Re: [Groff] confused by soelim

[Robert D. Goulding]

On Wed, 15 Jan 2003, Tadziu Hoffmann wrote:

> > According to info groff, .mso is:
> >
> > Identical to the `so' request except that `gtroff' searches
> > for the specified FILE in the same directories as macro files
> > for the the `-m' command line option
> >
> > .so is marked with a footnote `see gsoelim' - the implication
> > is that soelim is needed to read in files specified by both
> > requests.
> >
> > Also, man groff_tmac (5) make this explicit:
> >
> >   Note that in order to resolve the .so and .mso requests, the
> >   roff preprocessor soelim(1)  must be called *if the files to
> >   be included need preprocessing*.  This can be done either
> >   directly by a pipeline on the command line or by using the
> >   troff/groff option -s.  man calls soelim automatically.
> >
> > But, as far as I can see, at least .mso requests do *not*
> > require soelim; and, in fact, soelim is *unable* to resolve
> > them.  Am I missing something?
>
> Hmmm, seems you misunderstood what was intended to be said in
> that passage :-).
>
> Here's the normal processing sequence:
>
>     input        sourced
>     file          file
>       |             |
>       v             v
>   preprocessor -> troff -> postprocessor
>                                 |
>                                 v
>                               output
>                                file
>
> That is, files sourced with ".so" are normally read *only* by
> troff (the actual formatter).  soelim is *not* required for
> troff to source files.
>
> If a file to be sourced should also be preprocessed, it must
> already be read *before* the input file passes through the
> preprocessor.  This is handled by soelim:
>
>    input
>    file
>      |
>      v
>    soelim -> preprocessor -> troff -> postprocessor
>      ^                                     |
>      |                                     v
>   sourced                                output
>    file                                   file
>
>

Dear Tadziu - thank you very much for the excellent and clear explanation.
Could this be incorporated into, say, man soelim or the info file, with
diagrams and all?

R.