This document gives only short descriptions of the predefined roff language elements as used in groff. Both the classical features and the groff extensions are provided.

Historically, the roff language was called troff . groff is compatible with the classical system and provides proper extensions. So in GNU, the terms roff , troff , and groff language could be used as synonyms. However troff slightly tends to refer more to the classical aspects, whereas groff emphasizes the GNU extensions, and roff is the general term for the language.

This file is only a short version of the complete documentation that is found in the groff info (1) file, which contains more detailed, actual, and concise information.

The general syntax for writing groff documents is relatively easy, but writing extensions to the roff language can be a bit harder.

The roff language is line-oriented. There are only two kinds of lines, control lines and text lines. The control lines start with a control character, by default a period .''char . or a single quote .''char ' ; all other lines are text lines.

Control lines represent commands, optionally with arguments. They have the following syntax. The leading control character can be followed by a command name; arguments, if any, are separated by blanks from the command name and among themselves, for example,

For indentation, any number of space or tab characters can be inserted between the leading control character and the command name, but the control character must be on the first position of the line.

Text lines represent the parts that will be printed. They can be modified by escape sequences, which are recognized by a leading backslash .'char \(rs . These are in-line or even in-word formatting elements or functions. Some of these take arguments separated by single quotes .''char ' , others are regulated by a length encoding introduced by an open parenthesis .'char ( or enclosed in brackets .'char [ and .'char ] .

The roff language provides flexible instruments for writing language extension, such as macros. When interpreting macro definitions, the roff system enters a special operating mode, called the "copy mode" .

The copy mode behavior can be quite tricky, but there are some rules that ensure a safe usage.

This does not produce the most efficient code, but it should work as a first measure. For better strategies, see the groff info file and groff_tmac (@MAN5EXT@).

Reading roff source files is easier, just reduce all double backslashes to a single one in all macro definitions. . --------------------------------------------------------------------

There are two kinds of roff commands, possibly with arguments. Requests are written on a line of their own starting with a dot .'char . or a .''char ' , whereas Escape sequences are in-line functions and in-word formatting elements starting with a backslash .'char \(rs .

The user can define her own formatting commands using the .request .de request. These commands are called macros , but they are used exactly like requests. Macro packages are pre-defined sets of macros written in the groff language. A user's possibilities to create escape sequences herself is very limited, only special characters can be mapped.

The groff language provides several kinds of variables with different interfaces. There are pre-defined variables, but the user can define her own variables as well.

String variables store character sequences. They are set with the .request .ds request and retrieved by the .esc * escape sequences.

Register variables can store numerical values, numbers with a scale unit, and occasionally string-like objects. They are set with the .request .nr request and retrieved by the .esc n escape sequences.

Environments allow the user to temporarily store global formatting parameters like line length, font size, etc. for later reuse. This is done by the .request .ev request.

Fonts are identified either by a name or by an internal number. The current font is chosen by the .request .ft request or by the .esc f escape sequences. Each device has special fonts, but the following fonts are available for all devices. R is the standard font Roman. B is its bold counterpart. The italic font is called I is everywhere available, but on text devices, it is displayed as an underlined Roman font. For the graphical output devices, there exist constant-width pendants of these font, CR , CI , and CB . On text devices, all characters have a constant width anyway.

Moreover, there are some advanced roff elements. A diversion stores information into a macro for later usage. A trap is a positional condition like a certain number of lines from page top or in a diversion or in the input. Some action can be prescribed to be run automatically when the condition is met.

More detailed information can be found in the groff info file. . --------------------------------------------------------------------

.character . A dot is only special at the beginning of a line or after the condition in the requests .request .if , .request .ie , .request .el , and .request .while . There it is the control character that introduces a request (or macro). The special behavior can be delayed by using the .esc . escape. By using the .request .cc request, the control character can be set to a different character, making the dot .'char . a non-special character.

.character ' The single quote has two controlling tasks. At the beginning of a line and in the conditional requests it is the non-breaking control character. That means that it introduces a request like the dot, but with the additional property that this request doesn't cause a linebreak. By using the .request .c2 request, the non-break control character can be set to a different character.

.character \(dq The double quote is used to enclose arguments in requests and macros. The escaped double quote .esc \(dq introduces a comment. Otherwise, it is not special. Groff provides a printable representation with the .esc (dq escape sequence.

.character \(rs The backslash usually introduces an escape sequence (this can be changed with the .request ec request). A printed version of the escape character is the .esc e escape; a backslash glyph can be obtained by .esc (rs .

.character ( The open parenthesis is only special in escape sequences when introducing an escape name or argument consisting of exactly two characters. In groff, this behavior can be replaced by the \f(CB[] construct.

.character [ The opening bracket is only special in groff escape sequences; there it is used to introduce a long escape name or long escape argument. Otherwise, it is non-special, e.g. in macro calls.

.character ] The closing bracket is only special in groff escape sequences; there it terminates a long escape name or long escape argument. Otherwise, it is non-special.

\f(CIspace Space characters are only functional characters. They separate the arguments in requests or macros, and the words in text lines. They are subject to groff's horizontal spacing calculations. To get a defined space width, escape sequences like .'char "\(rs " (this is the escape character followed by a space), .esc | , .esc ^ , or .esc h should be used.

The roff language defines the following scale indicators.

Numerical expressions are combinations of the numerical values defined above with the arithmetical operators .operator + , .operator - , .operator * , .operator / , .operator % ( modulo ), the comparative operators .operator == (this is the same as .operator = ), .operator <= , .operator >= , .operator < , .operator > , the logical operators .operator & ( and ), .operator : ( or ), .operator ! ( not ), and the parentheses .operator ( and .operator ) .

Moreover, groff added the following operators for numerical expressions:

For details see the groff info file. . --------------------------------------------------------------------

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Most requests take one or more arguments. The arguments are separated by space characters (no tabs!); there is no inherent limit for their length or number. An argument can be enclosed by a pair of double quotes: This is very handy if an argument contains space characters, e.g., .argument "\(dqarg with space\(dq" denotes a single argument.

Some requests have optional arguments with a different behaviour. Not all of these details are outlined here. Refer to the groff info file for all details.

In the following request specifications, most argument names were chosen to be descriptive. Only the following denotations need clarification.

If an expression defined as .argument \(+-N starts with a .operator + sign the resulting value of the expression will be added to an already existing value inherent to the related request, e.g. adding to a number register. If the expression starts with a .operator - the value of the expression will be subtracted from the request value.

Without a sign, .argument N replaces the existing value directly. To assign a negative number either prepend \c .number 0 or enclose the negative number in parentheses. . --------------------------------------------------------------------

0 .

Besides these standard groff requests, there might be further macro calls. They can originate from a macro package (see roff (@MAN7EXT@) for an overview) or from a preprocessor.

Preprocessor macros are easy to be recognized. They enclose their code into a pair of characteristic macros.

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This is done by enclosing names (escape name and arguments consisting of a variable name) by a pair of brackets .esc[] name and constant arguments (number expressions and characters) by apostrophes (ASCII 0x27) like \(cqconstant\(cq .

There are abbreviations for short names. Two character escape names can be specified by an opening parenthesis like .esc( xy without a closing counterpart. And all one-character names different from the special characters .'char [ and .'char ( can even be specified without a marker in the form .esc \f(CIc .

Constant arguments of length .number 1 can omit the marker apostrophes, too, but there is no two-character analogue.

While 1-character escape sequences are mainly used for in-line functions and system related tasks, the 2-letter names following the .esc( "" construct are used for special characters predefined by the roff system. Names with more than two characters .esc[] name mostly denote user defined named characters (see the .request .char request). . --------------------------------------------------------------------

0 . --------- comments ---------
. .ESC \(dq Beginning of a comment. Everything up to the end of the line is ignored. . .ESC # Everything up to and including the next newline is ignored. This is interpreted in copy mode. This is like .esc \(dq except the ignoring of the terminating newline. . --------- strings ---------
. .ESC * s The string stored in the string variable with 1-character name .argument s . . .ESC *( st The string stored in the string variable with 2-character name .argument st . . .ESC[] * stringvar The string stored in the string variable with arbitrary length name .argument stringvar . . --------- macro arguments ---------
. .ESC $0 The name by which the current macro was invoked. The .request .als request can make a macro have more than one name. . .ESC $ x Macro argument with 1-place number .argument x , where .argument x is a digit between 1 and 9. . .ESC $( xy Macro argument with 2-digit number .argument xy . . .ESC[] $ nexp Macro argument with number .argument nexp , where .argument nexp is a numerical expression evaluating to an integer \(>=1. . .ESC $* In a macro, the concatenation of all the arguments separated by spaces. . .ESC $@ In a macro, the concatenation of all the arguments with each surrounded by double quotes, and separated by spaces. . --------- escaped characters ---------
. .ESC \(rs reduces to a single backslash; useful to delay its interpretation as escape character in copy mode. For a printable backslash, use .esc e . . .ESC \(cq The acute accent \(aa; same as .esc( aa . Unescaped: apostrophe, right quotation mark, single quote (ASCII 0x27). . .ESC ` The grave accent \(ga; same as .esc( ga . Unescaped: left quote, backquote (ASCII 0x60). . .ESC - The - sign in the current font. . .ESC . An uninterpreted dot (period), even at start of line. . .ESC % Default optional hyphenation character. . .ESC ! Transparent line indicator. . .ESC ? anything? In a diversion, this will transparently embed .argument anything in the diversion. .argument anything is read in copy mode. See also the escape sequences .esc ! and .esc ? . . . --------- spacing ---------
. .ESC space Unpaddable space-size space character (no line break). . .ESC 0 Digit width. . .ESC | 1/6 em narrow space character; zero width in nroff. . .ESC ^ 1/12 em half-narrow space character; zero width in nroff. . .ESC & Non-printable, zero width character. . .ESC ) Like .esc & except that it behaves like a character declared with the cflags request to be transparent for the purposes of end of sentence recognition. . .ESC / Increases the width of the preceding character so that the spacing between that character and the following character will be correct if the following character is a roman character. . .ESC , Modifies the spacing of the following character so that the spacing between that character and the preceding character will correct if the preceding character is a roman character. . .ESC ~ Unbreakable space that stretches like a normal inter-word space when a line is adjusted. . .ESC newline Ignored newline, for continuation lines. . --------- structuring ---------
. .ESC { Begin conditional input. . .ESC } End conditional input. . --------- longer escape names ---------
. .ESC ( st The special character with 2-character name .argument st , see section "SPECIAL CHARACTERS" . . .ESC[] name The named character with arbitrary length name .argument name . . --------- alphabetical escapes ---------
. .ESC a Non-interpreted leader character. . .ESCq A anything If .argument anything acceptable as name of a string, macro, diversion, register, environment or font it is .number 1 otherwise .number 0 . . .ESCq b abc... Bracket building function. . .ESC c Interrupt text processing. . .ESCq C char The character called .argument char ; same as .esc[] char , but compatible to other roff versions. . .ESC d Forward (down) 1/2 em vertical unit (1/2 line in nroff). . .ESCq D charseq Draw a graphical element defined by the characters in .argument charseq ; see groff info file for details. . .ESC e Printable version of the current escape character. . .ESC E Equivalent to an escape character, but is not interpreted in copy-mode. . .ESC f F Change to font with 1-character name or 1-digit number .argument F . . .ESC f( fo Change to font with 2-characer name or 2-digit number .argument fo . . .ESC[] f font Change to font with arbitrary length name or number expression .argument font . . .ESC[] g reg Return format of register with name .argument reg suitable for .request .af . Alternative forms .esc(arg g xy and .escarg g x . . .ESCq h N Local horizontal motion; move right .argument N (left if negative). . .ESCq H N Set height of current font to .argument N . . .ESC[] k reg Mark horizontal input place in register with arbitrary length name .argument reg . Alternative forms .esc(arg k xy and .escarg k x . . .ESCq l Nc Horizontal line drawing function (optionally using character .argument c ). . .ESCq L Nc Vertical line drawing function (optionally using character .argument c ). . .ESC n r The numerical value stored in the register variable with the 1-character name .argument r . . .ESC n( re The numerical value stored in the register variable with the 2-character name .argument re . . .ESC[] n reg The numerical value stored in the register variable with arbitrary lenght name .argument reg . . .ESCq N n Typeset the character with code .argument n in the current font, no special fonts are searched. Useful for adding characters to a font using the .request .char request. . .ESCq o abc... Overstrike characters .argument a , .argument b , .argument c , etc. . .ESC p Break and spread output line. . .ESC r Reverse 1 em vertical motion (reverse line in nroff). . .ESCq R name \(+-n The same as .request .nr .argument name .argument \(+-n . . .ESC[] s \(+-N Set the point size to N scaled points. Note the alternative forms \(rss \(+- [ N ]\c , \(rss' \(+-N '\c , \(rss \(+- ' N '\c , .esc(arg s \(+-xy , \(rss \(+- ( xy\c , .escarg s \(+-x . Same as .request .ps request. . .ESCq S N Slant output .argument N degrees. . .ESC t Non-interpreted horizontal tab. . .ESC u Reverse (up) 1/2 em vertical motion (1/2 line in nroff). . .ESCq v N Local vertical motion; move down .argument N (up if negative). . .ESC[] V env The contents of the environment variable .argument env . Alternative forms .esc(arg V xy and .escarg V x . . .ESCq w string The width of the character sequence .argument string . . .ESCq x N Extra line-space function (negative before, positive after). . .ESCq X string Output .argument string as device control function. . .ESC[] Y name Output string variable or macro .argument name uninterpreted as device control function. Alternative forms .esc(arg Y xy and .escarg Y x . . .ESC z c Print .argument c with zero width (without spacing). . .ESCq Z anything Print .argument anything and then restore the horizontal and vertical position; .argument anything may not contain tabs or leaders.

The escape sequences .esc e , .esc . , .esc \(dq , .esc $ , .esc * , .esc a , .esc n , .esc t , .esc g , and .escarg newline are interpreted in copy mode.

Escape sequences starting with .esc ( or .esc [ do not represent single character escape sequences, but introduce escape names with two or more characters.

If a backslash is followed by a character that does not constitute a defined escape sequence the backslash is silently ignored and the character maps to itself. . --------------------------------------------------------------------

Each register is given a name. Arbitrary registers can be defined and set with the request .request .nr .argument register .

The value stored in a register can be retrieved by the escape sequences introduced by .esc n .

Most useful are predefined registers. In the following the notation .argument name is used to refer to a register called .register name to make clear that we speak about registers. Please keep in mind that the .esc en[] decoration is not part of the register name. . --------------------------------------------------------------------

0

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0

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The name associated with a warning is used by the .option -w and .option -W options; the number code is used by the .request .warn request and by the .esc[arg] n warn register.

0 .Warning all group All warnings except .warning di , .warning mac and .warning reg . Intended to cover all warnings with traditional macro packages. .Warning break 4 In fill mode, lines which could not be broken so that their length was less than the line length. This is enabled by default. .Warning char 1 Non-existent characters. This is enabled by default. .Warning delim 8 Missing or mismatched closing delimiters. .Warning di 256 Use of .request .di or .request .da without an argument when there is no current diversion. .Warning el 16 Use of the .request .el request with no matching .request .ie request. .Warning escape 32768 Unrecognized escape sequence. Then the escape character is ignored. .Warning font 131072 Non-existent fonts. This is enabled by default. .Warning ig 262144 Illegal escapes in text ignored with the .request \.ig request. These are conditions that are errors when they occur outside of ignored text. .Warning mac 512 Use of undefined strings, macros, and diversions. Automatically handled as empty. Usually, only one warning per name. .Warning missing 8192 Request that is missing non-optional arguments. .Warning input 16384 Illegal input character. .Warning number 2 Invalid numeric expressions. This is enabled by default. .Warning range 64 Out of range arguments. .Warning reg 1024 Use of undefined number register. Automatically defined as having value 0. Usually, only one warning per name. .Warning right-brace 4096 Use of .esc } where a number was expected. .Warning scale 32 Meaningless scaling indicators. .Warning space 65536 Missing space between a request or macro and its argument. Then no macro is automatically defined. This is enabled by default. This warning will never occur in compatibility mode. .Warning syntax 128 Dubious syntax in numeric expressions. .Warning tab 2048 Inappropriate use of a tab character (either in an unquoted macro argument or where a number was expected). .Warning w group All warnings.

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Compatibility mode can be turned on with the .option -C command line option, and turned on or off with the .request .cp request. The number register .esc(arg n .C is .number 1 if compatibility mode is on, .number 0 otherwise.

This became necessary because the GNU concept for long names causes some incompatibilities. Classical troff will interpret

as defining a string ab with contents cd . Normally, groff will interpret this as a call of a macro named .request dsabcd .

Also classical troff will interpret .esc *[ or .esc n[ as references to a string or number register called .register [ . In GNU native mode , however, this will normally be interpreted as the start of a long name.

In compatibility mode , groff will interpret these things in the traditional way, but long names are not recognized.

On the other hand, groff in GNU native mode does not allow to use the escape sequences .esc e , .esc | , .esc ^ , .esc & , .esc } , .esc { , .esc " " (space), .esc ' , .esc ` , .esc - , .esc _ , .esc ! , .esc % , and .esc c in names of strings, macros, diversions, number registers, fonts or environments, whereas classical troff does. The .esc A escape sequence can be helpful in avoiding these escape sequences in names.

Fractional pointsizes cause one noteworthy incompatibility. In classical troff , the .request .ps request ignores scale indicators and so

will set the pointsize to 10 points, whereas in groff native mode the pointsize will be set to 10 scaled points.

In groff mode, there is a fundamental difference between unformatted input characters, and formatted output characters. Everything that affects how an output character will be output is stored with the character; once an output character has been constructed it is unaffected by any subsequent requests that are executed, including the .request .bd , .request .cs , .request .tkf , .request .tr , or .request .fp requests.

Normally output characters are constructed from input characters at the moment immediately before the character is added to the current output line. Macros, diversions and strings are all, in fact, the same type of object; they contain lists of input characters and output characters in any combination.

An output character does not behave like an input character for the purposes of macro processing; it does not inherit any of the special properties that the input character from which it was constructed might have had. The following example will make things clearer.

.di x
\(rs\(rs\(rs\(rs
.br
.di
.x

In GNU mode this will be printed as .esc \(rs . So each pair of input backslashes .'char \(rs\(rs is turned into a single output backslash .'char \(rs and the resulting output backslashes are not interpreted as escape characters when they are reread.

Classical troff would interpret them as escape characters when they were reread and would end up printing a single backslash .'char \(rs .

The correct way to get a printable .'char \(rs is to use the .esc e escape sequence. This will always print a single instance of the current escape character, regardless of whether or not it is used in a diversion. It will also work in both GNU mode and compatibility mode.

To store an escape sequence in a diversion that will be interpreted when the diversion is reread, either the traditional .esc ! transparent output facility or the new .esc ? escape sequence can be used. . --------------------------------------------------------------------

The WARNINGS section belongs to troff (@MAN1EXT@). . --------------------------------------------------------------------

It is distributed under the terms of the FDL (GNU Free Documentation License) version 1.1 or later. You should have received a copy of the FDL on your system, it is also available on-line under

Formerly, the extensions of the groff language were kept in the manual page troff (@MAN1EXT@). This document contains the essential parts of that documentation, but the gory details are found in the groff info file. . --------------------------------------------------------------------

For a survey of roff and the groff system and further documentation pointers see roff (@MAN7EXT@).

The formatter programs are described in groff (@MAN1EXT@) and troff (@MAN1EXT@); a complete of all predefined glyph names can be found in groff_char (@MAN7EXT@).

The classical troff documentation is available on-line at