[Pkg-alsa-devel] Bug#1085699: alsa-info.8: Some remarks and editorial changes for this man page
Bjarni Ingi Gislason
bjarniig at simnet.is
Mon Oct 21 20:11:05 BST 2024
Package: alsa-utils
Version: 1.2.12-1
Severity: minor
Tags: patch
* What led up to the situation?
Checking for defects with
[test-][g|n]roff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -ww -b -z < "man page"
["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?
troff: backtrace: file '<stdin>':59
troff:<stdin>:59: warning: trailing space in the line
* 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: trixie/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 6.11.2-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 alsa-utils depends on:
ii kmod 33+20240816-2
ii libasound2t64 1.2.12-1
ii libatopology2t64 1.2.12-1
ii libc6 2.40-3
ii libfftw3-single3 3.3.10-1+b3
ii libncursesw6 6.5-2
ii libsamplerate0 0.2.2-4+b1
ii libtinfo6 6.5-2
alsa-utils recommends no packages.
Versions of packages alsa-utils suggests:
pn dialog <none>
-- no debconf information
-------------- next part --------------
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>
The same goes for man pages that are used as an input.
For a style guide use
mandoc -T lint
-.-
So any 'generator' should check its products with the above mentioned
'groff', 'mandoc', and additionally with 'nroff ...'.
This is just a simple quality control measure.
The 'generator' may have to be corrected to get a better man page,
the source file may, and any additional file may.
Common defects:
Input text line longer than 80 bytes.
Not removing trailing spaces (in in- and output).
The reason for these trailing spaces should be found and eliminated.
Not beginning each input sentence on a new line.
Lines should thus be shorter.
See man-pages(7), item 'semantic newline'.
-.-
The difference between the formatted outputs can be seen with:
nroff -mandoc <file1> > <out1>
nroff -mandoc <file2> > <out2>
diff -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 of 'diff -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)
-.-.
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.
31:Includes output from \fIaplay -l\fP.
-.-.
Wrong distance 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.
10:about the ALSA subsystem. It is used mostly for debugging purposes.
-.-.
Name of a manual is set in bold, the section in roman.
See man-pages(7).
56:aplay(1)
57:amixer(1)
58:alsactl(1)
-.-.
Put a parenthetical sentence, phrase on a separate line,
if not part of a code.
See man-pages(7), item "semantic newline".
alsa-info.8:15:Upload contents to the server (www.alsa-project.org or pastebin.ca).
-.-.
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -ww -b -z ":
troff: backtrace: file '<stdin>':59
troff:<stdin>:59: warning: trailing space in the line
-.-.
-------------- next part --------------
--- alsa-info.8 2024-10-21 18:44:51.344442829 +0000
+++ alsa-info.8.new 2024-10-21 19:04:47.002419003 +0000
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
-.TH ALSA-INFO.SH 8 "13 January 2016"
+.TH ALSA\-INFO.SH 8 "13 January 2016"
.SH NAME
-alsa-info \- command\-line utility to gather information about
+alsa\-info \- command\-line utility to gather information about
the ALSA subsystem
.SH SYNOPSIS
-\fBalsa-info\fP [\fIoptions\fP]
+\fBalsa\-info\fP [\fIoptions\fP]
.SH DESCRIPTION
-\fBalsa-info\fP is a command\-line utility gathering information
-about the ALSA subsystem. It is used mostly for debugging purposes.
+\fBalsa\-info\fP is a command\-line utility gathering information
+about the ALSA subsystem.
+It is used mostly for debugging purposes.
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
\fI\-\-upload\fP
-Upload contents to the server (www.alsa-project.org or pastebin.ca).
+Upload contents to the server
+(www.alsa-project.org or pastebin.ca).
.TP
\fI\-\-no-upload\fP
Do not upload contents to the remote server.
@@ -25,10 +27,10 @@ Specify file for output in no-upload mod
.TP
\fI\-\-debug\fP
Run utility as normal, but will not delete file (usually
-/tmp/alsa-info.txt).
+/tmp/alsa\-info.txt).
.TP
\fI\-\-with-aplay\fP
-Includes output from \fIaplay -l\fP.
+Includes output from \fIaplay \-l\fP.
.TP
\fI\-\-with-amixer\fP
Includes output from \fIamixer\fP.
@@ -48,15 +50,13 @@ Print information about authors.
.SH EXAMPLES
.TP
-\fBalsa-info \-\-no-upload\fR
+\fBalsa\-info \-\-no-upload\fR
Will gather all information and show the output file.
.SH SEE ALSO
-\fB
-aplay(1)
-amixer(1)
-alsactl(1)
-\fP
+.BR aplay (1),
+.BR amixer (1),
+.BR alsactl (1)
.SH AUTHOR
-\fBalsa-info\fP was created by the ALSA team, see \fI\-\-about\fP .
+\fBalsa\-info\fP was created by the ALSA team, see \fI\-\-about\fP .
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