Package: uuid-dev
Version: 2.40.4-5
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?
troff:<stdin>:10: warning: name 'Aq' not defined
* 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 6.12.20-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 uuid-dev depends on:
ii libc6-dev [libc-dev] 2.41-6
ii libuuid1 2.40.4-5
uuid-dev recommends no packages.
uuid-dev suggests no packages.
-- no debconf information
Input file is uuid_clear.3
Output from "mandoc -T lint uuid_clear.3": (shortened list)
1 input text line longer than 80 bytes: The \fBlibuuid\fP li...
1 input text line longer than 80 bytes: The \fBuuid_clear\fP...
1 skipping insecure request: mso
6 skipping paragraph macro: sp after SH
1 skipping unknown macro: LINKSTYLE blue R < >
1 undefined string, using "": Aq
-.-.
Output from
test-nroff -mandoc -t -ww -z uuid_clear.3: (shortened list)
1 name 'Aq' not defined
-.-.
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"
42:Theodore Y. Ts\(cqo
58:The \fBlibuuid\fP library is part of the util\-linux package since version 2.15.1. It can be downloaded from \c
-.-.
Split lines longer than 80 characters into two or more lines.
Appropriate break points are the end of a sentence and a subordinate
clause; after punctuation marks.
Add "\:" to split the string for the output, "\<newline>" in the source.
Line 39, length 104
The \fBuuid_clear\fP() function sets the value of the supplied uuid variable \fIuu\fP to the NULL value.
Line 58, length 111
The \fBlibuuid\fP library is part of the util\-linux package since version 2.15.1. It can be downloaded from \c
Line 59, length 85
.URL "https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util\-linux/"; "Linux Kernel Archive" "."
Longest line is number 58 with 111 characters
-.-.
Only one space character is after a possible end of sentence
(after a punctuation, that can end a sentence).
uuid_clear.3:42:Theodore Y. Ts\(cqo
uuid_clear.3:58:The \fBlibuuid\fP library is part of the util\-linux package since version 2.15.1. It can be downloaded from \c
-.-.
Put a subordinate sentence (after a comma) on a new line.
uuid_clear.3:54:For bug reports, use the issue tracker at \c
-.-.
Remove quotes when there is a printable
but no space character between them
and the quotes are not for emphasis (markup),
for example as an argument to a macro.
uuid_clear.3:10:.TH "UUID_CLEAR" "3" "2024-12-16" "util\-linux 2.40.4" "Programmer\*(Aqs Manual"
uuid_clear.3:30:.SH "NAME"
uuid_clear.3:32:.SH "SYNOPSIS"
uuid_clear.3:37:.SH "DESCRIPTION"
uuid_clear.3:40:.SH "AUTHORS"
uuid_clear.3:55:.URL "https://github.com/util\-linux/util\-linux/issues"; "" "."
uuid_clear.3:56:.SH "AVAILABILITY"
uuid_clear.3:59:.URL "https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util\-linux/"; "Linux Kernel Archive" "."
-.-.
Use ".na" (no adjustment) instead of ".ad l" (and ".ad" to begin the
same adjustment again as before).
15:.ad l
23:. ad l
26:. ad l
-.-.
Section headings (.SH and .SS) do not need quoting their arguments.
30:.SH "NAME"
32:.SH "SYNOPSIS"
37:.SH "DESCRIPTION"
40:.SH "AUTHORS"
43:.SH "SEE ALSO"
52:.SH "REPORTING BUGS"
56:.SH "AVAILABILITY"
-.-.
Put a (long) web address on a new line to reduce the posibility of
splitting the address between two output lines.
Or inhibit hyphenation with "\%" in front of the name.
55:.URL "https://github.com/util\-linux/util\-linux/issues"; "" "."
59:.URL "https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util\-linux/"; "Linux Kernel Archive" "."
-.-.
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=10 -ww -z ":
troff:<stdin>:10: warning: name 'Aq' not defined
-.-.
Additionally:
Add a new line (\n) to the end of the file.
-.-
Generally:
Split (sometimes) lines after a punctuation mark; before a conjunction.
--- uuid_clear.3 2025-04-05 00:04:44.296483330 +0000
+++ uuid_clear.3.new 2025-04-05 00:08:47.373477627 +0000
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
.\" Source: util-linux 2.40.4
.\" Language: English
.\"
+.ie \n(.g .ds Aq \(aq
+.el .ds Aq '
.TH "UUID_CLEAR" "3" "2024-12-16" "util\-linux 2.40.4" "Programmer\*(Aqs Manual"
.ie \n(.g .ds Aq \(aq
.el .ds Aq '
@@ -56,4 +58,4 @@ For bug reports, use the issue tracker a
.SH "AVAILABILITY"
.sp
The \fBlibuuid\fP library is part of the util\-linux package since version 2.15.1. It can be downloaded from \c
-.URL "https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util\-linux/"; "Linux Kernel Archive" "."
\ No newline at end of file
+.URL "https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util\-linux/"; "Linux Kernel Archive" "."
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)
-.-
