Package: ghostscript
Version: 10.07.1~dfsg-1
Severity: minor
Tags: patch
Additional remarks.
Mails from me to "[email protected]" are no longer acknowledged. A
Debian maintainer told me, that he would contact the mail administrator
about me not wanting to send bugs upstream.
-.-
Dear Maintainer,
>From "/usr/share/doc/debian/bug-reporting.txt.gz":
Don't file bugs upstream
If you file a bug in Debian, don't send a copy to the upstream software
maintainers yourself, as it is possible that the bug exists only in
Debian. If necessary, the maintainer of the package will forward the
bug upstream.
-.-
For forwarding bug reports to upstream see:
https://www.debian.org/Bugs/Developer#forward
-.-
"Handling bug reports" in
http://people.debian.org/~enrico/dcg/ch03s02.html
-.-
I do not send reports upstream if I have to get an account there.
The Debian maintainers have one already.
If I get a negative (or no) response from upstream, I send henceforth
bugs to Debian.
-.-
* 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=0 -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?
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=0 -ww -z ":
troff:<stdin>:14: warning: trailing whitespace [-w trail]
Output from "test-nroff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=0 -ww -z ":
troff:<stdin>:14: warning: trailing whitespace [-w trail]
* 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: forky/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 7.0.10+deb14-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 ghostscript depends on:
ii libc6 2.42-16
ii libgs10 10.07.1~dfsg-1
ghostscript recommends no packages.
Versions of packages ghostscript suggests:
ii texlive-binaries 2026.20260303.78225+ds-4
-- no debconf information
Input file is gslp.1
Output from "mandoc -T lint gslp.1": (shortened list)
1 STYLE: whitespace at end of input line
Find trailing whitespace with:
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
-.-.
Output from
test-nroff -mandoc -t -Kutf8 -ww -z gslp.1: (shortened list)
1 trailing whitespace [-w trail]
Find trailing whitespace with:
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
-.-.
Remove space characters (whitespace) at the end of lines.
Use "git apply ... --whitespace=fix" to fix extra space issues, or use
global configuration "core.whitespace".
See more information in the attachment "trailing whitespace".
Number of lines affected is
1
-.-.
Change a HYPHEN-MINUS (code 0x2D) to a minus(-dash) (\-),
if it
is in front of a name for an option,
is a symbol for standard input,
is a single character used to indicate an option,
or is in the NAME section (man-pages(7)).
N.B. - (0x2D), processed as a UTF-8 file, is changed to a hyphen
(0x2010, groff \[u2010] or \[hy]) in the output.
1:.TH GSLP 1 "18 Sept 2024" 10.04.0 Ghostscript \" -*- nroff -*-
59:-12BclqRr -b<header> -f<font> -F<hfont> -L<lines> -p<outfile>
61:-T<n> set tab width
63:-GghKkmow -# -C -d -J -n -P -S -s -t -v
66:.IP "--add-to-space <units>"
69:.IP "--add-to-width <units>"
72:.IP "--columns <n>"
74:.IP "--detect"
76:.IP "--first-page <n>"
78:.IP "--kern <file.afm>"
80:.IP "--last-page <n>"
82:.IP "--(heading|footing)-(left|center|right) <string>"
83:set the heading/footing fields; use -B first to clear
84:.IP "--margin-(top|bottom|left|right) <inches>"
86:.IP "--no-eject-(file|formfeed)"
88:.IP "--spacing <n>"
-.-.
Change QUATION MARK (") to "\~in" if it means an inch, or to "\~inches" in a
running text.
67:add the given number of 1/72" units to the width of each
70:add the given number of 1/72" units to the width of each
-.-.
Wrong distance (not two spaces, not a new line character (\n)) 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"
[List of affected lines removed.]
89:use double (n=2), triple (n=3), etc. spacing
97:Artifex Software, Inc. are the
-.-.
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.
gslp.1:74:.IP "--detect"
gslp.1:86:.IP "--no-eject-(file|formfeed)"
-.-.
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=0 -ww -z ":
troff:<stdin>:14: warning: trailing whitespace [-w trail]
-.-
Generally:
Split (sometimes) lines after a punctuation mark; before a conjunction.
-.-
Tables:
Use the preprocessor 'tbl' to make tables.
Put data, that are wider than the header in the (centered) last column,
in a "T{...\nT}" block(, when the table gets wider than the output line).
Table headings, that are wider than any data in the corresponding
column, do not need to be centered, so left adjustment (l, L) is
sufficient.
--- gslp.1 2026-06-06 01:42:42.959196339 +0000
+++ gslp.1.new 2026-06-06 01:57:11.809940916 +0000
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ gsdj500 \- Format and print text for Des
gslj \- Format and print text for LaserJet printer using ghostscript
.SH SYNOPSIS
.na
-\fBgslp\fB
+\fBgslp\fB
\-12BclqRr \-b<header> \-f<font> \-F<hfont> \-L<lines> \-p<outfile>
\-T<n>
\-\-add\-to\-space\ <units>
@@ -56,37 +56,37 @@ The default device (\-sDEVICE=) and reso
By default the current date is formatted as the center header.
.SH OPTIONS
.IP "Standard switches implemented:"
--12BclqRr -b<header> -f<font> -F<hfont> -L<lines> -p<outfile>
+\-12BclqRr \-b<header> \-f<font> \-F<hfont> \-L<lines> \-p<outfile>
.IP "Sun switches implemented:"
--T<n> set tab width
+\-T<n> set tab width
.IP "Switches ignored:"
--GghKkmow -# -C -d -J -n -P -S -s -t -v
+\-GghKkmow \-# \-C \-d \-J \-n \-P \-S \-s \-t \-v
.IP "Switches added:"
.RS
-.IP "--add-to-space <units>"
-add the given number of 1/72" units to the width of each
+.IP "\-\-add-to-space <units>"
+add the given number of 1/72\~in units to the width of each
space (may be negative)
-.IP "--add-to-width <units>"
-add the given number of 1/72" units to the width of each
+.IP "\-\-add-to-width <units>"
+add the given number of 1/72\~in units to the width of each
character (may be negative)
-.IP "--columns <n>"
+.IP "\-\-columns <n>"
print in <n> columns
-.IP "--detect"
+.IP \-\-detect
treat the file as PostScript if it starts with %!
-.IP "--first-page <n>"
+.IP "\-\-first-page <n>"
start printing at page <n>
-.IP "--kern <file.afm>"
+.IP "\-\-kern <file.afm>"
kern using information from the given .AFM file
-.IP "--last-page <n>"
+.IP "\-\-last-page <n>"
stop printing after page <n>
-.IP "--(heading|footing)-(left|center|right) <string>"
-set the heading/footing fields; use -B first to clear
-.IP "--margin-(top|bottom|left|right) <inches>"
+.IP "\-\-(heading|footing)-(left|center|right) <string>"
+set the heading/footing fields; use \-B first to clear
+.IP "\-\-margin-(top|bottom|left|right) <inches>"
set a margin
-.IP "--no-eject-(file|formfeed)"
+.IP \-\-no-eject-(file|formfeed)
end-of-file/FF only starts a new column, not a new sheet
-.IP "--spacing <n>"
-use double (n=2), triple (n=3), etc. spacing
+.IP "\-\-spacing <n>"
+use double (n=2), triple (n=3), etc.\& spacing
.RE
Also, the string %# in a heading or footing is replaced with the page #.
.SH SEE ALSO
@@ -94,6 +94,6 @@ Also, the string %# in a heading or foot
.SH VERSION
This document was last revised for Ghostscript version 10.04.0.
.SH AUTHOR
-Artifex Software, Inc. are the
+Artifex Software, Inc.\& are the
primary maintainers of Ghostscript.
This manpage by George Ferguson.
Check the output from "lintian" in the Debian distribution.
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 most trailing spaces 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
-.-
For general input conventions consult the man page "nroff(7)" (item
"Input conventions") or the Texinfo manual about the same item.
-.-
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 when that has been fixed.
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)
-.-
--- Begin Message ---
Trailing whitespace is so unnecessary, that its presence may be removed
before files containing it are distributed.
Some programs have a tool to point out its presence, like
gcc
with option "-Wtrailing-whitespace"
git
with option "apply --whitespace=..."
and in ".git/config"
[core]
whitespace=...
grep
with option -e ' $'
less
with command "/ $"
mandoc -T lint
default action
--- End Message ---
