[Groff] how to include references?

[Ulf Martin]

hi groff gurus!

i just started with groff and already stumbles over a problem:
how do i properly use the refer facility?

i have a file "biblio.ref" as the database
with  entries like
%A humpty dumpty
...

in my text file "text.ms" in the same directory i have
.
.R1
database biblio.ref
.R2

...

.[
[ ] humpty dumpty
.]

but then

groff -R -ms text.ms > text.ps

generates an error message
"missing .R2 line"
"unknown command .R2"
and than all the following commands aren't recognized any more.

what am i doing wrong, and how is this done properly?

i read the man pages of
groff and refer
and the text "groff and friends howto" by dan a. provins.

thank you all
--
ulf martin
address@hidden