URL: <https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?68808>
Summary: [mm] `MULB` throws baffling diagnostic about `MULN`
being unusable; since 1.24.0
Group: GNU roff
Submitter: gbranden
Submitted: Tue 20 Oct 2026 07:49:13 PM UTC
Category: Macro package mm
Severity: 4 - Important
Item Group: Warning/Suspicious behaviour
Status: Confirmed
Privacy: Public
Assigned to: gbranden
Open/Closed: Open
Discussion Lock: Unlocked
Planned Release: None
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Follow-up Comments:
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Date: Tue 20 Oct 2026 07:49:13 PM UTC By: G. Branden Robinson <gbranden>
[https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/groff/2026-10/msg00030.html Bento Borges
Schirmer reported to the _groff_ mailing list:]
> m.tmac:cv.mm:2: error: MULN: not in multi-column mode
Line 2 of his input document is:
.MULB 5c 1c 12c
It is frustrating to the user, and nonsensical, to claim that `MULN` is
complaining of not being in multi-column mode when the user is calling the
`MULB` macro instead, **to set up multi-column mode**.
Locate this crack pipe and take it away. Consider writing a unit test for
`MULx` multi-column macro behavior.
Important but not scheduled for 1.25.0, as I ain't got the spoons for it, and
even if we fixed this, multi-column mode needs further attention for Bento's
application. See linked email or forthcoming Savannah ticket.
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