[comp.sys.3b1] nroff macros: anybody recognize this?

templon@copper.ucs.indiana.edu (jeffrey templon) (03/24/91)

This is not a 3b1-specific question.  Several of you seem to be quite 
roff-aware so maybe you know.  I had no idea where else to ask...

I want to format this file, but I don't know what macro setup to use or
even if this is {n,t}roff language.  I tried RUNOFF on our VMS machine but this
was not successful.  If you know how to get this formatted please email
or post the answer.

					Thanks,  --jt

----------------------------------------

.so macs.txt

.sp 10
.(l C
UNIX-LIKE TOOLS
AVAILABLE FROM VMS
.sp 2
\*(td
.)l
.fi
.bp
.sh  1 "CD"
.pp
The Unix change directory command's most attractive feature is that
it checks target directorys.  This CD command will not only check
target directories but also allow some limited specification of
paths in Unix format as well as VMS format.  In vms format the
brackets around the directory specification can by omitted.  It
will even change to a VMS logical.
.sh 2 "PUSHD/POPD"
.pp
PUSHD just as in Unix is an extension to CD which saves the current
directory on a directory stack.  POPD is the symmetrical tool
which provides the facility to return to the \&'pushed' directory.
.sh 3 "CDPATH's"
.pp
A CDPATH is a path of directories under UNIX which the user can
specify.  The CD command will search these directories for your
target directory.  A facility which approximates these capabilities
has been provided under VMS which actually gives some additional
capabilities.  Define a symbol called \&'CDPATH' in the DCL
shell which is a list of blank separated VMS directories.
Invoking the CDHASH program will search these directories and
define a logical for each subdirectory the value of which is
the full path location.  CD'ing to a directory from anywhere
in the system thus becomes a matter of typing the subdirectory name.
The additional capabilities this provides are that this symbol is
a true logical and thus can also be supplied to a directory command
or used as a preface to a file name.
.sh 4 "E(X)TEND"
.pp
Extend provides a capability for a user to run from the standard DCL
shell and yet extend to some Unix-like advanced capabilities when
necessary.  Extend provides the capability for easy i/o redirection,
pipes, backgrounding, and multiple command entry from one command line.
Extend is invoked by simply typing \&'x' followed by a list of dcl
commands mixed with extended command characters.
.ip "input redirection"
Input can be obtained from files on the system through the use of
the \&'< file' command.  This command works by both assigning sys$input and
pas$input and specifing the file name as the last parameter to the command.
A unix mode \&'-u' for extend will eliminate the file specification.  This works
in most cases but not always.
.ip "output redirection"
Output can be diverted to a file on the system through the use of the
\&'> file' command.  This command will divert sys$output and pas$output
to the file.

[...stuff deleted...]

.ip "quoting"
If you want to pass one of these special characters to the DCL shell,
such as \&';' for a version number, you must 'quote' it by preceeding
it with the \&'\' character.

clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis) (03/27/91)

In article <1991Mar23.200044.15510@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> templon@copper.ucs.indiana.edu (jeffrey templon) writes:
>This is not a 3b1-specific question.  Several of you seem to be quite 
>roff-aware so maybe you know.  I had no idea where else to ask...

>I want to format this file, but I don't know what macro setup to use or
>even if this is {n,t}roff language.  I tried RUNOFF on our VMS machine but this
>was not successful.  If you know how to get this formatted please email
>or post the answer.

comp.text or alt.text.dwb would be better, but ...

Sure looks like nroff/troff input.

These are the UNIX -man macros.  Except for one oddity, that is, most of the
directives in -man are uppercase, but your sample has them all in lowercase.
There are a few directives that should be left alone (.sp, .bp, .fi, .nf),
but the rest of them (.pp,.sh,.ip etc.) should be capitalized, as in
".PP/.SH/.IP".

This isn't quite a manual page because there's no ".TH" at the top.
Try "man 5 man" on your system.  That should give you a complete list
of the directives you have to capitalize.
-- 
Chris Lewis,
clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca or ...uunet!mitel!cunews!latour!ecicrl!clewis
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