Re: [Groff] confused by soelim

[Tadziu Hoffmann]

> According to info groff, .mso is:
> 
> Identical to the `so' request except that `gtroff' searches
> for the specified FILE in the same directories as macro files
> for the the `-m' command line option
> 
> .so is marked with a footnote `see gsoelim' - the implication
> is that soelim is needed to read in files specified by both
> requests.
> 
> Also, man groff_tmac (5) make this explicit:
> 
>   Note that in order to resolve the .so and .mso requests, the
>   roff preprocessor soelim(1)  must be called *if the files to
>   be included need preprocessing*.  This can be done either
>   directly by a pipeline on the command line or by using the
>   troff/groff option -s.  man calls soelim automatically.
> 
> But, as far as I can see, at least .mso requests do *not*
> require soelim; and, in fact, soelim is *unable* to resolve
> them.  Am I missing something?

Hmmm, seems you misunderstood what was intended to be said in
that passage :-).

Here's the normal processing sequence:

    input        sourced
    file          file
      |             |
      v             v
  preprocessor -> troff -> postprocessor
                                |
                                v
                              output
                               file

That is, files sourced with ".so" are normally read *only* by
troff (the actual formatter).  soelim is *not* required for
troff to source files.

If a file to be sourced should also be preprocessed, it must
already be read *before* the input file passes through the
preprocessor.  This is handled by soelim:

   input
   file
     |
     v
   soelim -> preprocessor -> troff -> postprocessor
     ^                                     |
     |                                     v
  sourced                                output
   file                                   file