[bug #68543] groff_man_style(7): add notes on use of font escape sequences
Deri James <[email protected]> Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:19:02 -0400 (EDT)
| Newsgroups | gmane.comp.printing.groff.bugs |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
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Follow-up Comment #3, bug #68543 (group groff):=0A=0AOn Tuesday, 21 July 20=
26 17:17:47 British Summer Time G. Branden Robinson =0Awrote:=0A> Follow-up=
Comment #2, bug #68543 (group groff):=0A> =0A> Hi Deri,=0A> =0A> At 2026-0=
7-21T11:24:27-0400, Deri James wrote:=0A>> Follow-up Comment #1, bug #68543=
(group groff):=0A>> =0A>> This is probably pertinent to a discussion of fo=
nt styles in man=0A>> pages, as it pertains to troff output.=0A>> =0A>> Cur=
rently we can control which fonts are used for:-=0A>> =0A>> Body text (-f)=
=0A> =0A> Yes, as a family.=0A> =0A>> Headings (-dHF)=0A> =0A> Yes, as any =
font identifier.=0A> =0A>> "Topics" (-dTF)=0A> =0A> Eh? What's that? Not =
in GNU groff.=0A> =0A> Oh, I think you mean `MF`. Let your inner Samuel L.=
Jackson flow!=0A> =0AHi Branden,=0A=0AYes, that's the beastie ("topic-font=
").=0A=0A> -dMF=3Dman=E2=80=90page=E2=80=90topic=E2=80=90font=0A> Select th=
e font used for man page identifiers in TH calls=0A> and topics named 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 r=
equest may be used. If the MF string ends=0A> in =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=9D, the =
package assumes it to be an oblique typeface,=0A> and applies italic correc=
tions before and after man page=0A> topics and identifiers.=0A> =0A>> But w=
e have no control of the font used in EX/EE sections, it is hard=0A>> coded=
. It would be nice if people agree this gap should be filled.=0A> =0A> I t=
end to add registers and strings for stylesheet-like configuration=0A> man =
pages only when there are arguments (as with the cold war over the=0A> face=
to be used for the "topic" in man page cross references) or people=0A> are=
raking me over the coals for changing defaults. Granted, pointing=0A> out=
that a rendering parameter is now configurable doesn't completely=0A> moll=
ify them when they also dislike _that_ the default changed. A very=0A> rec=
ent example is Russ Allbery (podlators/ od2man maintainer) getting=0A> cros=
s with me over a change I made that he didn't notice, but some of=0A> his u=
sers did.=0A=0AI'm not suggesting the default should change, just allow use=
rs to select an =0Aalternative should they wish.=0A=0A> https://bugs.debian=
.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=3D1134776=0A> =0A> I hadn't known at the tim=
e I made that change that pod2man "abused" the=0A> `IP` macro with such...s=
ingle-minded dedication! Fortunately we seem to=0A> have worked things out=
, and POD will be in good shape to benefit from=0A> automatic tagging if I =
ever get that implemented. And the door is open=0A> for it to exercise the=
`LS`/`LE` enhancement, arriving in groff 1.25.0.=0A> =0A> Anyway, that's a=
_counter_-example of the point you raise because I=0A> haven't run into an=
yone who _wants_ to use a different font family for=0A> example regions--an=
d it would have to be a _family_ because style=0A> changes are foreseeable =
and expected occasionally in `EX`/`EE` regions.=0A> =0A> Can you show me wh=
ere you've seen some demand for setting man pages=0A> example regions in, s=
ay Helvetica or Bookman?=0A=0APurely aesthetics, I think there are more mod=
ern mono font families which look=0A=0Anicer. Here are some examples:-=0A=
=0AT-C.pdf (our default: TimesRoman & Courier)=0AT-LibC.pdf (TimesRoman & L=
iberationMono) Weird 'fi' ligature in word =0A'definition' Ugh!=0AT-SCP.pdf=
(TimesRoman & SourceCodePro)=0ATinos-SCP.pdf (Tinos & SourceCodePro) My fa=
vourite.=0ACN-SCP.pdf (ComicNeue & SourceCodePro) A bit of fun!=0A=0AAs you=
may remember I never use 'man'; xdg's man:/ protocol is tied to my =0Asoft=
ware which calls groff and xdg-open the result. =0A=0ACheers=0A=0ADeri=0A=
=0A(file #58809, file #58810, file #58811, file #58812, file #58813)=0A=0A =
_______________________________________________________=0A=0AAdditional =
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