Re: [Groff] surprise, surprise

[Andrew Koenig]

> Consider the following example:

>   .de test
>   Hallo!
>   ..
>   \fB.test\fP

> Surprisingly, this yields

>   Hallo!

> Even more surprising is the fact that it isn't bold...

> Is this documented?  How does UNIX troff behave?

Unix troff produces no output for this example.

The relevant behavior is documented in the very first paragraph of
the troff manual, which says:

   Input consists of `text lines', which are destined to be printed,
   interspersed with `control lines', which set parameters or
   otherwise control subsequent processing.  Control lines begin with
   a `control character'--normally .  (period) or ' (single quote)--
   followed by a one or two character name that specifies a basic
   `request' or the substitution of a user-defined `macro' in place of
   the control line.

-- 
Andrew Koenig, address@hidden, http://www.research.att.com/info/ark