#1038761 startx.1: a few remarks and editing fixes for the manual

Package:
dpkg
Source:
dpkg
Description:
Debian package management system
Submitter:
Bjarni Ingi Gislason
Date:
2023-06-21 01:33:03 UTC
Severity:
normal
Tags:
#1038761#5
Date:
2023-06-21 00:30:04 UTC
From:
To:
Dear Maintainer,

here are a few notes and fixes for the manual.

###

Input file is startx.1

Change two HYPHEN-MINUSES (code 0x055, 2D) to an em-dash (\(em), if one
is intended.  An en-dash is usually surrounded by a space, while an em-dash
is used without spaces. "man" (1 byte characters) transforms an en-dash
(\(en to one HYPHEN-MINUS, and an em-dash to two HYPHEN-MINUSES without
considering the space around it.
If "--" are two single "-" (end of options) then use "\-\-".

startx.1:71:startx -- -depth 16
startx.1:73:startx -- -dpi 100
startx.1:75:startx -- -layout Multihead

#####

Use the word (in)valid instead of (il)legal if not related to legal
matters.
See "www.gnu.org/prep/standards".
Think about translations into other languages!

startx.1:68:the manual page for your X server to determine which arguments are legal.

#####

Change a HYPHEN-MINUS (code 0x55, 2D) to a minus (\-), if in front of a
name for an option.

57:.RB '--'
71:startx -- -depth 16
73:startx -- -dpi 100
75:startx -- -layout Multihead

#####

Wrong distance between sentences.

  Separate the sentences and subordinate clauses; each begins on a new
line.  See man-pages(7) ("Conventions for source file layout") and
"info groff" ("Input Conventions").

  The best procedure is to always start a new sentence on a new line,
at least, if you are typing on a computer.

Remember coding: Only one command ("sentence") on each (logical) line.

E-mail: Easier to quote exactly the relevant lines.

Generally: Easier to edit the sentence.

Patches: Less unaffected text.

  The amount of space between sentences in the output can then be
controlled with the ".ss" request.

87:is used to start the X session. All discussion of the

#####

Split a punctuation mark from a single argument for a two-font macro

92:.IR .xsession.

#####

Output from "test-nroff -man -b -ww -z":


[ "test-groff" is a developmental version of "groff" ]

Input file is ./startx.1

Output from test-groff -b -mandoc -dAD=l -rF0 -rHY=0 -t -w w -z :
an.tmac:/tmp/chk_manuals.temp.Vnx9bq:57: style: .RB expects at least 2 arguments, got 1
an.tmac:/tmp/chk_manuals.temp.Vnx9bq:92: style: .IR expects at least 2 arguments, got 1

####
--- startx.1	2023-06-20 23:50:11.000000000 +0000
+++ startx.1.new	2023-06-21 00:13:05.000000000 +0000
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Arguments immediately following the
 command are used to start a client in the same manner as
 .BR xinit (1).
 The special argument
-.RB '--'
+.RB ' \-\- '
 marks the end of client arguments and the beginning of server options.
 It may be convenient to specify server options with startx to change on a
 per-session basis the
@@ -65,14 +65,14 @@ permitted by the
 server and specified in the
 .BR xorg.conf (5)
 configuration.  Some examples of specifying server arguments follow; consult
-the manual page for your X server to determine which arguments are legal.
+the manual page for your X server to determine which arguments are valid.
 .RS
 .PP
-startx -- -depth 16
+startx \-\- \-depth 16
 .PP
-startx -- -dpi 100
+startx \-\- \-dpi 100
 .PP
-startx -- -layout Multihead
+startx \-\- \-layout Multihead
 .RE
 .PP
 Note that in the Debian system, what many people traditionally put in the
@@ -84,12 +84,13 @@ instead; this permits the same X environ
 .IR xdm ,
 or
 .I xinit
-is used to start the X session. All discussion of the
+is used to start the X session.
+All discussion of the
 .I .xinitrc
 file in the
 .IR xinit (1)
 manual page applies equally well to
-.IR .xsession.
+.IR .xsession .
 Keep in mind that
 .I .xinitrc
 is used only by

#1038761#10
Date:
2023-06-21 01:30:28 UTC
From:
To:
Hi!

[ It seems this got misfiled, leaving the bulk of the mail for context. ]

Thanks,
Guillem