NAME

troff − typeset or format documents

SYNOPSIS

troff [ −abfiqtwz ] [ −mpackage ] [ −nN ] [ −opagelist ] [ −pN ] [ −raN ]

[ −sN ] [ filenames ] ...

AVAILABILITY

This command is available with the Text software installation option.  Refer to OS/MP Release Notes for information on how to install optional software. 

DESCRIPTION

troff formats text in the filenames. For historical reasons, output goes to a CAT/4 phototypesetter attached to /dev/cat, but nobody uses a CAT/4 anymore.  Ordinarily, postprocessing software converts output to a form that can be printed on newer typesetters or laser printers.  Default font width tables correspond to Times Roman on PostScript™ printers.  See also the nroff(1) manual page, which describes a formatter for typewriter-like devices. 

Input to troff is expected to consist of text interspersed with formatting requests and macros.  If no filename argument is present, troff reads standard input.  A ‘−’ as a filename argument indicates that standard input is to be read at that point in the list of input files; troff reads the files named ahead of the ‘−’ in the arguments list, then text from the standard input, and then text from the files named after the ‘−’. 

If the file /etc/adm/tracct is writable, troff keeps printer accounting records there.  The integrity of that file may be secured by making troff a “set-user-ID” program (see chmod(1V) for details on the setuid permission bit.) 

OPTIONS

Options may appear in any order, but they all must appear before the first filename.

−a Send a printable ASCII approximation of the results to the standard output. 

−i Read the standard input after the input files are exhausted. 

−q Disable echoing during a .rd request. 

−t Direct output to the standard output instead of the printer.  Since this output is non- ASCII it is generally redirected to lpr −t. 

−mpackage
Prepend the macro file /usr/lib/tmac/tmac.package to the input filenames. (Note that most references to macro packages include the leading “m” as part of the name; the man(7) macro package resides in /usr/lib/tmac/tmac.an). 

−nN Number first generated page N.

−olist Print only pages whose page numbers appear in the comma-separated list of numbers and ranges.  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. 

−raN Set register a (one-character) to N.

Some options of troff only apply if you have a CAT/4 typesetter attached to your system.  These options remain present for backward compatibility.  However, this version of troff does not support this typesetter by default. 

−b Report whether the typesetter is busy or available.  No text processing is done. 

−f Refrain from feeding paper out and stopping at the end of the print job on the typesetter. 

−w Wait until typesetter is available, if currently busy. 

−z Suppress all formatted output.  Display only terminal messages produced by .tm requests and diagnostics. 

−pN Print all characters in point size N while retaining all prescribed spacings and motions, to reduce elapsed time on the typesetter. 

−sN Stop the phototypesetter every N pages.  troff produces a trailer so you can change cassettes; resume by pressing the typesetter’s start button. 

FILES

/tmp/ta∗ temporary file

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

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

/usr/lib/font/∗ font width tables for alternate mounted troff fonts

/dev/cat phototypesetter

/etc/adm/tracct accounting statistics for /dev/cat

SEE ALSO

checknr(1), chmod(1V), col(1V), eqn(1), lpr(1), nroff(1), tbl(1), printcap(5), man(7), me(7), ms(7), lpd(8)

Formatting Documents
Using nroff and troff

DIAGNOSTICS

No /dev/cat: try −t or −a
The CAT/4 typesetter is not accessible from your machine. Combine the −t option of troff with the −t option of lpr(1) to get output on a laser printer or typesetter.  For information on how to inform lpd(8) of a PostScript printer attached to a remote host, see printcap(5). 

NOTES

troff is not 8-bit clean because it is by design based on 7-bit ASCII. 

Solbourne Computer, Inc.  —  21 December 1987