[[email protected]: [TUHS] Re: sequence of groff's preprocessors in man page vs bug tracker]

"G. Branden Robinson" <[email protected]> Thu, 18 Dec 2025 22:57:01 -0600

Newsgroups	gmane.comp.printing.groff.general
Message-ID	<20251219045701.3hmq5w2qso42ndwe@illithid>

Doug sent this to the TUHS list insteas of the groff list.

----- Forwarded message from Douglas McIlroy via TUHS <[email protected]> -----

Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:11:40 -0500
From: Douglas McIlroy via TUHS <[email protected]>
To: TUHS main list <[email protected]>
Message-ID: <CAKH6PiXdPUP-igQ+5O2hTW8a5wUe9VNGHKL4rDbzarfqOz6N4g@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID-Hash: WL2XBXNAELSQUC6KIQBHMPNQZH7Y4TUL
Subject: [TUHS] Re: sequence of groff's preprocessors in man page vs bug
 tracker

In the same semi-serious vein as the original observation, I suggest
that the preprocessors be listed in reverse topological order of
execution precedence. In general this will bring the more important
preprocessors to the top of the list. Unfortunately, it is not an
unambiguous recipe; it does not settle the relative order of
preprocessors that never interact, e.g. chem and grap. And, although
it gathers the precedence rules in one place, the reverse order may
cause some cognitive dissonance.

Doug

----- End forwarded message -----

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