NAME

troff, nroff − text formatting and typesetting

SYNOPSIS

troff [ option ] ...  [ file ] ... 

nroff [ option ] ...  [ file ] ... 

DESCRIPTION

Troff formats text in the named files for printing on a Graphic Systems C/A/T phototypesetter; nroff for typewriter-like devices.  Their capabilities are described in the Nroff/Troff user’s manual. 

If no file argument is present, the standard input is read.  An argument consisting of a single minus (−) is taken to be a file name corresponding to the standard input.  The options, which may appear in any order so long as they appear before the files, are:

−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. 

−nN Number first generated page N.

−sN Stop every N pages.  Nroff will halt prior to every N pages (default N=1) to allow paper loading or changing, and will resume upon receipt of a newline. Troff will stop the phototypesetter every N pages, produce a trailer to allow changing cassettes, and resume when the typesetter’s start button is pressed. 

−mname
Prepend the macro file /usr/lib/tmac/tmac.name to the input files.

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

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

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

Nroff only

−Tname Prepare output for specified terminal.  Known names are 37 for the (default) Teletype Corporation Model 37 terminal, tn300 for the GE TermiNet 300 (or any terminal without half-line capability), 300S for the DASI-300S, 300 for the DASI-300, and 450 for the DASI-450 (Diablo Hyterm). 

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

−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. 

Troff only

−t Direct output to the standard output instead of the phototypesetter. 

−f Refrain from feeding out paper and stopping phototypesetter at the end of the run. 

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

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

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

−pN Print all characters in point size N while retaining all prescribed spacings and motions, to reduce phototypesetter elasped time. 

−g Prepare output for a GCOS phototypesetter and direct it to the standard output (see gcat(1)).

If the file /usr/adm/tracct is writable, troff keeps phototypesetter accounting records there.  The integrity of that file may be secured by making troff a ‘set user-id’ program. 

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 troff
/dev/catphototypesetter
/usr/adm/tracctaccounting statistics for /dev/cat

SEE ALSO

J. F. Ossanna, Nroff/Troff user’s manual
B. W. Kernighan, A TROFF Tutorial
eqn(1), tbl(1)
col(1), tk(1) (nroff only)
tc(1) (troff only)

7th Edition