many different styles of page header and footer produced by different versions of the -man macros. You will need to modify macros/tmac.an to suit your personal taste. For example, if you want the center of the page header to say + System Programmer's Manual + you will need to change the line + .el .ds an-extra3 \"System Programmer's Manual + to + .el .ds an-extra3 System Programmer's Manual -* While formatting a manual page, groff complains about not being able to -break lines. The problem seems to be caused by a line like: +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* While formatting a manual page, groff complains about not being able + to break lines. The problem seems to be caused by a line like: .TP \w'label'+2 The -man documentation says that the default scale indicator for TP macro is `n'. The groff -man macros implement this correctly, so that the argument will be evaluated as if it were + \w'label'n+2n + The Unix -man macros don't implement this correctly (probably because it's hard to do in Unix troff); they just append `n' to the entire argument, so that it will be evaluated as if it were + \w'label'u+2n + The solution is to fix the manual page: + .TP \w'label'u+2 +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I'm having problems formatting Ultrix man pages with groff -man. The Ultrix man pages use a number of non-standard extensions to the @@ -299,6 +438,8 @@ Frank Wortner): Another possible solution is to install tmac/man.ultrix as /usr/local/lib/groff/tmac/man.local. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I'm having problems formatting HP-UX 9.0 man pages with groff -man. Rename /usr/local/lib/groff/tmac/tmac.an to (for example) @@ -307,8 +448,10 @@ Rename /usr/local/lib/groff/tmac/tmac.an to (for example) beginning or filter it (and any files it .so's) through tmac/fixmacros.sed. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * I'm having problems formatting man pages produced by the perl -wrapman script. + wrapman script. Some versions of wrapman have a superfluous blank line before the .TH line. This must be deleted. Then either use groff -C, or apply the @@ -387,22 +530,28 @@ following patch: .SH SYNOPSIS -* When I preview documents using -TX75 or -TX100, the layout is not the same -as when I print the document with -Tps: the line and page breaks come -in different places. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +* When I preview documents using -TX75 or -TX100, the layout is not + the same as when I print the document with -Tps: the line and page + breaks come in different places. Use groff -X -Tps. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * When I try to run gxditview, I get the error: -Error: Widget viewport has zero width and/or height + Error: Widget viewport has zero width and/or height This error means you haven't correctly installed the application defaults file, GXditview.ad; ``make install'' does this for you automatically, so either you didn't do ``make install'', or you don't have imake configured correctly. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * groff uses up an enormous amount of memory processing large files. -I'm using 386BSD 0.1. + I'm using 386BSD 0.1. 386BSD includes an old version of g++, 1.39, which has a bug that causes a major memory leak in gtroff. Apply the following fix to g++ @@ -436,14 +585,18 @@ and recompile groff: else exprstmt = 0; +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * Where can I get grap? -Grap is not freely available, but there is a nawk script implementing -an extended subset of grap available for ftp as -ftp.informatik.uni-rostock.de:/pub/local/software/prag-1.0.shar.gz. +Ted Faber <faber@lunabase.org> has written a freely available grap: + + http://www.lunabase.org/~faber/Vault/software/grap/ + +---------------------------------------------------------------------- * How can I use groff with an old LaserJet printer that doesn't work -with groff -Tlj4? + with groff -Tlj4? You have at least 3 options: @@ -452,11 +605,13 @@ You have at least 3 options: - use groff -Tdvi with a TeX .dvi to Laserjet driver; - use groff with the LaserJet driver in Chris Lewis' psroff package -(available for ftp from: -ftp.uunet.ca:/distrib/chris_lewis/psroff3.0pl17). + (available for ftp from: + ftp.uunet.ca:/distrib/chris_lewis/psroff3.0pl17). + +---------------------------------------------------------------------- * Groff seems to generate level 3 Postscript, but my printer is only a -level 1 or 2 PostScript printer. + level 1 or 2 PostScript printer. In fact groff generates only level 1 PostScript. The `%!PS-Adobe-3.0' comment at the beginning of PostScript output generated by groff @@ -465,9 +620,11 @@ Structuring Conventions. The output generated by groff should be printable on any PostScript printer. Problems with groff output's not printing are most often caused by the spooling system. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * The \n(st and \n(sb registers don't seem to work. I thought \w set -them to the height and depth of its argument, but the registers always -seem to be 0. + them to the height and depth of its argument, but the registers + always seem to be 0. \n(st and \n(sb aren't supposed to give the height and depth of the string rather they give the minimum and maximum vertical displacement @@ -475,6 +632,8 @@ of the baseline. For example for \v'2u'\v'-3u', \n(st will be 1 and \n(sb will be -2. The height and depth of the string is available in the \n[rst] and \n[rsb] registers: these are groff extensions. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + * On an SGI system, how can I make the man command use groff? From David Hinds <dhinds@allegro.stanford.edu> (some of these steps |
