Re: compatibility and transparent throughput

[Werner LEMBERG]

> The file man_ex is a copy of the example  towards the
> end of the groff_diff man page.
> In compatibility mode, it is supposed to produce a *single*
> backslash.  It produces two.
> An old ("classical") version of troff does produce a single
> backslash.

You've misread groff_diff.  Compatibility mode will make groff read
documents written for troff (this is, it will accept classical troff's
input syntax), not to emulate everything.  The next step would be to
ask that the output of groff and classical troff is identical...  What
you are describing above is a feature (from James Clark himself).  If
you really want to emulate classical troff's behaviour
w.r.t. backslashes you have to use the `asciify' request.  In your
mktest example, insert `.do asciify Yy' right after the `.Xx' line,
and you get the same output as with classical troff.  Alternatively,
and perhaps even better, use `\!\!.mk'.

I'll slightly reformulate groff_diff.man to make this clear.


    Werner