MDOC(7)                    OpenBSD Reference Manual                    MDOC(7)

NAME
     mdoc - quick reference guide for the -mdoc macro package

SYNOPSIS
     groff -mdoc files ...

DESCRIPTION
     The -mdoc package is a set of content-based and domain-based macros used
     to format the BSD man pages.  The macro names and their meanings are
     listed below for quick reference; for a detailed explanation on using the
     package, see the tutorial sampler mdoc.samples(7).

     The macros are described in two groups.  The first includes the struc-
     tural and physical page layout macros.  The second contains the manual
     and general text domain macros which differentiate the -mdoc package from
     other troff formatting packages.

PAGE STRUCTURE DOMAIN
   Title Macros
     To create a valid manual page, these three macros, in this order, are re-
     quired:
     .Dd   Month day, year                       Document date.
     .Dt   DOCUMENT_TITLE [section] [volume]     Title, in upper case.
     .Os   OPERATING_SYSTEM [version/release]    Operating system (BSD).

   Page Layout Macros
     Section headers, paragraph breaks, lists and displays.
     .Sh   Section Headers.  Valid headers, in the order of presentation:
           NAME           Name section, should include the `.Nm' or `.Fn' and
                          the `.Nd' macros.
           SYNOPSIS       Usage.
           DESCRIPTION    General description, should include options and pa-
                          rameters.
           RETURN VALUES  Sections two and three function calls.
           ENVIRONMENT    Describe environment variables.
           FILES          Files associated with the subject.
           EXAMPLES       Examples and suggestions.
           DIAGNOSTICS    Normally used for section four device interface di-
                          agnostics.
           ERRORS         Sections two and three error and signal handling.
           SEE ALSO       Cross references and citations.
           STANDARDS      Conformance to standards if applicable.
           HISTORY        If a standard is not applicable, the history of the
                          subject should be given.
           BUGS           Gotchas and caveats.
           other          Customized headers may be added at the author's dis-
                          cretion.
     .Ss   Subsection Headers.
     .Pp   Paragraph Break.  Vertical space (one line).
     .D1   (D-one) Display-one Indent and display one text line.
     .Dl   (D-ell) Display-one literal.  Indent and display one line of liter-
           al text.
     .Bd   Begin-display block.  Display options:
           -ragged          Unjustified (ragged edges).
           -filled          Justified.
           -literal         Literal text or code.
           -file name       Read in named file and display.
           -offset string   Offset display.  Acceptable string values:
                            left        Align block on left (default).
                            center      Approximate center margin.
                            indent      Six constant width spaces (a tab).


                            indent-two  Two tabs.
                            right       Left aligns block 2 inches from right.
                            xxn         Where xx is a number from 4n to 99n.
                            Aa          Where Aa is a callable macro name.
                            string      The width of string is used.
     .Ed   End-display (matches .Bd).
     .Bl   Begin-list.  Create lists or columns. Options:
           List-types
                 -bullet     Bullet Item List
                 -dash       Dash Item List
                 -hyphen     (as per -dash)
                 -item       Unlabeled List
                 -enum       Enumerated List
                 -tag        Tag Labeled List
                 -diag       Diagnostic List
                 -hang       Hanging Labeled List
                 -ohang      Overhanging Labeled List
                 -inset      Inset or Run-on Labeled List
                 -column     Multiple Columns
           List-parameters
                 -offset    (All lists.) See `.Bd' begin-display above.
                 -width     (-tag and -hang lists only.)  See `.Bd'.
                 -compact   (All lists.)  Suppresses blank lines.
     .El   End-list.
     .It   List item.

MANUAL AND GENERAL TEXT DOMAIN MACROS
     The manual and general text domain macros are special in that most of
     them are parsed for callable macros for example:

           .Op Fl s Ar file   Produces [-s file]

     In this example, the option enclosure macro `.Op' is parsed, and calls
     the callable content macro `Fl' which operates on the argument `s' and
     then calls the callable content macro `Ar' which operates on the argument
     `file'. Some macros may be callable but are not parsed, or vice versa.
     These macros are indicated in the parsed and callable columns below.

     Unless stated, manual domain macros share a common syntax:

           .Va argument [ . , ; : ( ) [ ] argument ... ]

     Note: Opening and closing punctuation characters are only recognized as
     such if they are presented one at a time.  The string `),' is not recog-
     nized as punctuation and will be output with a leading white space and in
     whatever font the calling macro uses.  The argument list `] ) ,' is rec-
     ognized as three sequential closing punctuation characters and a leading
     white space is not output between the characters and the previous argu-
     ment (if any).  The special meaning of a punctuation character may be es-
     caped with the string `\&'. For example the following string,

           .Ar file1 , file2 , file3 ) .   Produces file1, file2, file3).

   Manual Domain Macros
     Name    Parsed    Callable     Description
     Ad      Yes       Yes          Address. (This macro may be deprecated.)
     Ar      Yes       Yes          Command line argument.
     Cd      No        No           Configuration declaration (section four
                                    only).
     Cm      Yes       Yes          Command line argument modifier.
     Dv      Yes       Yes          Defined variable (source code).
     Er      Yes       Yes          Error number (source code).
     Ev      Yes       Yes          Environment variable.
     Fa      Yes       Yes          Function argument.


     Fd      Yes       Yes          Function declaration.
     Ft      Yes       Yes          Function type.
     Fn      Yes       Yes          Function call (also .Fo and .Fc).
     Ic      Yes       Yes          Interactive command.
     Li      Yes       Yes          Literal text.
     Nm      Yes       Yes          Command name.
     Op      Yes       Yes          Option (also .Oo and .Oc).
     Ot      Yes       Yes          Old style function type (Fortran only).
     Pa      Yes       Yes          Pathname or file name.
     St      Yes       Yes          Standards (-p1003.2, -p1003.1 or -ansiC)
     Va      Yes       Yes          Variable name.
     Vt      Yes       Yes          Variable type (Fortran only).
     Xr      Yes       Yes          Manual Page Cross Reference.

   General Text Domain Macros
     Name    Parsed    Callable     Description
     %A      Yes       No           Reference author.
     %B      Yes       Yes          Reference book title.
     %C      No        No           Reference place of publishing (city).
     %D      No        No           Reference date.
     %J      Yes       Yes          Reference journal title.
     %N      No        No           Reference issue number.
     %O      No        No           Reference optional information.
     %P      No        No           Reference page number(s).
     %R      No        No           Reference report Name.
     %T      Yes       Yes          Reference article title.
     %V      No        No           Reference volume.
     Ac      Yes       Yes          Angle close quote.
     Ao      Yes       Yes          Angle open quote.
     Aq      Yes       Yes          Angle quote.
     At      No        No           AT&T UNIX.
     Bc      Yes       Yes          Bracket close quote.
     Bf      No        No           Begin font mode.
     Bo      Yes       Yes          Bracket open quote.
     Bq      Yes       Yes          Bracket quote.
     Bsx     Yes       Yes          BSDI BSD/OS.
     Bx      Yes       Yes          BSD.
     Db      No        No           Debug (default is "off")
     Dc      Yes       Yes          Double close quote.
     Do      Yes       Yes          Double open quote.
     Dq      Yes       Yes          Double quote.
     Ec      Yes       Yes          Enclose string close quote.
     Ef      No        No           End font mode.
     Em      Yes       Yes          Emphasis (traditional English).
     Eo      Yes       Yes          Enclose string open quote.
     Fx      Yes       Yes          FreeBSD.
     No      Yes       Yes          Normal text (no-op).
     Ns      Yes       Yes          No space.
     Nx      Yes       Yes          NetBSD.
     Ox      Yes       Yes          OpenBSD.
     Pc      Yes       Yes          Parenthesis close quote.
     Pf      Yes       No           Prefix string.
     Po      Yes       Yes          Parenthesis open quote.
     Pq      Yes       Yes          Parentheses quote.
     Qc      Yes       Yes          Straight double close quote.
     Ql      Yes       Yes          Quoted literal.
     Qo      Yes       Yes          Straight double open quote.
     Qq      Yes       Yes          Straight double quote.
     Re      No        No           Reference end.
     Rs      No        No           Reference start.
     Sc      Yes       Yes          Single close quote.
     So      Yes       Yes          Single open quote.
     Sq      Yes       Yes          Single quote.
     Sm      No        No           Space mode (default is "on").


     Sx      Yes       Yes          Section Cross Reference.
     Sy      Yes       Yes          Symbolic (traditional English).
     Tn      Yes       Yes          Trade or type name (small Caps).
     Ux      Yes       Yes          UNIX.
     Xc      Yes       Yes          Extend argument list close.
     Xo      Yes       Yes          Extend argument list close.

     Macro names ending in `q' quote remaining items on the argument list.
     Macro names ending in `o' begin a quote which may span more than one line
     of input and are close quoted with the matching macro name ending in `c'.
     Enclosure macros may be nested and are limited to eight arguments.

     Note: the extended argument list macros (`.Xo', `.Xc') and the function
     enclosure macros (`.Fo', `.Fc') are irregular.  The extended list macros
     are used when the number of macro arguments would exceed the troff limi-
     tation of nine arguments.

FILES
     tmac.doc          Manual and general text domain macros.
     tmac.doc-common   Common structural macros and definitions.
     tmac.doc-nroff    Site dependent nroff style file.
     tmac.doc-ditroff  Site dependent troff style file.
     tmac.doc-syms     Special defines (such as the standards macro).

SEE ALSO
     mdoc.samples(7)

OpenBSD 2.6                    December 30, 1993                             4
