[bug #68543] groff_man_style(7): add notes on use of font escape sequences

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Follow-up Comment #2, bug #68543 (group groff):=0A=0AHi Deri,=0A=0AAt 2026-=
07-21T11:24:27-0400, Deri James wrote:=0A> Follow-up Comment #1, bug #68543=
 (group groff):=0A>=0A> This is probably pertinent to a discussion of font =
styles in man=0A> pages, as it pertains to troff output.=0A>=0A> Currently =
we can control which fonts are used for:-=0A>=0A> Body text (-f)=0A=0AYes, =
as a family.=0A=0A> Headings (-dHF)=0A=0AYes, as any font identifier.=0A=0A=
> "Topics" (-dTF)=0A=0AEh?  What's that?  Not in GNU groff.=0A=0AOh, I thin=
k you mean `MF`.  Let your inner Samuel L. Jackson flow!=0A=0A=0A     -dMF=
=3Dman=E2=80=90page=E2=80=90topic=E2=80=90font=0A              Select the f=
ont used for man page identifiers in TH calls=0A              and topics na=
med in MR calls; the default is =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=9D (italic=0A             =
 style of the default family).  Any valid argument to=0A              groff=
=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cft=E2=80=9D request may be used.  If the MF string ends=
=0A              in =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=9D, the package assumes it to be an ob=
lique typeface,=0A              and applies italic corrections before and a=
fter man page=0A              topics and identifiers.=0A=0A=0A> But we have=
 no control of the font used in EX/EE sections, it is hard=0A> coded.  It w=
ould be nice if people agree this gap should be filled.=0A=0AI tend to add =
registers and strings for stylesheet-like configuration=0Aman pages only wh=
en there are arguments (as with the cold war over the=0Aface to be used for=
 the "topic" in man page cross references) or people=0Aare raking me over t=
he coals for changing defaults.  Granted, pointing=0Aout that a rendering p=
arameter is now configurable doesn't completely=0Amollify them when they al=
so dislike _that_ the default changed.  A very=0Arecent example is Russ All=
bery (podlators/ od2man maintainer) getting=0Across with me over a change I=
 made that he didn't notice, but some of=0Ahis users did.=0A=0Ahttps://bugs=
.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=3D1134776=0A=0AI hadn't known at the =
time I made that change that pod2man "abused" the=0A`IP` macro with such...=
single-minded dedication!  Fortunately we seem to=0Ahave worked things out,=
 and POD will be in good shape to benefit from=0Aautomatic tagging if I eve=
r get that implemented.  And the door is open=0Afor it to exercise the `LS`=
/`LE` enhancement, arriving in groff 1.25.0.=0A=0AAnyway, that's a _counter=
_-example of the point you raise because I=0Ahaven't run into anyone who _w=
ants_ to use a different font family for=0Aexample regions--and it would ha=
ve to be a _family_ because style=0Achanges are foreseeable and expected oc=
casionally in `EX`/`EE` regions.=0A=0ACan you show me where you've seen som=
e demand for setting man pages=0Aexample regions in, say Helvetica or Bookm=
an?=0A=0AIn bug #68497, Hubert Garavel brought to my attention a truly old-=
school=0Ameans of setting "example regions", circa 1990.=0A=0A=0A.SS SYNTAX=
 DEFINITION=0A.P=0AThe textual syntax of BES files is described by the foll=
owing context-free=0Agrammar, where \f4<empty>\fP denotes the empty sequenc=
e of symbols and=0A\f4<nat>\fP denotes a non-negative integer:=0A=0A.nf=0A.=
cs 4 23=0A \f4<axiom> ::=3D <block-list>=0A.sp=0A <block-list> ::=3D <block=
>=0A               |  <block> <block-list>=0A.sp=0A <block> ::=3D block <si=
gn> <block-idf> <unique> <mode> is=0A                 <equation-list>=0A   =
          end block=0A.sp=0A <sign> ::=3D mu=0A         |  nu=0A.sp=0A <blo=
ck-idf> ::=3D B<nat>=0A.sp=0A <unique> ::=3D <empty>=0A           |  unique=
=0A=0A=0A... and so on.=0A=0A=0A=0A    ____________________________________=
___________________=0A=0AReply to this item at:=0A=0A  <https://savannah.gn=
u.org/bugs/?68543>=0A=0A_______________________________________________=0AM=
essage sent via Savannah=0Ahttps://savannah.gnu.org/=0A
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