Re: [Groff] me docs

[Werner LEMBERG]

> > We should probably introduce a similar system as provided within
> > LaTeX to the all major macro packages:
> > 
> >   \DocumentClass{<name}[<version string>]
> 
> I think I've lost track of what problem is trying to be solved here.
> (Anyone care to give a clear summary?)

The question is how to assure for a given document to load the right
version of a macro package, i.e., which code must be put into a
document to handle that properly.  Calling .mso is not sufficient;
there should be some version checking also.

Of course, it is always possible to put a comment at the beginning of
the file with an explanation how to format it.

> But would having groff inspect
> the first line of each given file for a magic comment describing
> options to be merged into the existing command line help.
> 
> So just like the kernel watches for `#! /bin/make -f' groff could
> look for
> 
>     .\"#! groff -p -mm
> 
> On OS with binfmt you could get the kernel to look for this too if
> you really wanted.

Basically a nice idea (the security flaws have been pointed out
already); the right approach is probably how Emacs handles `local
variables' -- we need a similar feature for encodings anyway.  While
handing encodings is essential to troff, handling preprocessors isn't;
groff has been developed to take care of that.

Currently, I favour an extension of Bernd's `groffview' script to do
what you suggest.


    Werner