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[groff] 13/17: [docs]: Clarify .ta request.


From: G. Branden Robinson
Subject: [groff] 13/17: [docs]: Clarify .ta request.
Date: Tue, 25 May 2021 09:35:51 -0400 (EDT)

gbranden pushed a commit to branch master
in repository groff.

commit f19f18ed5265582ea0c08d617d77bca41b1b7359
Author: G. Branden Robinson <g.branden.robinson@gmail.com>
AuthorDate: Tue May 25 18:27:36 2021 +1000

    [docs]: Clarify .ta request.
    
    * doc/groff.texi (Tabs and Fields) <ta>: Fix syntax summary to mark a
      sequence of pre-"T" arguments as optional.  Break long input line.
      Since all arguments are marked as optional now, relocate description
      of semantics of request without arguments from miscellaneous note list
      to lead paragraph.  Fix agreement between verb and its antecedent.
      Recast description of groff extension syntax.  Say "groff" instead of
      "gtroff" since it's a language extension.
    
    * man/groff_diff.7.man (Language/Extended requests) <.ta>: Sync
      description of groff syntax extension with our Texinfo manual.  Drop
      example.
---
 doc/groff.texi       | 50 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------------
 man/groff_diff.7.man | 39 ++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------
 2 files changed, 48 insertions(+), 41 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/groff.texi b/doc/groff.texi
index d5e7f62..4fbf27d 100644
--- a/doc/groff.texi
+++ b/doc/groff.texi
@@ -7916,15 +7916,17 @@ This escape is a non-interpreted tab character.  In 
copy mode
 (@pxref{Copy Mode}), @code{\t} is the same as a real tab character.
 @endDefesc
 
-@DefreqList {ta, [@Var{n1} @Var{n2} @dots{} @Var{nn} @t{T} @Var{r1} @Var{r2} 
@dots{} @Var{rn}]}
+@DefreqList {ta, [[@Var{n1} @Var{n2} @dots{} @Var{nn} ]@t{T} @Var{r1} @
+ @Var{r2} @dots{} @Var{rn}]}
 @DefregListEndx {.tabs}
 Change tab stop positions.  This request takes a series of tab
 specifiers as arguments (optionally divided into two groups with the
-letter @samp{T}) that indicate where each tab stop is to be (overriding
-any previous settings).
+letter @samp{T}) that indicate where each tab stop is to be, overriding
+any previous settings.  Calling @code{ta} without an argument removes
+all tab stops.
 
-Tab stops can be specified absolutely, i.e., as the distance from the
-left margin.  For example, the following sets 6@tie{}tab stops every one
+Tab stops can be specified absolutely, i.e., as distances from the left
+margin.  For example, the following sets 6@tie{}tab stops every one
 inch.
 
 @Example
@@ -7939,29 +7941,32 @@ For example, the following is equivalent to the 
previous example.
 .ta 1i +1i +1i +1i +1i +1i
 @endExample
 
-@code{gtroff} supports an extended syntax to specify repeat values after
-the @samp{T} mark (these values are always taken as relative)---this is
-the usual way to specify tabs set at equal intervals.  The following is,
-yet again, the same as the previous examples.  It does even more since
-it defines an infinite number of tab stops separated by one inch.
+@code{groff} supports an extended syntax to specify repeating tab stops
+after the @samp{T} mark.  These values are always taken as relative
+distances from the previous tab stop.  This is the idiomatic way to
+specify tab stops at equal intervals in @code{groff}.  The following is,
+yet again, the same as the previous examples.  It does more, in fact,
+since it defines an infinite number of tab stops at one-inch intervals.
 
 @Example
 .ta T 1i
 @endExample
 
-Now we are ready to interpret the full syntax given at the beginning:
-Set tabs at positions @var{n1}, @var{n2}, @dots{}, @var{nn} and then set
-tabs at @var{nn}+@var{r1}, @var{nn}+@var{r2}, @dots{}, @var{nn}+@var{rn}
-and then at @var{nn}+@var{rn}+@var{r1}, @var{nn}+@var{rn}+@var{r2},
-@dots{}, @var{nn}+@var{rn}+@var{rn}, and so on.
+Now we are ready to interpret the full syntax given above.  The
+@code{ta} request sets tabs at positions @var{n1}, @var{n2}, @dots{},
+@var{nn}, then at @var{nn}+@var{r1}, @var{nn}+@var{r2}, @dots{},
+@var{nn}+@var{rn}, then at @var{nn}+@var{rn}+@var{r1},
+@var{nn}+@var{rn}+@var{r2}, @dots{}, @var{nn}+@var{rn}+@var{rn}, and so
+on.
 
-Example: @samp{4c +6c T 3c 5c 2c} is equivalent to @samp{4c 10c 13c 18c
-20c 23c 28c 30c @dots{}}.
+For example, @samp{4c +6c T 3c 5c 2c} is equivalent to @samp{4c 10c 13c
+18c 20c 23c 28c 30c @dots{}}.
 
-The material in each tab column (i.e., the column between two tab stops)
-may be justified to the right or left or centered in the column.  This
-is specified by appending @samp{R}, @samp{L}, or @samp{C} to the tab
-specifier.  The default justification is @samp{L}.  Example:
+Text written to a tab column (i.e., between two tab stops, or between a
+tab stop and an output line boundary) may be aligned to the right or
+left, or centered in the column.  This is specified by appending
+@samp{R}, @samp{L}, or @samp{C} to the tab specifier.  The default
+justification is @samp{L}.
 
 @Example
 .ta 1i 2iC 3iR
@@ -8039,9 +8044,6 @@ stop.
 Tab stops are associated with the environment (@pxref{Environments}).
 
 @item
-Calling @code{ta} without an argument removes all tab stops.
-
-@item
 @cindex tab stops, for TTY output devices
 The start-up value of @code{gtroff} is @w{@samp{T 0.5i}}.
 @end itemize
diff --git a/man/groff_diff.7.man b/man/groff_diff.7.man
index e458b4a..e1c7d6e 100644
--- a/man/groff_diff.7.man
+++ b/man/groff_diff.7.man
@@ -3500,35 +3500,40 @@ and default to\~12.
 .TP
 .BR .ta\~ [[\c
 .IR "n1 n2\~" .\|.\|.\~ nn \~]\c
-.B T\c
+.B T\~\c
 .IR "r1 r2\~" .\|.\|.\~ rn ]
-Set tabs at positions
+.I groff
+supports an extended syntax to specify repeating tab stops after
+the
+.RB \[lq] T \[rq]
+mark.
+.
+These values are always taken as relative distances from the previous
+tab stop.
+.
+This is the idiomatic way to specify tab stops at equal intervals in
+.IR groff .
+.
+.
+.IP
+The syntax summary above instructs
+.I groff
+to set tabs at positions
 .IR n1 ,
 .IR n2 ,
 \&.\|.\|.\|,
-.I nn
-and then set tabs at
+.IR nn ,
+then at
 .IR nn \|+\| r1 ,
 .IR nn \|+\| r2 ,
 \&.\|.\|.\|,
-.IR nn \|+\| rn
-and then at
+.IR nn \|+\| rn ,
+then at
 .IR nn \|+\| rn \|+\| r1 ,
 .IR nn \|+\| rn \|+\| r2 ,
 \&.\|.\|.\|,
 .IR nn \|+\| rn \|+\| rn ,
 and so on.
-For example,
-.
-.RS
-.IP
-.EX
-\&.ta T .5i
-.EE
-.
-.P
-sets tabs every half an inch.
-.RE
 .
 .
 .\" ====================================================================



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