Re: <OK> Re: [Groff] The case against the case against .EX/.EE & .DS/.DE

[Clarke Echols]

I wrote a template for how to write man pages back about 1989 or 1990
for use inside of HP.  I think the file name was how_to_write_manpages.1
and the title line was
.TH how_to_write_manpages(1)
or something very similar.

It was a template that had the coding and explained what to do
where and how.

Worked like a charm.  Engineers could compose a page, send it to me
for editing and clean-up and it went into the reference and online
manuals.  Saved them a lot of time and me too as the editor/producer
of the finished product.  I don't have a copy of the original file
in my archive of ancient artifacts, or I'd attach it.

Clarke

M Bianchi wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 10:38:39AM -0500, Larry Kollar wrote:
> >         :
> > When you're writing a 
> > document (like a manpage) that can be displayed in a large number of ways 
> > -- text on a console, PDF/print (allowing the user to choose the point size 
> > with the -S option, remember), or HTML... or DocBook via doclifter, for that 
> > matter -- you have to think *guidance* rather than *control* and trust your 
> > tools.
> >         :
>
> The best way I know to _encourage_ compliance is a template file that
> illustrates and explains the common markup/macros in situ.
>
> Copy it to  glurp.1 , open  glurp.1  in whatever editor you like, comment out
> the items you don't think you need (because  .\" , \#  and  .ig  are
> explained inside), change the ones you do and  voila!  the man page she is
> done!
>   
> Maybe a  man_page_template(5)  ?