Bug#1120142: URI::_punycode.3pm: Some remarks and a patch with editorial changes for this man page
Bjarni Ingi Gislason
bjarniig at simnet.is
Wed Nov 5 22:32:32 GMT 2025
Package: liburi-perl
Version: 5.34-2
Severity: minor
Tags: patch
>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.
-.-
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>:75: warning: special character 'u2603' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4ED6' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4EEC' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4E3A' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4EC0' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4E48' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4E0D' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u8BF4' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4E2D' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u6587' not defined
troff:<stdin>:82: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:109: 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: forky/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 6.16.12+deb14+1-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 liburi-perl depends on:
ii perl [libencode-perl] 5.40.1-6
ii perl-base [libscalar-list-utils-perl] 5.40.1-6
liburi-perl recommends no packages.
Versions of packages liburi-perl suggests:
pn libbusiness-isbn-perl <none>
pn libmime-base32-perl <none>
ii libregexp-ipv6-perl 0.03-3
ii libwww-perl 6.81-1
-- no debconf information
-------------- next part --------------
Input file is URI::_punycode.3pm
Output from "mandoc -T lint URI::_punycode.3pm": (shortened list)
1 URI::_punycode.3pm:91:84: STYLE: input text line longer than 80 bytes:
Find most trailing spaces with:
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
-.-.
Output from
test-nroff -mandoc -t -ww -z URI::_punycode.3pm: (shortened list)
2 line(s) with a trailing space
Find most trailing spaces with:
grep -n -e ' $' -e ' \\f.$' -e ' \\"' <man page>
-.-.
Show if Pod::Man generated this.
2:.\" Automatically generated by Pod::Man 5.0102 (Pod::Simple 3.45)
Latest version in Debian testing:
This is perl 5, version 40, subversion 1 (v5.40.1) built for x86_64-linux-gnu-thread-multi
(with 48 registered patches, see perl -V for more detail)
-.-.
Wrong distance (not two spaces) 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"
91:All functions throw exceptions on failure. You can \f(CW\*(C`catch\*(C'\fR them with
92:Syntax::Keyword::Try or Try::Tiny. The following functions are exported
-.-.
Split lines longer than 80 characters (fill completly
an A4 sized page line on a terminal)
into two or more lines.
Appropriate break points are the end of a sentence and a subordinate
clause; after punctuation marks.
Add "\:" to split the string for the output, "\<newline>" in the source.
Line 58, length 86
.TH URI::_punycode 3pm 2025-10-11 "perl v5.40.1" "User Contributed Perl Documentation"
Line 75, length 81
\& my $punycode = encode_punycode(\*(Aqhttp://?.net\*(Aq); # http://.net\-xc8g
Line 77, length 98
\& $punycode = encode_punycode(\*(Aq?????????\*(Aq); # ihqwcrb4cv8a8dqg056pqjye
Line 82, length 97
\& $unicode = decode_punycode(\*(Aqihqwcrb4cv8a8dqg056pqjye\*(Aq); # ?????????
Line 91, length 84
All functions throw exceptions on failure. You can \f(CW\*(C`catch\*(C'\fR them with
Line 97, length 82
\& my $punycode = encode_punycode(\*(Aqhttp://?.net\*(Aq); # http://.net\-xc8g
Line 99, length 97
\& $punycode = encode_punycode(\*(Aq?????????\*(Aq) # ihqwcrb4cv8a8dqg056pqjye
Line 109, length 97
\& $unicode = decode_punycode(\*(Aqihqwcrb4cv8a8dqg056pqjye\*(Aq); # ?????????
Longest line is number 77 with 98 characters
-.-.
Test nr. 44:
Add a zero (0) in front of a decimal fraction that begins with a period
(.)
7:.if t .sp .5v
-.-.
Put a parenthetical sentence, phrase on a separate line,
if not part of a code.
See man-pages(7), item "semantic newline".
URI::_punycode.3pm:102:Takes a Unicode string (UTF8\-flagged variable) and returns a Punycode
-.-.
Add lines to use the CR font for groff instead of CW.
.if t \{\
. ie \\n(.g .ft CR
. el .ft CW
.\}
11:.ft CW
-.-.
.\" Define a fallback for font CW with
.if \n(.g \{\
. ie t .ftr CW CR
. el .ftr CW R
.\}
91:All functions throw exceptions on failure. You can \f(CW\*(C`catch\*(C'\fR them with
-.-.
Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=0 -ww -z ":
troff:<stdin>:75: warning: special character 'u2603' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4ED6' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4EEC' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4E3A' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4EC0' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4E48' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4E0D' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u8BF4' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u4E2D' not defined
troff:<stdin>:77: warning: special character 'u6587' not defined
troff:<stdin>:82: warning: trailing space in the line
troff:<stdin>:109: warning: trailing space in the line
-.-
Generally:
Split (sometimes) lines after a punctuation mark; before a conjunction.
-.-
-------------- next part --------------
--- URI::_punycode.3pm 2025-11-05 08:16:04.400724412 +0000
+++ URI::_punycode.3pm.new 2025-11-05 22:19:48.905909844 +0000
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
.\" Standard preamble:
.\" ========================================================================
.de Sp \" Vertical space (when we can't use .PP)
-.if t .sp .5v
+.if t .sp 0.5v
.if n .sp
..
.de Vb \" Begin verbatim text
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ Punycode <https://tools.ietf.org/html/rf
encoding of Unicode for use with IDNA <https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5890>.
.SH FUNCTIONS
.IX Header "FUNCTIONS"
-All functions throw exceptions on failure. You can \f(CW\*(C`catch\*(C'\fR them with
-Syntax::Keyword::Try or Try::Tiny. The following functions are exported
+All functions throw exceptions on failure. You can \f(CW\*(C`catch\*(C'\fR them with
+Syntax::Keyword::Try or Try::Tiny. The following functions are exported
by default.
.SS encode_punycode
.IX Subsection "encode_punycode"
-------------- 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>
To find trailing space 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.
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)
-.-
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