Package: gpm
Version: 1.20.7-11+b2
Severity: minor
Tags: patch
* What led up to the situation?
Checking for defects with a new version
test-[g|n]roff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=10 -ww -z < "man
page"
[Use
grep -n -e ' $' -e '\\~$' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <file>
to find (most) trailing spaces.]
["test-groff" is a script in the repository for "groff"; is not shipped]
(local copy and "troff" slightly changed by me).
[The fate of "test-nroff" was decided in groff bug #55941.]
* What was the outcome of this action?
an.tmac:<stdin>:1: style: .TH missing fourth argument; consider package/project
name and version (e.g., "groff 1.23.0")
an.tmac:<stdin>:2: style: use of deprecated macro: .UC
troff:<stdin>:53: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:133: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:145: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:146: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:152: warning: trailing space in the line
* What outcome did you expect instead?
No output (no warnings).
-.-
General remarks and further material, if a diff-file exist, are in the
attachments.
-- System Information:
Debian Release: trixie/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 6.12.21-amd64 (SMP w/2 CPU threads; PREEMPT)
Locale: LANG=is_IS.iso88591, LC_CTYPE=is_IS.iso88591 (charmap=ISO-8859-1),
LANGUAGE not set
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash
Init: sysvinit (via /sbin/init)
Versions of packages gpm depends on:
ii debconf [debconf-2.0] 1.5.91
ii init-system-helpers 1.68
ii libc6 2.41-6
ii libgpm2 1.20.7-11+b2
ii ucf 3.0051
gpm recommends no packages.
gpm suggests no packages.
-- debconf information excluded
Input file is gpm-types.7
Output from "mandoc -T lint gpm-types.7": (shortened list)
1 skipping paragraph macro: PP empty
4 whitespace at end of input line
Find trailing space with:
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
-.-.
Output from
test-nroff -mandoc -t -ww -z gpm-types.7: (shortened list)
5 line(s) with a trailing space
Find trailing space with:
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
-.-.
Remove space characters (whitespace) at the end of lines.
Use "git apply ... --whitespace=fix" to fix extra space issues, or use
global configuration "core.whitespace".
Number of lines affected is
4
-.-.
Wrong distance (not two spaces) between sentences in the input file.
Separate the sentences and subordinate clauses; each begins on a new
line. See man-pages(7) ("Conventions for source file layout") and
"info groff" ("Input Conventions").
The best procedure is to always start a new sentence on a new line,
at least, if you are typing on a computer.
Remember coding: Only one command ("sentence") on each (logical) line.
E-mail: Easier to quote exactly the relevant lines.
Generally: Easier to edit the sentence.
Patches: Less unaffected text.
Search for two adjacent words is easier, when they belong to the same line,
and the same phrase.
The amount of space between sentences in the output can then be
controlled with the ".ss" request.
Mark a final abbreviation point as such by suffixing it with "\&".
Some sentences (etc.) do not begin on a new line.
Split (sometimes) lines after a punctuation mark; before a conjunction.
Lines with only one (or two) space(s) between sentences could be split,
so latter sentences begin on a new line.
Use
#!/usr/bin/sh
sed -e '/^\./n' \
-e 's/\([[:alpha:]]\)\. */\1.\n/g' $1
to split lines after a sentence period.
Check result with the difference between the formatted outputs.
See also the attachment "general.bugs"
[List of affected lines removed.]
-.-.
The name of a man page is typeset in bold and the section in roman
(see man-pages(7)).
275:\fB gpm(8) \fP The General Purpose Mouse server
-.-.
Put a parenthetical sentence, phrase on a separate line,
if not part of a code.
See man-pages(7), item "semantic newline".
gpm-types.7:4:gpm-types \- pointer types (mice, tablets, etc.) managed by gpm.
gpm-types.7:138:on some laptops (the NCR 3125 pen)
gpm-types.7:225:is found at compile time. The header (and the device as well)
-.-.
Only one space character is after a possible end of sentence
(after a punctuation, that can end a sentence).
[List of affected lines removed.]
-.-.
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=10 -ww -z
":
an.tmac:<stdin>:1: style: .TH missing fourth argument; consider package/project
name and version (e.g., "groff 1.23.0")
an.tmac:<stdin>:2: style: use of deprecated macro: .UC
troff:<stdin>:53: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:133: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:145: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:146: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:152: warning: trailing space in the line
-.-.
Additionally:
Change '\"' to '"' when the quote character is ment.
-.-
Spelling: (codespell):
corrently ==> correctly, currently
-.-
Generally:
Split (sometimes) lines after a punctuation mark; before a conjunction.
--- gpm-types.7 2025-04-15 00:46:42.418837437 +0000
+++ gpm-types.7.new 2025-04-15 01:02:44.952595534 +0000
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ that one of \-o dtr, \-o rts, \-o both c
toggle the control lines of the serial port.
.LP
-The following mouse type are corrently recognized:
+The following mouse type are currently recognized:
.TP
bare Microsoft
The Microsoft protocol, without any extension. It only reports
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ keeping the middle button pressed. Very
This mouse decoder accepts standard serial options, although they
should not be needed.
.TP
-ms
+ms
This is the original Microsoft protocol, with a middle-button
extension. Some old two-button devices send some spurious
packets which can be misunderstood as middle-button events. If
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ by Logitech.
.TP
ps2 PS/2
-The protocol used by most busmice.
+The protocol used by most busmice.
.TP
ncr
@@ -142,14 +142,14 @@ wacom
The protocol used by the Wacom tablet. Since version 1.18.1
we have a new Wacom decoder, as the old one was not working
with new tablets. This decoder was tested with Ultrapad,
-PenPartner, and Graphire tablets.
-Options:
+PenPartner, and Graphire tablets.
+Options:
\-o relative (default) for relative mode,
\-o absolute for absolute mode.
.TP
genitizer
-The \"Genitizer\" tablet, in relative mode.
+The "Genitizer" tablet, in relative mode.
This mouse decoder accepts standard serial options, although
they should not be needed.
@@ -269,10 +269,9 @@ Genius WizardPad tablet
src/mice.c The source file for pointer decoders
.fi
-.LP
.SH SEE ALSO
.nf
-\fB gpm(8) \fP The General Purpose Mouse server
+\fB gpm\fP(8) The General Purpose Mouse server
.fi
The info file about `gpm', which gives more complete information and
Any program (person), that produces man pages, should check the output
for defects by using (both groff and nroff)
[gn]roff -mandoc -t -ww -b -z -K utf8 <man page>
To find trailing space use
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
The same goes for man pages that are used as an input.
For a style guide use
mandoc -T lint
-.-
Any "autogenerator" should check its products with the above mentioned
'groff', 'mandoc', and additionally with 'nroff ...'.
It should also check its input files for too long (> 80) lines.
This is just a simple quality control measure.
The "autogenerator" may have to be corrected to get a better man page,
the source file may, and any additional file may.
Common defects:
Not removing trailing spaces (in in- and output).
The reason for these trailing spaces should be found and eliminated.
"git" has a "tool" to point out whitespace,
see for example "git-apply(1)" and git-config(1)")
Not beginning each input sentence on a new line.
Line length and patch size should thus be reduced.
The script "reportbug" uses 'quoted-printable' encoding when a line is
longer than 1024 characters in an 'ascii' file.
See man-pages(7), item "semantic newline".
-.-
The difference between the formatted output of the original and patched file
can be seen with:
nroff -mandoc <file1> > <out1>
nroff -mandoc <file2> > <out2>
diff -d -u <out1> <out2>
and for groff, using
\"printf '%s\n%s\n' '.kern 0' '.ss 12 0' | groff -mandoc -Z - \"
instead of 'nroff -mandoc'
Add the option '-t', if the file contains a table.
Read the output from 'diff -d -u ...' with 'less -R' or similar.
-.-.
If 'man' (man-db) is used to check the manual for warnings,
the following must be set:
The option "-warnings=w"
The environmental variable:
export MAN_KEEP_STDERR=yes (or any non-empty value)
or
(produce only warnings):
export MANROFFOPT="-ww -b -z"
export MAN_KEEP_STDERR=yes (or any non-empty value)
-.-
