gbranden pushed a commit to branch master
in repository groff.
commit ca4837510679f041bb10e022bbe09f856796680e
Author: G. Branden Robinson <[email protected]>
AuthorDate: Fri Mar 27 20:12:13 2026 -0500
[doc,man]: Revise request invocation stuff.
* Document when warnings in the "missing" category occur.
* Favor active voice over passive.
---
doc/groff.texi.in | 15 +++++++++++----
man/groff.7.man | 18 +++++++++++-------
2 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)
diff --git a/doc/groff.texi.in b/doc/groff.texi.in
index 0e9ea8ae3..4cb60d819 100644
--- a/doc/groff.texi.in
+++ b/doc/groff.texi.in
@@ -8061,12 +8061,19 @@ non-destructively replaced. @xref{Strings}.
There is no inherent limit on argument length or quantity.
Most requests take one or more arguments,
and ignore any they do not expect.
-A request may be separated from its arguments by tabs or spaces,
-but only spaces can separate an argument from its successor.
-Only one between arguments is necessary;
-any excess is ignored.@footnote{In compatibility mode,
+A request that is not supplied a mandatory argument does
+nothing.@footnote{GNU
+@command{troff} @c GNU
+emits a warning in category
+@samp{missing}.
+@xref{Warnings}.}
+Spaces or tabs separate a request's name from its first argument,
+but only spaces can separate an argument
+from its successor.@footnote{In compatibility mode,
a space is not necessary
after a request or macro name of two characters' length.}
+Only one space between arguments is necessary;
+the formatter ignores any excess.
GNU
@command{troff} @c GNU
does not interpret tabs as argument separators.@footnote{Plan@tie{}9
diff --git a/man/groff.7.man b/man/groff.7.man
index faf3132f4..1032ee67b 100644
--- a/man/groff.7.man
+++ b/man/groff.7.man
@@ -1620,16 +1620,20 @@ There is no inherent limit on argument length or
quantity.
Most requests take one or more arguments,
and ignore any they do not expect.
.
-A request may be separated from its arguments by tabs or spaces,
+A request that is not supplied a mandatory argument does
+nothing.
+.
+Spaces or tabs separate a request's name from its first argument,
but only spaces can separate an argument from its successor.
.
-Only one between arguments is necessary;
-any excess is ignored.
+.\" begin slack text for widow/orphan management
+(In compatibility mode,
+a space is not necessary
+after a request or macro name of two characters' length.)
+.\" end slack text
.
-.\" slack text for widow/orphan management
-.\" (In compatibility mode,
-.\" a space is not necessary
-.\" after a request or macro name of two characters' length.)
+Only one space between arguments is necessary;
+the formatter ignores any excess.
.
GNU
.I troff \" GNU
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