[docutils:bugs] Re: #477 Generated man page leads to groff warning "TE macro called with TW register undefined"

Hi Engelbert!

> the title is misleading

Okay, maybe it should have been more specific: Generated man page leads to groff warning "TE macro called with TW register undefined" with `MANROFFSEQ=''` env variable passed. Or you meant something else?

> on my system "man 7 man" says…

I agree, that manpage is a bit misleading. Probably it should say: …lines that start with `.\"` or `'\"`.

> BUT please is there anyone considering the fact that a manual-system should be less cryptic

I think it's too late to try to fix it without breaking the compatibility with legacy of the last decades.


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**[bugs:#477] Generated man page leads to groff warning "TE macro called with TW register undefined"**

**Status:** open
**Labels:** manpage writer 
**Created:** Sun Nov 12, 2023 06:15 PM UTC by Dmitry Shachnev
**Last Updated:** Mon Nov 13, 2023 04:43 AM UTC
**Owner:** engelbert gruber


In Debian, we have a `lintian` tool which runs various checks on the built packages. Among other things, it makes sure that man pages explicitly require all preprocessors that they need.

I have received a [bug](https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1053355) about an error reported by that tool. It looks like that if a document contains a table, `rst2man` generates macros `.TS` and `.TE` which are recognized by [tbl](https://manpages.debian.org/testing/groff-base/tbl.1.en.html) preprocessor, but does not generate a dependency on it.

Here is a minimal reproducing example:
```
$ cat table.rst
.. list-table::

   * - Foo
     - Bar
$ rst2man table.rst | MANROFFSEQ='' man -l -Z - >/dev/null
an.tmac:<standard input>:43: warning: tbl preprocessor failed, or it or soelim was not run; table(s) likely not rendered (TE macro called with TW register undefined)
```

According to [this email](https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2023/08/msg00220.html), to fix this error, `rst2man` should add this line on top of the generated man page:

    '\" t

Cc @branden — I think you are interested in all manpage-related issues.


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