Re: [Groff] the is \_ escape sequence

[Ted Harding]

On 19-Sep-07 19:52:36, Keith Marshall wrote:
> On Wed, 2007-09-19 at 07:40 +0200, Werner LEMBERG wrote:
>> > Actually, it is documented:
>> > 
>> > Page 7:
>> > -   \Z   Z, any character not listed above
> 
> Er, documented where?  (i.e. what document are you citing, where this
> page 7 may be found)?
> 
> It certainly isn't consistent with this, (from the `Escape Index' node
> in groff's texinfo documentation):
>|Appendix C Escape Index
>|***********************
>|
>|Any escape sequence `\X' with X not in the list below emits a warning,
>|printing glyph X.
>  
> (Do note that the use of `X' here may be construed as confusing, for
>  `\X' is one of the documented escapes referenced in the list).
> 
>> > Therefore, \_ would become _,
>> 
>> This is not correct: `_' and `\_' are two *different* glyphs!
> 
> To say nothing of `\Z' itself being a documented escape in groff:
>|* \Z:          Page Motions.        (line 226)
> 
>|-- Escape: \Z'anything'
>|     Print ANYTHING, then restore the horizontal and vertical position.
>|     The argument may not contain tabs or leaders.
> 
> Regards,
> Keith.

I think the document referred to is

  Troff User's Manual
  Joseph F. Ossanna and Brian W. Kernighan
  CSTR No 54 (AT&T Bell Labs)
  Revised November 1992

(the reference for my copy) where on page 7 is a table of

  Escape Sequences for Characters, Indicators and Functions

the last of which is

  -   \Z    Z, any character not listed above

Thus "Z" in "\Z" is a dummy and does not stand for itself.
(Of course, in that context it sould also stand for itself,
since \Z [literally] was not an escape sequence in AT&T troff).

Best wishes,
Ted.

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Date: 19-Sep-07                                       Time: 22:34:35
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