Re: groff -Tdvi prints a cryptic error message

[Werner LEMBERG]

> > > $ groff -Tdvi -mandoc zz.1 > /dev/null
> > > /usr/share/groff/1.18.1/font/devdvi/M:6: error: bad width for 
> > > `\x{FFFD}\x{FFFD}'
> > > troff: warning: can't find font `M'
> > > /usr/share/groff/1.18.1/font/devdvi/G:6: error: bad width for 
> > > `\x{FFFD}\x{FFFD}'
> > > troff: warning: can't find font `G'
> > 
> > This is a bug in the Debian package of groff.
> 
> this is RH, not debian

They apparently use the Debian extension for groff (SuSE does the
same, BTW).

> the file is empty, there are no Japanese characters there.
> why the error?

groff's start-up file `troffrc' loads the file `dvi.tmac' if the dvi
device is active.  I assume that this file has been patched, referring
to the fonts `M' and `G' somehow so that those warning messages are
triggered.  After loading all user input files a final `troffrc-end'
file is parsed also.  Again it is possible that there is some code
which does something with `M' and `G' if the dvi device is active.

> this error is not signaled with -Tps or -Tascii or -Thtml.

Of course not, since dvi.tmac isn't loaded for those devices.


    Werner