Delete the redundant "nchild" member of struct roff_node, replacing

most uses by one, a few by two pointer checks, and only one by a
tiny loop - not only making data smaller, but code shorter as well.

This gets rid of an implicit invariant that confused both static
analysis tools and human auditors.  No functional change.

12 files changed, 110 insertions, 114 deletions

diff --git a/man_html.c b/man_html.c
index f7357f7d..2a900141 100644
--- a/man_html.c
+++ b/man_html.c
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ man_UR_pre(MAN_ARGS)
 
 	n = n->child;
 	assert(n->type == ROFFT_HEAD);
-	if (n->nchild) {
+	if (n->child != NULL) {
 		assert(n->child->type == ROFFT_TEXT);
 		PAIR_CLASS_INIT(&tag[0], "link-ext");
 		PAIR_HREF_INIT(&tag[1], n->child->string);
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ man_UR_pre(MAN_ARGS)
 	}
 
 	assert(n->next->type == ROFFT_BODY);
-	if (n->next->nchild)
+	if (n->next->child != NULL)
 		n = n->next;
 
 	print_man_nodelist(man, n->child, mh, h);
diff --git a/man_macro.c b/man_macro.c
index 4b124363..4ea78146 100644
--- a/man_macro.c
+++ b/man_macro.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ rew_scope(struct roff_man *man, int tok)
 	/* Preserve empty paragraphs before RS. */
 
 	n = man->last;
-	if (tok == MAN_RS && n->nchild == 0 &&
+	if (tok == MAN_RS && n->child == NULL &&
 	    (n->tok == MAN_P || n->tok == MAN_PP || n->tok == MAN_LP))
 		return;
 
diff --git a/man_term.c b/man_term.c
index a16dba73..2e874342 100644
--- a/man_term.c
+++ b/man_term.c
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ static int
 pre_ll(DECL_ARGS)
 {
 
-	term_setwidth(p, n->nchild ? n->child->string : NULL);
+	term_setwidth(p, n->child != NULL ? n->child->string : NULL);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/man_validate.c b/man_validate.c
index ad8206b6..16d99635 100644
--- a/man_validate.c
+++ b/man_validate.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*	$OpenBSD$ */
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Kristaps Dzonsons <kristaps@bsd.lv>
- * Copyright (c) 2010, 2012-2015 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
+ * Copyright (c) 2010, 2012-2016 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
  *
  * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
  * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
@@ -180,10 +180,10 @@ static void
 post_OP(CHKARGS)
 {
 
-	if (n->nchild == 0)
+	if (n->child == NULL)
 		mandoc_msg(MANDOCERR_OP_EMPTY, man->parse,
 		    n->line, n->pos, "OP");
-	else if (n->nchild > 2) {
+	else if (n->child->next != NULL && n->child->next->next != NULL) {
 		n = n->child->next->next;
 		mandoc_vmsg(MANDOCERR_ARG_EXCESS, man->parse,
 		    n->line, n->pos, "OP ... %s", n->string);
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ post_ft(CHKARGS)
 	char	*cp;
 	int	 ok;
 
-	if (0 == n->nchild)
+	if (n->child == NULL)
 		return;
 
 	ok = 0;
@@ -256,22 +256,22 @@ check_par(CHKARGS)
 
 	switch (n->type) {
 	case ROFFT_BLOCK:
-		if (0 == n->body->nchild)
+		if (n->body->child == NULL)
 			roff_node_delete(man, n);
 		break;
 	case ROFFT_BODY:
-		if (0 == n->nchild)
+		if (n->child == NULL)
 			mandoc_vmsg(MANDOCERR_PAR_SKIP,
 			    man->parse, n->line, n->pos,
 			    "%s empty", man_macronames[n->tok]);
 		break;
 	case ROFFT_HEAD:
-		if (n->nchild)
+		if (n->child != NULL)
 			mandoc_vmsg(MANDOCERR_ARG_SKIP,
 			    man->parse, n->line, n->pos,
 			    "%s %s%s", man_macronames[n->tok],
 			    n->child->string,
-			    n->nchild > 1 ? " ..." : "");
+			    n->child->next != NULL ? " ..." : "");
 		break;
 	default:
 		break;
@@ -284,11 +284,11 @@ post_IP(CHKARGS)
 
 	switch (n->type) {
 	case ROFFT_BLOCK:
-		if (0 == n->head->nchild && 0 == n->body->nchild)
+		if (n->head->child == NULL && n->body->child == NULL)
 			roff_node_delete(man, n);
 		break;
 	case ROFFT_BODY:
-		if (0 == n->parent->head->nchild && 0 == n->nchild)
+		if (n->parent->head->child == NULL && n->child == NULL)
 			mandoc_vmsg(MANDOCERR_PAR_SKIP,
 			    man->parse, n->line, n->pos,
 			    "%s empty", man_macronames[n->tok]);
diff --git a/mandoc.3 b/mandoc.3
index ff985b56..30135a26 100644
--- a/mandoc.3
+++ b/mandoc.3
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 .\"	$Id$
 .\"
 .\" Copyright (c) 2009, 2010, 2011 Kristaps Dzonsons <kristaps@bsd.lv>
-.\" Copyright (c) 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
+.\" Copyright (c) 2010-2016 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
 .\"
 .\" Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
 .\" purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ and
 fields), its position in the tree (the
 .Va parent ,
 .Va child ,
-.Va nchild ,
+.Va last ,
 .Va next
 and
 .Va prev
diff --git a/mandocdb.c b/mandocdb.c
index 8d9781a7..c2507267 100644
--- a/mandocdb.c
+++ b/mandocdb.c
@@ -1446,7 +1446,7 @@ parse_man(struct mpage *mpage, const struct roff_meta *meta,
 	char		 byte;
 	size_t		 sz;
 
-	if (NULL == n)
+	if (n == NULL)
 		return;
 
 	/*
@@ -1458,13 +1458,12 @@ parse_man(struct mpage *mpage, const struct roff_meta *meta,
 
 	if (n->type == ROFFT_BODY && n->tok == MAN_SH) {
 		body = n;
-		assert(body->parent);
-		if (NULL != (head = body->parent->head) &&
-		    1 == head->nchild &&
-		    NULL != (head = (head->child)) &&
+		if ((head = body->parent->head) != NULL &&
+		    (head = head->child) != NULL &&
+		    head->next == NULL &&
 		    head->type == ROFFT_TEXT &&
-		    0 == strcmp(head->string, "NAME") &&
-		    NULL != body->child) {
+		    strcmp(head->string, "NAME") == 0 &&
+		    body->child != NULL) {
 
 			/*
 			 * Suck the entire NAME section into memory.
@@ -1697,7 +1696,9 @@ parse_mdoc_Va(struct mpage *mpage, const struct roff_meta *meta,
 	if (n->type != ROFFT_ELEM && n->type != ROFFT_BODY)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (n->nchild == 1 && n->child->type == ROFFT_TEXT)
+	if (n->child != NULL &&
+	    n->child->next == NULL &&
+	    n->child->type == ROFFT_TEXT)
 		return 1;
 
 	cp = NULL;
diff --git a/mdoc_html.c b/mdoc_html.c
index e67817fa..8b046466 100644
--- a/mdoc_html.c
+++ b/mdoc_html.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*	$Id$ */
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2008-2011, 2014 Kristaps Dzonsons <kristaps@bsd.lv>
- * Copyright (c) 2014, 2015 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
+ * Copyright (c) 2014, 2015, 2016 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
  *
  * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
  * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ mdoc_fl_pre(MDOC_ARGS)
 
 	print_text(h, "\\-");
 
-	if ( ! (n->nchild == 0 &&
+	if (!(n->child == NULL &&
 	    (n->next == NULL ||
 	     n->next->type == ROFFT_TEXT ||
 	     n->next->flags & MDOC_LINE)))
@@ -979,9 +979,9 @@ mdoc_bl_pre(MDOC_ARGS)
 static int
 mdoc_ex_pre(MDOC_ARGS)
 {
-	struct tag	*t;
-	struct htmlpair	 tag;
-	int		 nchild;
+	struct htmlpair	  tag;
+	struct tag	 *t;
+	struct roff_node *nch;
 
 	if (n->prev)
 		print_otag(h, TAG_BR, 0, NULL);
@@ -990,24 +990,26 @@ mdoc_ex_pre(MDOC_ARGS)
 
 	print_text(h, "The");
 
-	nchild = n->nchild;
-	for (n = n->child; n; n = n->next) {
-		assert(n->type == ROFFT_TEXT);
+	for (nch = n->child; nch != NULL; nch = nch->next) {
+		assert(nch->type == ROFFT_TEXT);
 
 		t = print_otag(h, TAG_B, 1, &tag);
-		print_text(h, n->string);
+		print_text(h, nch->string);
 		print_tagq(h, t);
 
-		if (nchild > 2 && n->next) {
+		if (nch->next == NULL)
+			continue;
+
+		if (nch->prev != NULL || nch->next->next != NULL) {
 			h->flags |= HTML_NOSPACE;
 			print_text(h, ",");
 		}
 
-		if (n->next && NULL == n->next->next)
+		if (nch->next->next == NULL)
 			print_text(h, "and");
 	}
 
-	if (nchild > 1)
+	if (n->child != NULL && n->child->next != NULL)
 		print_text(h, "utilities exit\\~0");
 	else
 		print_text(h, "utility exits\\~0");
@@ -1695,37 +1697,36 @@ mdoc_rv_pre(MDOC_ARGS)
 {
 	struct htmlpair	 tag;
 	struct tag	*t;
-	int		 nchild;
+	struct roff_node *nch;
 
 	if (n->prev)
 		print_otag(h, TAG_BR, 0, NULL);
 
 	PAIR_CLASS_INIT(&tag, "fname");
 
-	nchild = n->nchild;
-	if (nchild > 0) {
+	if (n->child != NULL) {
 		print_text(h, "The");
 
-		for (n = n->child; n; n = n->next) {
+		for (nch = n->child; nch != NULL; nch = nch->next) {
 			t = print_otag(h, TAG_B, 1, &tag);
-			print_text(h, n->string);
+			print_text(h, nch->string);
 			print_tagq(h, t);
 
 			h->flags |= HTML_NOSPACE;
 			print_text(h, "()");
 
-			if (n->next == NULL)
+			if (nch->next == NULL)
 				continue;
 
-			if (nchild > 2) {
+			if (nch->prev != NULL || nch->next->next != NULL) {
 				h->flags |= HTML_NOSPACE;
 				print_text(h, ",");
 			}
-			if (n->next->next == NULL)
+			if (nch->next->next == NULL)
 				print_text(h, "and");
 		}
 
-		if (nchild > 1)
+		if (n->child != NULL && n->child->next != NULL)
 			print_text(h, "functions return");
 		else
 			print_text(h, "function returns");
@@ -2001,7 +2002,7 @@ mdoc_bk_pre(MDOC_ARGS)
 	case ROFFT_HEAD:
 		return 0;
 	case ROFFT_BODY:
-		if (n->parent->args || 0 == n->prev->nchild)
+		if (n->parent->args != NULL || n->prev->child == NULL)
 			h->flags |= HTML_PREKEEP;
 		break;
 	default:
@@ -2030,7 +2031,7 @@ mdoc_quote_pre(MDOC_ARGS)
 	switch (n->tok) {
 	case MDOC_Ao:
 	case MDOC_Aq:
-		print_text(h, n->nchild == 1 &&
+		print_text(h, n->child != NULL && n->child->next == NULL &&
 		    n->child->tok == MDOC_Mt ?  "<" : "\\(la");
 		break;
 	case MDOC_Bro:
@@ -2094,7 +2095,7 @@ mdoc_quote_post(MDOC_ARGS)
 	switch (n->tok) {
 	case MDOC_Ao:
 	case MDOC_Aq:
-		print_text(h, n->nchild == 1 &&
+		print_text(h, n->child != NULL && n->child->next == NULL &&
 		    n->child->tok == MDOC_Mt ?  ">" : "\\(ra");
 		break;
 	case MDOC_Bro:
diff --git a/mdoc_man.c b/mdoc_man.c
index 0881c8a7..40baf261 100644
--- a/mdoc_man.c
+++ b/mdoc_man.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*	$Id$ */
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2011-2015 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
+ * Copyright (c) 2011-2016 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
  *
  * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
  * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
@@ -610,7 +610,8 @@ print_node(DECL_ARGS)
 		 */
 		act = manacts + n->tok;
 		cond = act->cond == NULL || (*act->cond)(meta, n);
-		if (cond && act->pre && (n->end == ENDBODY_NOT || n->nchild))
+		if (cond && act->pre != NULL &&
+		    (n->end == ENDBODY_NOT || n->child != NULL))
 			do_sub = (*act->pre)(meta, n);
 	}
 
@@ -681,30 +682,29 @@ post_enc(DECL_ARGS)
 static int
 pre_ex(DECL_ARGS)
 {
-	int	 nchild;
+	struct roff_node *nch;
 
 	outflags |= MMAN_br | MMAN_nl;
 
 	print_word("The");
 
-	nchild = n->nchild;
-	for (n = n->child; n; n = n->next) {
+	for (nch = n->child; nch != NULL; nch = nch->next) {
 		font_push('B');
-		print_word(n->string);
+		print_word(nch->string);
 		font_pop();
 
-		if (n->next == NULL)
+		if (nch->next == NULL)
 			continue;
 
-		if (nchild > 2) {
+		if (nch->prev != NULL || nch->next->next != NULL) {
 			outflags &= ~MMAN_spc;
 			print_word(",");
 		}
-		if (n->next->next == NULL)
+		if (nch->next->next == NULL)
 			print_word("and");
 	}
 
-	if (nchild > 1)
+	if (n->child != NULL && n->child->next != NULL)
 		print_word("utilities exit\\~0");
 	else
 		print_word("utility exits\\~0");
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@ static int
 pre_aq(DECL_ARGS)
 {
 
-	print_word(n->nchild == 1 &&
+	print_word(n->child != NULL && n->child->next == NULL &&
 	    n->child->tok == MDOC_Mt ?  "<" : "\\(la");
 	outflags &= ~MMAN_spc;
 	return 1;
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@ post_aq(DECL_ARGS)
 {
 
 	outflags &= ~(MMAN_spc | MMAN_nl);
-	print_word(n->nchild == 1 &&
+	print_word(n->child != NULL && n->child->next == NULL &&
 	    n->child->tok == MDOC_Mt ?  ">" : "\\(ra");
 }
 
@@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ pre_bl(DECL_ARGS)
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	if (n->nchild) {
+	if (n->child != NULL) {
 		print_line(".TS", MMAN_nl);
 		for (icol = 0; icol < n->norm->Bl.ncols; icol++)
 			print_word("l");
@@ -1016,7 +1016,7 @@ post_bl(DECL_ARGS)
 
 	switch (n->norm->Bl.type) {
 	case LIST_column:
-		if (n->nchild)
+		if (n->child != NULL)
 			print_line(".TE", 0);
 		break;
 	case LIST_enum:
@@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ pre_fl(DECL_ARGS)
 
 	font_push('B');
 	print_word("\\-");
-	if (n->nchild)
+	if (n->child != NULL)
 		outflags &= ~MMAN_spc;
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -1224,7 +1224,7 @@ post_fl(DECL_ARGS)
 {
 
 	font_pop();
-	if ( ! (n->nchild ||
+	if (!(n->child != NULL ||
 	    n->next == NULL ||
 	    n->next->type == ROFFT_TEXT ||
 	    n->next->flags & MDOC_LINE))
@@ -1645,34 +1645,33 @@ pre_rs(DECL_ARGS)
 static int
 pre_rv(DECL_ARGS)
 {
-	int	 nchild;
+	struct roff_node *nch;
 
 	outflags |= MMAN_br | MMAN_nl;
 
-	nchild = n->nchild;
-	if (nchild > 0) {
+	if (n->child != NULL) {
 		print_word("The");
 
-		for (n = n->child; n; n = n->next) {
+		for (nch = n->child; nch != NULL; nch = nch->next) {
 			font_push('B');
-			print_word(n->string);
+			print_word(nch->string);
 			font_pop();
 
 			outflags &= ~MMAN_spc;
 			print_word("()");
 
-			if (n->next == NULL)
+			if (nch->next == NULL)
 				continue;
 
-			if (nchild > 2) {
+			if (nch->prev != NULL || nch->next->next != NULL) {
 				outflags &= ~MMAN_spc;
 				print_word(",");
 			}
-			if (n->next->next == NULL)
+			if (nch->next->next == NULL)
 				print_word("and");
 		}
 
-		if (nchild > 1)
+		if (n->child != NULL && n->child->next != NULL)
 			print_word("functions return");
 		else
 			print_word("function returns");
diff --git a/mdoc_term.c b/mdoc_term.c
index abda8e30..ca11fc65 100644
--- a/mdoc_term.c
+++ b/mdoc_term.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*	$Id$ */
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Kristaps Dzonsons <kristaps@bsd.lv>
- * Copyright (c) 2010, 2012-2015 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
+ * Copyright (c) 2010, 2012-2016 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
  * Copyright (c) 2013 Franco Fichtner <franco@lastsummer.de>
  *
  * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ print_mdoc_node(DECL_ARGS)
 		break;
 	default:
 		if (termacts[n->tok].pre &&
-		    (n->end == ENDBODY_NOT || n->nchild))
+		    (n->end == ENDBODY_NOT || n->child != NULL))
 			chld = (*termacts[n->tok].pre)
 				(p, &npair, meta, n);
 		break;
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ static int
 termp_ll_pre(DECL_ARGS)
 {
 
-	term_setwidth(p, n->nchild ? n->child->string : NULL);
+	term_setwidth(p, n->child != NULL ? n->child->string : NULL);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ termp_it_pre(DECL_ARGS)
 			term_word(p, "\\ \\ ");
 		break;
 	case LIST_inset:
-		if (n->type == ROFFT_BODY && n->parent->head->nchild)
+		if (n->type == ROFFT_BODY && n->parent->head->child != NULL)
 			term_word(p, "\\ ");
 		break;
 	default:
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ termp_fl_pre(DECL_ARGS)
 	term_fontpush(p, TERMFONT_BOLD);
 	term_word(p, "\\-");
 
-	if ( ! (n->nchild == 0 &&
+	if (!(n->child == NULL &&
 	    (n->next == NULL ||
 	     n->next->type == ROFFT_TEXT ||
 	     n->next->flags & MDOC_LINE)))
@@ -1106,34 +1106,33 @@ termp_rs_pre(DECL_ARGS)
 static int
 termp_rv_pre(DECL_ARGS)
 {
-	int		 nchild;
+	struct roff_node *nch;
 
 	term_newln(p);
 
-	nchild = n->nchild;
-	if (nchild > 0) {
+	if (n->child != NULL) {
 		term_word(p, "The");
 
-		for (n = n->child; n; n = n->next) {
+		for (nch = n->child; nch != NULL; nch = nch->next) {
 			term_fontpush(p, TERMFONT_BOLD);
-			term_word(p, n->string);
+			term_word(p, nch->string);
 			term_fontpop(p);
 
 			p->flags |= TERMP_NOSPACE;
 			term_word(p, "()");
 
-			if (n->next == NULL)
+			if (nch->next == NULL)
 				continue;
 
-			if (nchild > 2) {
+			if (nch->prev != NULL || nch->next->next != NULL) {
 				p->flags |= TERMP_NOSPACE;
 				term_word(p, ",");
 			}
-			if (n->next->next == NULL)
+			if (nch->next->next == NULL)
 				term_word(p, "and");
 		}
 
-		if (nchild > 1)
+		if (n->child != NULL && n->child->next != NULL)
 			term_word(p, "functions return");
 		else
 			term_word(p, "function returns");
@@ -1159,27 +1158,29 @@ termp_rv_pre(DECL_ARGS)
 static int
 termp_ex_pre(DECL_ARGS)
 {
-	int		 nchild;
+	struct roff_node *nch;
 
 	term_newln(p);
 	term_word(p, "The");
 
-	nchild = n->nchild;
-	for (n = n->child; n; n = n->next) {
+	for (nch = n->child; nch != NULL; nch = nch->next) {
 		term_fontpush(p, TERMFONT_BOLD);
-		term_word(p, n->string);
+		term_word(p, nch->string);
 		term_fontpop(p);
 
-		if (nchild > 2 && n->next) {
+		if (nch->next == NULL)
+			continue;
+
+		if (nch->prev != NULL || nch->next->next != NULL) {
 			p->flags |= TERMP_NOSPACE;
 			term_word(p, ",");
 		}
 
-		if (n->next && NULL == n->next->next)
+		if (nch->next->next == NULL)
 			term_word(p, "and");
 	}
 
-	if (nchild > 1)
+	if (n->child != NULL && n->child->next != NULL)
 		term_word(p, "utilities exit\\~0");
 	else
 		term_word(p, "utility exits\\~0");
@@ -1838,7 +1839,7 @@ termp_quote_pre(DECL_ARGS)
 	switch (n->tok) {
 	case MDOC_Ao:
 	case MDOC_Aq:
-		term_word(p, n->nchild == 1 &&
+		term_word(p, n->child != NULL && n->child->next == NULL &&
 		    n->child->tok == MDOC_Mt ? "<" : "\\(la");
 		break;
 	case MDOC_Bro:
@@ -1895,7 +1896,7 @@ termp_quote_post(DECL_ARGS)
 	switch (n->tok) {
 	case MDOC_Ao:
 	case MDOC_Aq:
-		term_word(p, n->nchild == 1 &&
+		term_word(p, n->child != NULL && n->child->next == NULL &&
 		    n->child->tok == MDOC_Mt ? ">" : "\\(ra");
 		break;
 	case MDOC_Bro:
@@ -2159,7 +2160,7 @@ termp_bk_pre(DECL_ARGS)
 	case ROFFT_HEAD:
 		return 0;
 	case ROFFT_BODY:
-		if (n->parent->args || 0 == n->prev->nchild)
+		if (n->parent->args != NULL || n->prev->child == NULL)
 			p->flags |= TERMP_PREKEEP;
 		break;
 	default:
diff --git a/mdoc_validate.c b/mdoc_validate.c
index 5a3a347e..8614a15a 100644
--- a/mdoc_validate.c
+++ b/mdoc_validate.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*	$Id$ */
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2008-2012 Kristaps Dzonsons <kristaps@bsd.lv>
- * Copyright (c) 2010-2015 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
+ * Copyright (c) 2010-2016 Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>
  * Copyright (c) 2010 Joerg Sonnenberger <joerg@netbsd.org>
  *
  * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
@@ -1278,7 +1278,8 @@ post_bl_head(POST_ARGS)
 
 	argv = nbl->args->argv + j;
 	i = argv->sz;
-	argv->sz += nh->nchild;
+	for (nch = nh->child; nch != NULL; nch = nch->next)
+		argv->sz++;
 	argv->value = mandoc_reallocarray(argv->value,
 	    argv->sz, sizeof(char *));
 
@@ -1291,7 +1292,6 @@ post_bl_head(POST_ARGS)
 		nnext = nch->next;
 		roff_node_delete(NULL, nch);
 	}
-	nh->nchild = 0;
 	nh->child = NULL;
 }
 
@@ -1352,14 +1352,11 @@ post_bl(POST_ARGS)
 		 */
 
 		assert(nchild->prev == NULL);
-		if (--nbody->nchild == 0) {
-			nbody->child = NULL;
+		nbody->child = nnext;
+		if (nnext == NULL)
 			nbody->last  = NULL;
-			assert(nnext == NULL);
-		} else {
-			nbody->child = nnext;
+		else
 			nnext->prev = NULL;
-		}
 
 		/*
 		 * Relink this child.
@@ -1370,7 +1367,6 @@ post_bl(POST_ARGS)
 		nchild->next   = nblock;
 
 		nblock->prev = nchild;
-		nparent->nchild++;
 		if (nprev == NULL)
 			nparent->child = nchild;
 		else
@@ -1688,7 +1684,9 @@ post_sh_see_also(POST_ARGS)
 	n = mdoc->last->child;
 	lastname = lastsec = lastpunct = NULL;
 	while (n != NULL) {
-		if (n->tok != MDOC_Xr || n->nchild < 2)
+		if (n->tok != MDOC_Xr ||
+		    n->child == NULL ||
+		    n->child->next == NULL)
 			break;
 
 		/* Process one .Xr node. */
@@ -1744,7 +1742,7 @@ child_an(const struct roff_node *n)
 {
 
 	for (n = n->child; n != NULL; n = n->next)
-		if ((n->tok == MDOC_An && n->nchild) || child_an(n))
+		if ((n->tok == MDOC_An && n->child != NULL) || child_an(n))
 			return 1;
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1931,7 +1929,7 @@ post_par(POST_ARGS)
 		post_prevpar(mdoc);
 
 	if (np->tok == MDOC_sp) {
-		if (np->nchild > 1)
+		if (np->child != NULL && np->child->next != NULL)
 			mandoc_vmsg(MANDOCERR_ARG_EXCESS, mdoc->parse,
 			    np->child->next->line, np->child->next->pos,
 			    "sp ... %s", np->child->next->string);
diff --git a/roff.c b/roff.c
index 679b64b2..99d8a4d6 100644
--- a/roff.c
+++ b/roff.c
@@ -1024,7 +1024,6 @@ roff_node_append(struct roff_man *man, struct roff_node *n)
 	default:
 		abort();
 	}
-	n->parent->nchild++;
 	man->last = n;
 
 	switch (n->type) {
@@ -1169,7 +1168,6 @@ roff_node_unlink(struct roff_man *man, struct roff_node *n)
 	/* Adjust parent. */
 
 	if (n->parent != NULL) {
-		n->parent->nchild--;
 		if (n->parent->child == n)
 			n->parent->child = n->next;
 		if (n->parent->last == n)
@@ -1211,7 +1209,6 @@ roff_node_delete(struct roff_man *man, struct roff_node *n)
 
 	while (n->child != NULL)
 		roff_node_delete(man, n->child);
-	assert(n->nchild == 0);
 	roff_node_unlink(man, n);
 	roff_node_free(n);
 }
diff --git a/roff.h b/roff.h
index cbee3822..19ec50f4 100644
--- a/roff.h
+++ b/roff.h
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ struct	roff_node {
 	char		 *string;  /* TEXT */
 	const struct tbl_span *span; /* TBL */
 	const struct eqn *eqn;	   /* EQN */
-	int		  nchild;  /* Number of child nodes. */
 	int		  line;    /* Input file line number. */
 	int		  pos;     /* Input file column number. */
 	int		  tok;     /* Request or macro ID. */