Hi Oliver,
> .nr number 0 1
> .while (\n[number] < 16) \{\
> .ie (\n[number] < 10) \[u4E0\n[number]]
> .el \[u4E0\*[\n[number]]]
> .nr number +1
> .\}
>
> So far, everything works perfectly.
>
> However, if I wrap this loop in a macro like
>
> .de myline
> .\" material as above
> ..
The text after .de is read twice. Once when the macro is defined and
again when it is executed. The reading occurs in two different modes.
See section 7 of CSTR 54. https://troff.org/54.pdf
For example, \nn puts the value of number-register n when the macro is
defined into the macro whereas \\nn delays getting the value of n to
when the macro is executed.
Here's a variation on your test.
$ cat oliver.tr
.pl 2
.
.ds 0 0
.ds 1 1
.ds 2 2
.ds 3 3
.ds 4 4
.ds 5 5
.ds 6 6
.ds 7 7
.ds 8 8
.ds 9 9
.ds 10 A
.ds 11 B
.ds 12 C
.ds 13 D
.ds 14 E
.ds 15 F
.
.nr n 0 1
.while (\n[n] < 16) \{\
\[u216\*[\nn]]
.nr n +1
.\}
.br
.
.de m
.nr n 0 1
.while (\\n[n] < 16) \\{\\
\\[u216\\*[\\nn]]
.nr n +1
.\\}
..
.m
$ troff -Tutf8 oliver.tr | grotty
Ⅰ Ⅱ Ⅲ Ⅳ Ⅴ Ⅵ Ⅶ Ⅷ Ⅸ Ⅹ Ⅺ Ⅻ Ⅼ Ⅽ Ⅾ Ⅿ
Ⅰ Ⅱ Ⅲ Ⅳ Ⅴ Ⅵ Ⅶ Ⅷ Ⅸ Ⅹ Ⅺ Ⅻ Ⅼ Ⅽ Ⅾ Ⅿ
$
--
Cheers, Ralph.
