[groff] 13/13: tbl(1): Fix content and style nits.

[G. Branden Robinson]

gbranden pushed a commit to branch master
in repository groff.

commit d958f1a554fbf7214a3f76f5139705cf91c16907
Author: G. Branden Robinson <g.branden.robinson@gmail.com>
AuthorDate: Mon Oct 7 04:28:31 2024 -0500

    tbl(1): Fix content and style nits.
    
    * Note implicit column addition within table format specification as a
      GNU tbl feature, not a generic one.  (Heirloom supports it, DWB
      doesn't).
    * Clarify how the 'N' column classifier handles a completely non-numeric
      entry.
    * Clarify cautionary note regarding `\"` and `\!` escape sequences;
      they're fine in text blocks.
    
    * Favor active voice over passive.
    * Tighten wording.
---
 src/preproc/tbl/tbl.1.man | 23 ++++++++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/preproc/tbl/tbl.1.man b/src/preproc/tbl/tbl.1.man
index bbba79d67..8ea0c124a 100644
--- a/src/preproc/tbl/tbl.1.man
+++ b/src/preproc/tbl/tbl.1.man
@@ -493,13 +493,14 @@ followed by a newline.
 .
 Each row definition is applied in turn to one row of the table.
 .
-The last row definition is applied to rows of table data in excess of
-the row definitions.
+.I tbl \" generic
+applies the last row definition to rows of table data
+in excess of the row definitions.
 .
 .
 .P
 For clarity in this document's examples,
-we shall write classifiers in uppercase and modifiers in lowercase.
+we write classifiers in uppercase and modifiers in lowercase.
 .
 Thus,
 .RB \[lq] CbCb,LR.\& \[rq]
@@ -519,10 +520,13 @@ Any rows of entries appended to the table data reuse the 
row definition
 .P
 The row definition with the most column descriptors determines the
 number of columns in the table;
-any row definition with fewer is implicitly extended on the right-hand
-side with
+GNU
+.I tbl \" GNU
+implicitly extends any row definition with fewer
+on the right-hand side with
 .B L
 classifiers as many times as necessary to make the table rectangular.
+.\" Heirloom Doctools tbl also does that; DWB tbl does not.
 .
 .
 .br
@@ -581,7 +585,7 @@ it uses the rightmost one for vertical alignment.
 .
 If there is no decimal separator,
 the rightmost digit is used for vertical alignment;
-otherwise,
+if no digits are present,
 .I @g@tbl
 centers the entry within the column.
 .
@@ -593,7 +597,8 @@ in an entry marks the glyph preceding it
 (if any)
 as the units place;
 if multiple instances occur in the data,
-the leftmost is used for alignment.
+.I tbl \" generic
+uses the leftmost for alignment.
 .
 .
 .IP
@@ -1577,8 +1582,8 @@ as a leader character.
 .SH Limitations
 .\" ====================================================================
 .
-In table entries,
-do not use
+In table entries that are not text blocks,
+avoid use of
 .I roff
 escape sequences that read to the end of the line,
 like