[comp.text.tex] A TeX-based troff emulator?

rsm@math.arizona.edu (Robert S. Maier) (08/28/90)

Does such a thing as a troff emulator, written in TeX, exist?

Of course such a beast would produce DVI output rather than CAT or
new-style ditroff output.  I'm not concerned about that; what I'd like
to be able to do is feed generic troff documents to TeX.

If such an emulator doesn't exist, why not?

For those who are wondering, I need it because I have a fine version
of TeX on my workstation, but no troff.  (I have nroff, but that's not
exactly the same thing.)

-- 
Robert S. Maier   | Internet: rsm@math.arizona.edu
Dept. of Math.    | UUCP: uunet!arizona!amethyst!rsm
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wsinpdb@svin02.info.win.tue.nl (Paul de Bra) (09/03/90)

In article <RSM.90Aug27103501@coral.math.arizona.edu> rsm@math.arizona.edu (Robert S. Maier) writes:
>Does such a thing as a troff emulator, written in TeX, exist?
>
>Of course such a beast would produce DVI output rather than CAT or
>new-style ditroff output.  I'm not concerned about that; what I'd like
>to be able to do is feed generic troff documents to TeX.

What you need is groff (GNU's version of troff and all related goodies).
It's a real troff, but it can generate TeX-dvi output. I have no troff
output driver for my printer (Nec P6) and use groff with my TeX output
driver for the nec. Works extremely well.
(groff is available for anonymous ftp from tut.cis.ohio-state.edu)

I am not involved in the production of groff, just a very satisfied user.

Paul.
(debra@research.att.com)

bothner@sevenlayer.cs.wisc.edu (Per Bothner) (09/05/90)

groff, the GNU version of troff, has a
driver that emits DVI files.

groff is written in C++. You can get it (and g++,
the GNU C++ compiler) with anonymous ftp
from prep.ai.mit.edu, in pub/gnu/groff-0.5.tar.Z.

I haven't tried it, so I don't know how robust or convenient it is.
-- 
	--Per Bothner
bothner@cs.wisc.edu Computer Sciences Dept, U. of Wisconsin-Madison