NAME

nroff − text formatting language

SYNOPSIS

nroff  [ option(s) ]  [ file(s) ]  |  printer

DESCRIPTION

nroff formats text contained in file(s) (standard input by default) for printing on typewriter-like devices and line printers. 

An argument consisting of a minus (−) is taken to be a file name corresponding to the standard input.  The option(s), which may appear in any order, but must appear before the file(s), are,

−olist Print only pages whose page numbers appear in the list of numbers and ranges, separated by commas.  A range N−M means pages N through M; an initial −N means from the beginning to page N; and a final N− means from N to the end.  (See BUGS below.) 

−nN Number first generated page N.

−sN Stop every N pages.  nroff will halt after every N pages (default N=1) to allow paper loading or changing, and will resume upon receipt of a line-feed or new-line (new-lines do not work in pipelines, e.g., with mm(1)).  This option does not work if the output of nroff is piped through col(1).  When nroff halts between pages, an ASCII BEL is sent to the terminal. 

−raN Set register a (which must have a one-character name) to N.

−i Read standard input after file(s) are exhausted. 

−q Invoke the simultaneous input-output mode of the .rd request. 

−z Print only messages generated by .tm (terminal message) requests. 

−mname Prepend to the input file(s) the macro file /usr/lib/tmac/tmac.name.

−Ttty_type
Prepare output for specified terminal. Known tty_type(s) are

2631Hewlett-Packard 2631 printer in regular mode
2631-cHewlett-Packard 2631 printer in compressed mode
2631-eHewlett-Packard 2631 printer in expanded mode
300DASI-300 printer
300-12DASI-300 terminal set to 12-pitch
   (12 characters per inch)
300sDASI-300s printer (300S is a synonym)
300s-12DASI-300s printer set to 12-pitch
   (12 characters per inch)
   (300S-12 is a synonym)
37Teletype Model 37 terminal (default)
382DTC-382
4000aTrendata 4000a terminal (4000A is a synonym)
450DASI-450 (Diablo Hyterm) printer
450-12DASI-450 terminal set to 12-pitch
   (12 characters per inch)
832Anderson Jacobson 832 terminal
8510C.ITOH printer
lpgeneric name for printers that can
   underline and tab (All text using reverse
   line feeds, such as those having tables,
   that is sent to lp must be processed
   with col.)
tn300GE Terminet 300 terminal
Xprinters equipped with TX print train

−e Produce equally-spaced words in adjusted lines, using the full resolution of the particular terminal. 

−h Use output tabs during horizontal spacing to speed output and reduce output character count.  Tab settings are assumed to be every 8 nominal character widths. 

−un Set the emboldening factor (number of character overstrikes) for the third font position (bold) to n, or to zero if n is missing. 

FILES

/usr/lib/tmac/tmac.∗pointers to standard macro files

/usr/lib/macros/∗standard macro files

/usr/lib/nterm/∗terminal driving tables for nroff

/usr/pub/terminalslist of supported terminals

SEE ALSO

col(1), neqn(1), mm(1), mm(5), tbl(1). 
DOCUMENTER’S WORKBENCH Software User’s Guide, DOCUMENTER’S WORKBENCH Software Technical Discussion and Reference Manual. 

BUGS

nroff believes in Eastern Standard Time; as a result, depending on the time of the year and on your local time zone, the date that nroff generates may be off by one day from your idea of what the date is. 

When nroff is used with the −olist option inside a pipeline (e.g., with one or more of eqn(1), and tbl(1)), it may cause a harmless “broken pipe” diagnostic if the last page of the document is not specified in list.

CX/UX DWB 2.0 Notes