path: root/index.sgml

                                                                                          

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		<TITLE>mdocml | mdoc macro compiler</TITLE>
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		<P CLASS="head">
			<B>mdocml</B> &#8211; mdoc macro compiler
		</P>
		<H1>
			<A NAME="description">Description</A>
		</H1>
		<P>
			<SPAN CLASS="nm">mdocml</SPAN> is a suite of tools compiling <I><A HREF="mdoc.7.html">mdoc</A></I>, the roff macro
			package of choice for BSD manual pages, and <I><A HREF="man.7.html">man</A></I>, the predominant historical package for
			UNIX manuals.  The mission of <SPAN CLASS="nm">mdocml</SPAN> is to deprecate <A
			HREF="http://www.gnu.org/software/groff/" CLASS="external">groff</A>, the GNU troff implementation, for displaying <I>mdoc</I>
			pages whilst providing token support for <I>man</I>.
		</P>
		<P>
			Why?  groff amounts to over 5 MB of source code, most of which is C++ and all of which is GPL.  It runs slowly, produces
			uncertain output, and varies in operation from system to system.  mdocml strives to fix this (respectively small, C, <A
			CLASS="external" HREF="http://www.isc.org/software/license">ISC</A>-licensed, fast and regular).
		</P>
		<P>
			<SPAN CLASS="nm">mdocml</SPAN> consists of the <A HREF="mandoc.3.html">libmandoc</A> validating compiler and <A
			HREF="mandoc.1.html">mandoc</A>, which interfaces with the compiler library to format output for UNIX terminals (with
			support for wide-character locales), XHTML, HTML, PostScript, and PDF.  
			It also includes <A HREF="preconv.1.html">preconv</A>, for recoding multibyte manuals; and <A
			HREF="mandocdb.8.html">mandocdb</A>, for indexing manuals.
			It is a <A CLASS="external" HREF="http://bsd.lv/">BSD.lv</A> project.  
		</P>
		<P>
			<I>Disambiguation</I>: <SPAN CLASS="nm">mdocml</SPAN> is often referred to by its installed binary, <Q>mandoc</Q>.
		</P>
		<H1>
			<A NAME="sources">Sources</A>
		</H1>
		<P>
			<SPAN CLASS="nm">mdocml</SPAN> is in plain-old ANSI C and should build and run on any modern system (<A
			HREF="mandocdb.8.html">mandocdb</A> requires <A CLASS="external"
			HREF="http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/berkeleydb/overview/index.html">Berkeley Database</A>, installed by
			default on all BSD UNIX operating systems).
		</P>
		<P>
			To compile <SPAN CLASS="nm">mdocml</SPAN>, run <CODE>make</CODE>, then <CODE>make install</CODE> to install into
			<I>/usr/local</I>.  Be aware: if you have an existing <A HREF="http://www.gnu.org/software/groff/"
			CLASS="external">groff</A> installation, this may overwrite its <B>preconv</B> binary.  The <A
			HREF="mandocdb.8.html">mandocdb</A> utility is not yet linked to the build: you must run <CODE>make mandocdb</CODE> to
			build it (it does not install).
		</P>
		<P>
			Distributed Win32 binaries are compiled using <A CLASS="external" HREF="http://www.mingw.org/">mingw32</A>.  They are
			distributed in a ZIP archive consisting of binaries, manuals, and other installable media.
		</P>
		<P>
			The most current version of <SPAN CLASS="nm">mdocml</SPAN> is <SPAN CLASS="attn">@VERSION@</SPAN>, dated <SPAN
			class="attn">@VDATE@</SPAN>.  
		</P>
		<H2>
			Current
		</H2>
		<TABLE WIDTH="100%" SUMMARY="Current Sources">
			<COL WIDTH="175">
			<COL>
			<TBODY>
				<TR>
					<TD>Source archive</TD>
					<TD>
					<A HREF="/snapshots/mdocml.tar.gz">/snapshots/mdocml.tar.gz</A> 
					<SMALL>(<A HREF="/snapshots/mdocml.md5">md5</A>)</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD>Online source</TD>
					<TD>
					<A HREF="http://mdocml.bsd.lv/cgi-bin/cvsweb/?cvsroot=mdocml">cvsweb</A>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD>Win32 binary archive</TD>
					<TD>
					<A HREF="/binaries/mdocml.zip">/binaries/mdocml-win32.zip</A> 
					</TD>
				</TR>
			</TBODY>
		</TABLE>
		<H2>
			Downstream
		</H2>
		<TABLE WIDTH="100%" SUMMARY="Downstream Sources">
			<COL WIDTH="175">
			<COL>
			<TBODY>
				<TR>
					<TD>DragonFly BSD</TD>
					<TD>
					<A HREF="http://gitweb.dragonflybsd.org/dragonfly.git/tree/HEAD:/usr.bin/mandoc"
						CLASS="external">usr.bin/mandoc</A>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD>FreeBSD</TD>
					<TD>
					<A HREF="http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/ports/textproc/mdocml/" 
						CLASS="external">ports/textproc/mdocml</A>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD>NetBSD</TD>
					<TD>
					<A HREF="http://cvsweb.netbsd.org/bsdweb.cgi/src/external/bsd/mdocml/"
						CLASS="external">src/external/bsd/mdocml</A>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD>OpenBSD</TD>
					<TD>
					<A HREF="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/usr.bin/mandoc/"
						CLASS="external">src/usr.bin/mandoc</A> 
					</TD>
				</TR>
			</TBODY>
		</TABLE>
		<H2>
			Historical
		</H2>
		<TABLE WIDTH="100%" SUMMARY="Archived Sources">
			<COL WIDTH="175">
			<COL>
			<TBODY>
				<TR>
					<TD>Source archive</TD>
					<TD>
					<A HREF="/snapshots/">/snapshots/</A> 
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD>Binary archive</TD>
					<TD>
					<A HREF="/binaries/">/binaries/</A> 
					</TD>
				</TR>
			</TBODY>
		</TABLE>
		<H1>
			<A NAME="documentation">Documentation</A>
		</H1>
		<P>
			These manuals are generated automatically and refer to the current snapshot.
		</P>

		<TABLE WIDTH="100%" SUMMARY="Documentation">
			<COL WIDTH="175">
			<COL>
			<TBODY>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="mandoc.1.html">mandoc(1)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						format and display UNIX manuals
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="mandoc.1.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="mandoc.1.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="mandoc.1.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="mandoc.1.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="mandocdb.8.html">mandocdb(8)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						index UNIX manuals
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="mandocdb.8.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="mandocdb.8.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="mandocdb.8.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="mandocdb.8.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="preconv.1.html">preconv(1)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						recode multibyte UNIX manuals
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="preconv.1.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="preconv.1.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="preconv.1.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="preconv.1.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="mandoc.3.html">mandoc(3)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						mandoc macro compiler library
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="mandoc.3.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="mandoc.3.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="mandoc.3.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="mandoc.3.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="man.7.html">man(7)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						man language reference
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="man.7.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="man.7.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="man.7.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="man.7.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="eqn.7.html">eqn(7)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						eqn-mandoc language reference
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="eqn.7.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="eqn.7.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="eqn.7.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="eqn.7.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="mandoc_char.7.html">mandoc_char(7)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						mandoc special characters
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="mandoc_char.7.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="mandoc_char.7.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="mandoc_char.7.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="mandoc_char.7.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="mdoc.7.html">mdoc(7)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						mdoc language reference
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="mdoc.7.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="mdoc.7.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="mdoc.7.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="mdoc.7.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="roff.7.html">roff(7)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						roff-mandoc language reference
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="roff.7.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="roff.7.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="roff.7.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="roff.7.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD VALIGN="top"><A HREF="tbl.7.html">tbl(7)</A></TD>
					<TD VALIGN="top">
						tbl-mandoc language reference
						<SMALL>
							(<A HREF="tbl.7.txt">text</A> | 
							<A HREF="tbl.7.xhtml">xhtml</A> |
							<A HREF="tbl.7.pdf">pdf</A> |
							<A HREF="tbl.7.ps">postscript</A>)
						</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
			</TBODY>
		</TABLE>
		<H1>
			<A NAME="contact">Contact</A>
		</H1>
		<P>
			Use the mailing lists for bug-reports, patches, questions, etc. (these require subscription).  Please check the
			<A HREF="http://mdocml.bsd.lv/cgi-bin/cvsweb/TODO?cvsroot=mdocml">TODO</A> for known issues
			before posting.  Beyond that, contact Kristaps at <A
			HREF="http://mailhide.recaptcha.net/d?k=01M6h_w7twDp58ZgH57eWC_w==&amp;c=Q2DBUt401ePlSeupJFrq_Q==" TITLE="Reveal
			this e-mail address">kris...</A>@bsd.lv.
		</P>
		<TABLE WIDTH="100%" SUMMARY="Mailing Lists">
			<COL WIDTH="175">
			<COL>
			<TBODY>
				<TR>
					<TD>
						disc<A CLASS="external" TITLE="Reveal this e-mail address"
						HREF="http://www.google.com/recaptcha/mailhide/d?k=01KQ80PFH5n3BBNpF5Gs4sRg==&amp;c=EV1QytpQqTHSItc2IXvZyocgYLPnG5K0JKw_gwMC9yc=">...</A>@mdocml.bsd.lv
					</TD>
					<TD>
						bug-reports, general questions, and announcements 
						<SMALL>(<A HREF="/archives/discuss/summary.html">archive</A>)</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD>
						tec<A CLASS="external" TITLE="Reveal this e-mail address"
						HREF="http://www.google.com/recaptcha/mailhide/d?k=01qDX_iV0RlUOarEvb6mR28g==&amp;c=gRXsTjza0NNCFPaYu-Taj2tF0pmYZSc90EZkFkhkxgo=">...</A>@mdocml.bsd.lv
					</TD>
					<TD>
						patches and system discussions 
						<SMALL>(<A HREF="/archives/tech/summary.html">archive</A>)</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
				<TR>
					<TD>
						sou<A CLASS="external" TITLE="Reveal this e-mail address"
						HREF="http://www.google.com/recaptcha/mailhide/d?k=01prQrAZhhl2EbIwVcRfABsQ==&amp;c=KtTW4Yic9xk-8g40KzJoca4fR3MYXv28g8NC6OQV-T8=">...</A>@mdocml.bsd.lv
					</TD>
					<TD>
						source commit messages 
						<SMALL>(<A HREF="/archives/source/summary.html">archive</A>)</SMALL>
					</TD>
				</TR>
			</TBODY>
		</TABLE>
		<H1>
			<A NAME="news">News</A>
		</H1>
		<P CLASS="news">
			24-07-2011: version 1.11.5
		</P>
		<P>
			Significant <A HREF="eqn.7.html">eqn</A> improvements.  <SPAN CLASS="nm">mdocml</SPAN> can now parse arbitrary eqn input
			(although few GNU extensions are accepted, nor is mixing low-level roff with eqn).  See the <A HREF="eqn.7.html">eqn</A>
			manual for details.  For the time being, equations are rendered as simple in-line text.  The equation parser satisfies
			the language specified in the <A CLASS="external" HREF="http://www.kohala.com/start/troff/v7man/eqn/eqn2e.ps">Second
			Edition User's Guide</A>.
		</P>
		<P>
			This is also the first release featuring a distributed Windows binary, available at <A
			HREF="/binaries/mdocml-win32.zip">/binaries/mdocml-win32.zip</A>.
		</P>
		<P CLASS="news">
			12-07-2011: version 1.11.4
		</P>
		<P>
			Bug-fixes and clean-ups across all systems, especially in <INS><A HREF="mandocdb.8.html">mandocdb</A></INS> <DEL>makewhatis</DEL> (note: still not
			connected to the general build and must be compiled with <INS><CODE>make mandocdb</CODE></INS> <DEL><CODE>make makewhatis</CODE></DEL>) and the <A
			HREF="man.7.html">man</A> parser.  This release was significantly assisted by participants in <A CLASS="external"
			HREF="http://www.openbsd.org">OpenBSD</A>'s c2k11.  Thanks!
		</P>
		<P CLASS="news">
			26-05-2011: version 1.11.3
		</P>
		<P>
			Introduce locale-encoding of output with the <B>-Tlocale</B> output option and Unicode escaped-character input.
			See <A HREF="mandoc.1.html">mandoc</A> and <A HREF="mandoc_char.7.html">mandoc_char</A>, respectively, for details.
			This allows for non-ASCII characters (e.g., <I>\[u5000]</I>) to be rendered in the locale's encoding, if said
			environment supports wide-character encoding (if it does not, <B>-Tascii</B> is used instead).
			Locale support can be turned off at compile time by removing <I>-DUSE_WCHAR</I> in the <I>Makefile</I>, in which case
			<B>-Tlocale</B> is always a synonym for <B>-Tascii</B>.
		</P>
		<P>
			Furthermore, multibyte-encoded documents, such as those in UTF-8, may be on-the-fly recoded into <A
			HREF="mandoc.1.html">mandoc</A> input by using the newly-added <A HREF="preconv.1.html">preconv</A> utility.
			Note: in the future, this feature may be integrated into <A HREF="mandoc.1.html">mandoc</A>.
		</P>
		<P CLASS="news">
			12-05-2011: version 1.11.2
		</P>
		<P>
			Corrected some installation issues in version 1.11.1.
			Further migration to <A HREF="mandoc.3.html">libmandoc</A>.
			Initial public release (this utility is very much under development) of <INS><A HREF="mandocdb.8.html">mandocdb</A></INS><DEL>makewhatis</DEL>,
			initially named mandoc-db.
			This utility produces keyword databases of manual content
			<DEL>mandoc-cgi</DEL>, 
			<A HREF="http://mdocml.bsd.lv/mandoc-tools/index.html">mandoc-tools</A>, 
			which features semantic querying of manual content.
		</P>
		<P>
			See <A HREF="http://mdocml.bsd.lv/cgi-bin/cvsweb/index.sgml?cvsroot=mdocml">cvsweb</A> for
			historical notes.
		</P>
		<P CLASS="foot">
			<SMALL>
				Copyright &#169; 2008&#8211;2011 
				<A CLASS="external" HREF="http://kristaps.bsd.lv">Kristaps Dzonsons</A>, 
				$Date$
			</SMALL>
		</P>
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