Re: [Groff] *roff for desktop publishing - is it feasible?

[Peter Schaffter]

On Sun, Oct 23, 2016, Gerard Lally wrote:
> Is it possible to lay out a page, as in the attached sample file,
> using *roff? I'm about to commit myself to learning troff and friends
> more thoroughly. Before I start I'd like to have a broad idea of its
> limitations.

It's all doable with groff.  The images would have to be converted
to PostScript or PDF, depending on the macro package and output
device used (i.e. -Tps [PostScript device, grops] or -Tpdf [PDF
device, gropdf]).  Whatever fonts you're using could easily be
converted for groff (Type 1, TrueType, OpenType can all be
converted).

I would not, however, use groff for this kind of layout.  The effort
involved wouldn't be worth the candle.  A good page layout program
is more suitable because it would allow quick, visual positioning of
the images and blocks of type.  In groff, you'd have to specify
every horizontal and vertical page motion, which, unless you were
working from a fully marked-up mockup, would involve a lot of trial
and error, especially for text flowing around objects.

-- 
Peter Schaffter
http://www.schaffter.ca