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<p>
<a name="TOP"></a>
<a name="GOODIES">
<h1 align="center"><u>Goodies</u></h1>
</a>
<p>
<a name="INTRO_GOODIES"></a>
The macros in this section are a collection of useful (and sometimes
nearly indispensable) routines to simplify typesetting.
<p>
<a name="INDEX_GOODIES">
<h3><u>Goodies list</u></h3>
</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#ALIAS">ALIAS</a> (rename macros)
<li><a href="#SILENT">SILENT</a> ("hide" input lines from output)
<li><a href="#TRAP">TRAP</a> (suspend/re-invoke traps)
<li><a href="#SMARTQUOTES">SMARTQUOTES</a> (convert typewriter doublequotes to proper doublequotes)
<li><a href="#CAPS">CAPS</a> (convert to upper case)
<li><a href="#STRING">STRING</a> (user-definable strings)
<br>
<li><strong>Underscore/underline</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="#UNDERSCORE">UNDERSCORE</a> (single underscore)
<li><a href="#UNDERSCORE2">UNDERSCORE2</a> (double underscore)
<li><a href="#UNDERLINE">UNDERLINE</a> (underline -- Courier only!)
<li><a href="#UL">\*[UL]</a> (inline escape to underline -- Courier only!)
</ul>
<li><strong>Padding</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="#PAD">PAD</a> (insert equalized space into lines)
<li><a href="#PAD_MARKER">PAD_MARKER</a> (change/set the marker used with <strong>PAD</strong>)
</ul>
<li><strong>Leaders</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="#LEADER">\*[LEADER]</a> (inline escape to add leaders to a line)
<li><a href="#LEADER_CHARACTER">LEADER_CHARACTER</a> (change/set the leader character)
</ul>
<li><strong>Drop caps</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="#DROPCAP">DROPCAP</a> (set a drop cap)
<li><strong>Support macros for DROPCAP</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="#DROPCAP_FAMILY">DROPCAP_FAMILY</a> (change drop cap family)
<li><a href="#DROPCAP_FONT">DROPCAP_FONT</a> (change drop cap font)
<li><a href="#DROPCAP_ADJUST">DROPCAP_ADJUST</a> (alter size of drop cap)
<li><a href="#DROPCAP_COLOR">DROPCAP_COLOR</a> (change colour of drop cap)
<li><a href="#DROPCAP_GUTTER">DROPCAP_GUTTER</a> (change space between drop cap and running text)
</ul>
</ul>
<li><strong>Superscripts</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="#SUP">\*[SUP]</a> (set superscript)
<li><a href="#CONDSUP">\*[CONDSUP]</a> (set condensed superscript)
<li><a href="#EXTSUP">\*[EXTSUP]</a> (set extended superscript)
</ul>
<li><strong>Lists</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="docelement.html#LIST_INTRO">Introduction to lists</a>
<li><a href="docelement.html#LIST">LIST</a>
<li><a href="docelement.html#ITEM">ITEM</a>
<li><a href="docelement.html#SHIFT_LIST">SHIFT_LIST</a>
<li><a href="docelement.html#RESET_LIST">RESET_LIST</a>
<li><a href="docelement.html#PAD_LIST_DIGITS">PAD_LIST_DIGITS</a>
</ul>
</ul>
<!---ALIAS--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="ALIAS"><h3><u>Rename macros</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>ALIAS</strong> <new name> <old name></nobr>
<p>
The <strong>ALIAS</strong> macro may well be your best friend. With it,
you can change the name of a macro to anything you like
(provided the new name is not already being used by
<strong>mom</strong>; see the
<a href="reserved.html#RESERVED">list of reserved words</a>).
<p>
Groff has always been a bit intimidating for new users because
its standard macro packages use very terse macro names.
<strong>Mom</strong> doesn't like people to feel intimidated; she wants
them to feel welcome. Consequently, she tries for easy-to-grasp,
self-explanatory macro names. However, <strong>mom</strong> knows
that people have their own ways of thinking, their own preferences,
their own habits. Some of her macro names may not suit you; they
might be too long, or aren't what you automatically think of
when you want to do a particular thing, or might conflict with habits
you've developed over the years.
<p>
If you don't like one of <strong>mom</strong>'s macro names,
say, PAGEWIDTH, change it, like this:
<p>
<pre>
.ALIAS PW PAGEWIDTH
| |
new__| |__official
name name
</pre>
The first argument to <strong>ALIAS</strong> is the new name you want
for a macro. The second is the "official" name by
which the macro is normally invoked. After <strong>ALIAS</strong>,
either can be used.
<p>
Note that in <strong>ALIAS</strong>, you do NOT include the period
(dot) that precedes the macro when it's a
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_CONTROLLINES">control line</a>.
<p>
<strong>NOTE:</strong> If you use <strong>ALIAS</strong> a lot,
and always for the same things, consider creating an aliases
file of the form
<p>
<pre>
.ALIAS <new name> <old name>
.ALIAS <new name> <old name>
.ALIAS <new name> <old name>
...etc
</pre>
Put the file someplace convenient and source it at the
beginning of your documents using the groff
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_PRIMITIVES">primitive</a>
<strong>.so</strong>. Assuming that you've created an aliases file
called mom_aliases in your home directory under a directory
called <code>Mom</code>, you'd source it by placing
<p>
<pre>
.so /home/<username>/Mom/mom_aliases
</pre>
at the top of your documents.
<p>
If you share documents that make use of an alias file, remember that
other people don't have the file! Paste the whole thing at the top
of your documents, please.
<p>
<strong>EXPERTS:</strong> <strong>ALIAS</strong> is an alias of
<code>.als</code>. You can use either, or mix 'n' match with
impunity.
<p>
<!---SILENT--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="SILENT"><h3><u>Hide input lines from output</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>SILENT</strong> toggle</nobr>
<br>
Alias: <strong>COMMENT</strong>
<p>
Sometimes, you want to "hide"
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_INPUTLINE">input lines</a>
from final output. This is most likely to be the case when setting
up string tabs (see the
<a href="STRING_TABS_TUT">quickie tutorial on string tabs</a>
for an example), but there are other places where you might want input
lines to be invisible as well. Any place you don't want input lines
to appear in the output, use the <strong>SILENT</strong> macro.
<p>
<strong>SILENT</strong> is a toggle. Invoking it without an argument
turns it on; any argument turns it off. E.g.,
<p>
<pre>
.SILENT
A line of text
.SILENT OFF
</pre>
The line "A line of text" will not appear in the
output copy.
<p>
<strong>SILENT</strong> is aliased as <strong>COMMENT</strong>.
If you want to insert non-printing comments into your documents,
you may prefer this.
<p>
<strong>NOTE: SILENT</strong> does not automatically break an
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_INPUTLINE">input line</a>
(see
<a href="typesetting.html#BR">BR</a>)
when you're in one of the
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_FILLED">fill modes</a>
(<a href="typesetting.html#JUSTIFY">JUSTIFY</a>
or
<a href="typesetting.html#QUAD">QUAD L | R | C | J</a>).
The same applies to tabs
(<a href="typesetting.html#TAB_SET">typesetting</a>
or
<a href="typesetting.html#ST">string</a>)
to which you've passed the <strong>J</strong> or <strong>QUAD</strong>
argument. You must insert <code>.BR</code> yourself, or risk a
portion of your text disappearing into a black hole.
<p>
<!---TRAP--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="TRAP"><h3><u>Suspend/re-invoke traps</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>TRAP</strong> toggle</nobr>
<p>
Traps are vertical positions on the output page at which you or
<strong>mom</strong> have instructed groff to start doing
something automatically. Commonly, this is near the bottom of
the page, where automatic behind-the-scenes processing is needed
in order for one page to finish and another to start.
<p>
Sometimes, traps get sprung when you don't want them. If this
happens, surround just the offending macros and input lines with
<p>
<pre>
.TRAP OFF
...
.TRAP
</pre>
<strong>TRAP</strong> is a toggle, therefore any argument
turns it off (i.e. suspends the trap), and no argument turns it
(back) on.
<p>
<!---SMARTQUOTES--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="SMARTQUOTES"><h3><u>Convert typewriter doublequotes to proper doublequotes</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong> [<off>] [ ,, | >> | << ]</nobr>
<br>
or
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong> DA | DE | ES | FR | IT | NL | NO | PT | SV</nobr>
<p>
If you invoke <strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong> without an argument,
<strong>mom</strong> converts all instances of the inch-mark,
(<kbd>"</kbd> -- also called a "doublequote"), into
the appropriate instances of true Anglo-American open- and
close-doublequotes. (See
<a href="#SQ_INTERNATIONAL">Internationalization</a>
for how to get SMARTQUOTES to behave correctly for non-English
quoting styles.)
<p>
Typographically, there is a difference between the inch-mark and
doublequotes -- a BIG difference. Sadly, typewriters and computer
keyboards supply only one: the inch-mark. While using inches for
doublequotes is, and always has been, acceptable in typewriter-style
copy, it has never been, and, God willing, never will be acceptable in
typeset copy. Failure to turn inches into quotes is the first thing
a professional typesetter notices in documents prepared by amateurs.
And you don't want to look like an amateur, do you?
<p>
<a name="SQ_INTERNATIONAL"><h3>Internationalization</h3></a>
<p>
If you invoke <strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong> with one of the optional
arguments (<kbd>,,</kbd> or <kbd>>></kbd> or
<kbd><<</kbd>) you can use <kbd>"</kbd> as "cheap"
open- and close-quotes when inputting text in a language other than
English, and have <strong>mom</strong> convert them, on output,
into the chosen open- and close-quote style.
<p>
<kbd>,,</kbd> opens quotes with "lowered doublequotes" and
closes them with "raised doublequotes", as in this ascii
approximation:
<p>
<pre>
,,Hilfe !``
</pre>
<kbd>>></kbd> opens quotes with guillemets pointing to the
right, and closes them with guillemets pointing to the left, as in
this ascii approximation:
<p>
<pre>
>>Zurück !<<
</pre>
<kbd><<</kbd> opens quotes with guillemets pointing to the
left, and closes them with guillemets pointing to the right, as in
this ascii approximation:
<p>
<pre>
<<Mais monsieur! Je ne suis pas ce genre de fille!>>
</pre>
Please note: the above arguments to <strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong>
are literal ASCII characters. <kbd>,,</kbd> is two commas,
<kbd><<</kbd> is two less-than signs and <kbd>>></kbd>
is two greater-than signs.
<p>
Alternatively, you can pass <strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong> the
two-letter, ISO 639 abbreviation for the language you're writing in,
and <strong>mom</strong> will output the correct quotes.
<p>
<pre>
.SMARTQUOTES DA = Danish >>text<<
.SMARTQUOTES DE = German ,,text``
.SMARTQUOTES ES = Spanish ``text´´
.SMARTQUOTES FR = French << text >>
.SMARTQUOTES IT = Italian << text >>
.SMARTQUOTES NL = Dutch ´´text´´
.SMARTQUOTES NO = Norwegian <<text>>
.SMARTQUOTES PT = Portuguese <<text>>
.SMARTQUOTES SV = Swedish >>text>>
</pre>
<p>
Turn <strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong> off by passing it any argument
<em>not</em> in the argument list (e.g. <strong>OFF</strong>,
<strong>QUIT</strong>, <strong>X</strong>, etc.)
<p>
If you're using the
<a href="docprocessing.html#DOCPROCESSING">document processing macros</a>
with
<a href="#PRINTSTYLE">PRINTSTYLE TYPESET</a>,
<strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong> is on by default (in the Anglo-American
style); with
<a href="#PRINTSTYLE">PRINTSTYLE TYPEWRITE</a>,
it's off by default (and should probably stay that way).
<p>
Finally, if you're fussy about the kerning of quote marks in
relation to the text they surround, or have special quoting needs,
you have to enter quote marks by hand using groff's native
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_INLINES">inline escapes</a>
for special characters (see man groff_char for a complete list of
special characters). Entering quote marks this way allows you to
use <strong>mom</strong>'s
<a href="inlines.html#INLINE_KERNING_MOM">inline kerning escapes</a>
to fine-tune the look of quotes.
<p>
<strong>NOTE:</strong> <strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong> does not work on
single quotes, which most people input with the apostrophe (found at
the right-hand end of the "home row" on a QWERTY keyboard).
Groff will interpret all instances of the apostrophe as an apostrophe,
making the symbol useless as an open-single-quote. For open single
quotes, input the backtick character typically found under the tilde
on most keyboards. (Pour nous autres, "backtick" veut dire
l'accent grave.)
Here's an example of correct input copy with single quotes:
<p>
<pre>
"But she said, `I don't want to!'"
</pre>
<strong>ADDITIONAL NOTE:</strong> Whether or not you have
<strong>SMARTQUOTES</strong> turned on, get into the habit of entering
the foot- and inch-marks, when you need them, with the
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_INLINES">inline escapes</a>
<strong>\*[FOOT]</strong> and <strong>\*[INCH]</strong>, instead
of <kbd>'</kbd> and <kbd>"</kbd>.
<p>
<!---CAPS--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="CAPS"><h3><u>Convert to upper case</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>CAPS</strong> toggle</nobr>
<p>
<strong>CAPS</strong> converts all lower case letters to upper
case. Primarily, it's a support macro used by the
<a href="docprocessing.html#DOCPROCESSING">document processing macros</a>,
but you may find it helpful on occasion. <strong>CAPS</strong>
is a toggle, therefore no argument turns it on, any argument
turns it off.
<p>
<pre>
.CAPS
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
.CAPS OFF
</pre>
produces, on output
<p>
<pre>
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY.
</pre>
<!---STRING--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="STRING"><h3><u>User-defined strings</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>STRING</strong> <name> <what you want in the string></nobr>
<p>
You may find sometimes that you have to type out portions of text
repeatedly. If you'd like not to wear out your fingers, you can
define a "string" that, whenever you call it by name,
outputs whatever you put into it.
<p>
For example, say you're creating a document that repeatedly uses
the phrase "the Montreal/Windsor corridor". Instead of
typing all that out every time, you could define a string, like
this:
<p>
<pre>
.STRING mw the Montreal/Windsor corridor
</pre>
Once a string is defined, you can call it any time with the
<a href="definitions.html#INLINES">inline escape</a>
<kbd>\*[<stringname>]</kbd>. Using the example string above
<p>
<pre>
The schedule for trains along \*[mw]:
</pre>
produces, on output
<p>
<pre>
The schedule for trains along the Montreal/Windsor corridor:
</pre>
<strong>NOTE:</strong> Be very careful not to put any spaces at the
ends of strings you're defining, unless you want them. Everything
after the name argument you pass to <strong>STRING</strong> goes
into the string, including trailing spaces.
<p>
<strong>Experts: STRING</strong> is an alias for <strong>ds</strong>.
You can use either, or mix 'n' match with impunity.
<p>
<!---UNDERSCORE--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="UNDERSCORE"><h3><u>Single underscore</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>UNDERSCORE</strong> [ <distance below baseline> ] "<string>"</nobr>
<br>
<em>*Optional argument requires a <a href="definitions.html#TERMS_UNITOFMEASURE">unit of measure</a></em>
<p>
By default, <strong>UNDERSCORE</strong> places an underscore 2 points
beneath the required
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_STRINGARGUMENT">string argument</a>.
The string must be enclosed in double-quotes, like this:
<p>
<pre>
.UNDERSCORE "Unmonitored monopolies breed high prices and poor products."
</pre>
If you wish to change the distance of the rule from the
baseline, use the optional argument <i><distance below
baseline></i> (with a unit of measure).
<p>
<pre>
.UNDERSCORE 3p "Unmonitored monopolies breed high prices and poor products."
</pre>
The above places the underscore 3 points below the baseline.
<p>
<a name="NOTES_UNDERSCORE"></a>
<strong>NOTES:</strong>
<br>
<strong>UNDERSCORE</strong> does not work across line breaks in output
copy, which is to say that you can't underscore a multi-line passage
simply by putting the text of the whole thing in the string you pass
to <strong>UNDERSCORE</strong>. Each
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_OUTPUTLINE">output line</a>
or portion of an output line you want underscored must be plugged
separately into <strong>UNDERSCORE</strong>. Bear in mind, though,
that underscoring should at best be an occasional effect in typeset
copy. If you want to emphasize an entire passage, it's much, much
better to change fonts (e.g. to italic or bold).
<p>
You can easily and successfully underline entire passages in simulated
typewriter-style copy (i.e. if your font is Courier, or you're using
the document processing macro
<a href="#PRINTSTYLE">PRINTSTYLE TYPEWRITE</a>),
with the
<a href="#UNDERLINE">UNDERLINE</a>
macro. <strong>UNDERLINE</strong> is designed specifically for this
purpose, but works only with the Courier font.
<p>
<strong>Mom</strong> doesn't always get the position and length
of the underscore precisely right in
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_JUST">justified</a>
copy, although she's fine with all the other
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_FILLED">fill modes</a>,
as well as with the no-fill modes. As of this writing, I have
no solution to the occasional problems with justified copy.
<p>
<strong>UNDERSCORE</strong> tends to confuse
<strong>gxditview</strong>, even though the output, when
printed, looks fine. Generally, I recommend using <strong>gv</strong>
to preview files anyway. See the section on
<a href="#PREVIEWING">previewing</a>.
<p>
<!---UNDERSCORE2--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="UNDERSCORE2"><h3><u>Double underscore</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>UNDERSCORE2</strong> [ <distance below baseline> [ <distance between rules> ] ] "<string>"</nobr>
<br>
<em>*Optional arguments require a <a href="definitions.html#TERMS_UNITOFMEASURE">unit of measure</a></em>
<p>
By default, <strong>UNDERSCORE2</strong> places a double underscore
2 points beneath the required
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_STRINGARGUMENT">string argument</a>.
The string must be enclosed in double-quotes, like this:
<p>
<pre>
.UNDERSCORE2 "Unmonitored monopolies breed high prices and poor products."
</pre>
The default distance between the two rules is 2 points.
<p>
If you wish to change the distance of the double underscore from
the baseline, use the optional argument <i><distance below
baseline></i> (with a unit of measure), e.g.,
<p>
<pre>
.UNDERSCORE2 3p "Unmonitored monopolies breed high prices and poor products."
</pre>
which places the double underscore 3 points below the baseline.
<p>
If you wish to change the distance between the two rules as
well, use the second optional argument <i><distance between
rules></i> (with a unit of measure). Be aware that you must
give a value for the first optional argument if you want to use
the second.
<p>
<strong>NOTE:</strong> the same restrictions and caveats apply
to <strong>UNDERSCORE2</strong> as to
<strong>UNDERSCORE</strong>. See the
<a href="#NOTES_UNDERSCORE">NOTES</a>
for <strong>UNDERSCORE</strong>.
<p>
<!---UNDERLINE--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="UNDERLINE"><h3><u>Underline text -- Courier font only!</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>UNDERLINE</strong> toggle</nobr>
<p>
If your font is Courier, or you're using the document processing macro
<a href="#PRINTSTYLE">PRINTSTYLE TYPEWRITE</a>,
<strong>UNDERLINE</strong> allows you to underline words and
passages that, in typeset copy, would be italicized. You invoke
<strong>UNDERLINE</strong> as you do with all toggle macros --
by itself (i.e. with no argument) to initiate underlining, and
with any argument to turn underlining off.
<p>
When on, <strong>UNDERLINE</strong> underlines letters, words
and numbers, but not punctuation or spaces. This makes for more
readable copy than a solid underline.
<p>
<strong>NOTE:</strong> Underlining may also be turned on and off
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_INLINES">inline</a>
with the escapes
<a href="#UL">\*[UL]...\*[ULX].</a>
<p>
<!---UL--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="UL"><h3><u>Inline escape for underlining -- Courier font only!</u></h3></a>
<br>
Inline: <strong>\*[UL]...\*[ULX]</strong>
<p>
If your font is Courier, or you're using the document processing macro
<a href="#PRINTSTYLE">PRINTSTYLE TYPEWRITE</a>,
<strong>\*[UL]...\*[ULX]</strong> underlines words and
passages that, in typeset copy, would be italicized.
<p>
<strong>\*[UL]</strong> underlines all letters, words and numbers
following it, but not punctuation or spaces. This makes for more
readable copy than a solid underline. When you no longer want
underlining, <strong>\*[ULX]</strong> turns underlining off.
<p>
The macro
<a href="#UNDERLINE">UNDERLINE</a>
and the inline escape <strong>\*[UL]</strong> are functionally
identical, hence
<p>
<pre>
.FAM C
.FT R
.PT_SIZE 12
.LS 24
.SS 0
.QUAD LEFT
Which should I heed?
.UNDERLINE
Just do it
.UNDERLINE OFF
or
.UNDERLINE
just say no?
.UNDERLINE OFF
</pre>
produces the same result as
<p>
<pre>
.FAM C
.FT R
.PT_SIZE 12
.LS 24
.SS 0
.QUAD LEFT
Which should I heed? \*[UL]Just do it\*[ULX] or \*[UL]just say no?\*[ULX]
</pre>
<!---PAD--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="PAD"><h3><u>Insert space into lines</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>PAD</strong> "<string with pad markers inserted>" [NOBREAK]</nobr>
<p>
With <strong>PAD</strong>, you can insert unspecified amounts of
whitespace into a line. The optional <strong>NOBREAK</strong>
argument tells <strong>mom</strong> not to advance on the page
after the <strong>PAD</strong> macro has been invoked.
<p>
<strong>PAD</strong> calculates the difference between the length of
text on the line and the distance remaining to its end, then inserts
the difference (as whitespace) at the place(s) you specify.
<p>
Take, for example, the following relatively common typesetting
situation, found at the bottom of legal agreements:
<p>
<pre>
Date Signature |
</pre>
The person signing the agreement is supposed to fill in the date
as well as a signature. Space needs to be left for both, but
the exact amount is neither known, nor important. All that
matters is that there be a little space after Date, and rather
more space after Signature. (In the above, | represents
the end of the line at the prevailing line length.)
<p>
The
<a href="#PADMARKER">pad marker</a>
(see below) is # (the pound or number sign on your keyboard) and
can be used multiple times in a line. With that in mind, here's how
you'd input the Date/Signature line (assuming a length of 30 picas):
<p>
<pre>
.LL 30P
.PAD "Date#Signature###"
</pre>
When the line is output, the space remaining on the line, after
"Date" and "Signature" have been taken into
account, is split into four (because there are four # signs).
One quarter of the space is inserted between Date and Signature,
the remainder is inserted after Signature.
<a name="PAD_EXAMPLE"></a>
<p>
One rarely wants merely to insert space in a line; one usually
wants to fill it with something, hence <strong>PAD</strong> is
particularly useful in conjunction with
<a href="#STRING_TABS">string tabs</a>.
The following uses the Date/Signature example above, but adds
rules into the whitespace through the use of string tabs and
<strong>mom</strong>'s
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_INLINES">inline escape</a>
<a href="inlines.html#INLINE_RULE_MOM">\*[RULE]</a>.
(Instead of <strong>\*[RULE]</strong>,
groff's line drawing function,
<a href="inlines.html#INLINE_LINEDRAWING_GROFF">\l</a>
could be used.)
<p>
<pre>
.LL 30P
.PAD "Date \*[ST1]#\*[ST1X] Signature \*[ST2]###\*[ST2X]" NOBREAK
.ST 1 J
.ST 2 J
.TAB 1
\*[RULE]
.TN
\*[RULE]
.TQ
</pre>
If you're not a typesetter, and if you're new to groff, the
example probably looks like gibberish. My apologies. However,
remember that typesetting is a craft, and without having studied
the craft, it takes a while to grasp its concepts.
<p>
Basically, what the example does is:
<br>
<ol>
<li>Pads the Date/Signature line (using the pad marker #),
encloses the padded space with two string tabs markers,
and outputs the line.
<br>
<li>Sets the two string tabs (notice the use of
<a href="#EL">EL</a>
beforehand; you don't want <strong>mom</strong>
to advance a line at this point).
<br>
<li>Calls the first string tab and draws a rule to its full
length.
<br>
<li>Calls the second tab with
<a href="#TN">TN</a>
(which moves to tab 2 and stays on the same baseline)
then draws a rule to the full length of string tab 2.
</ol>
<br>
Often, when setting up string tabs this way, you don't want the
padded line to print immediately. To accomplish this, use
<a href="#SILENT">SILENT</a>.
See the <a href="#STRING_TABS_TUT">quickie tutorial on string tabs</a>
for an example.
<p>
<strong>NOTE:</strong> Because the pound sign (#) is used as the pad
marker, you can't use it as a literal part of the pad string. If you
need the sign to appear in the text of a padded line, change the pad
marker with <a href="#PAD_MARKER">PAD_MARKER</a>. Also, be aware
that # as a pad marker only applies within the <strong>PAD</strong>
macro; at all other times it prints literally, just as you'd expect.
<p>
Another important consideration when using <strong>PAD</strong> is that
because the string must be enclosed in double-quotes, you can't use the
double-quote (") as part of the string. The way to circumvent
this is to use the groff
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_INLINES">inline escapes</a>
<strong>\(lq</strong> and <strong>\(rq</strong> (leftquote and
rightquote respectively) whenever double-quotes are required in the
string passed to <strong>PAD</strong>.
<p>
<!---PAD_MARKER--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="PAD_MARKER"><h3><u>Change/set the marker used with PAD</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>PAD_MARKER</strong> <character to use as the pad marker></nobr>
<p>
If you need to change <strong>mom</strong>'s default pad marker
(#), either because you want a literal # in the padded line,
or simply because you want to use another character instead, use
<strong>PAD_MARKER</strong>, whose argument is the new pad marker
character you want.
<p>
<pre>
.PAD_MARKER @
</pre>
changes the pad marker to @.
<p>
Once you've changed the pad marker, the new marker remains in
effect for every instance of
<a href="#PAD">PAD</a>
until you change it again (say, back to the pound sign).
<p>
<!---\*[LEADER]--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="LEADER"><h3><u>Inline escape to add leaders to a line</u></h3></a>
<br>
Inline: <strong>\*[LEADER]</strong>
<p>
Whenever you want to fill a line or tab with
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_LEADER">leaders</a>,
use the
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_INLINES">inline escape</a>
<strong>\*[LEADER]</strong>. The remainder of the line or tab will be
filled with the leader character. <strong>Mom</strong>'s
default leader character is a period (dot), but you can change
it to any character you like with
<a href="#LEADER_CHARACTER">LEADER_CHARACTER</a>.
<p>
<strong>NOTE:</strong> <strong>\*[LEADER]</strong> fills lines
or tabs right to their end. You cannot insert leaders into a
line or tab and have text following the leader on the same line
or in the same tab. Should you wish to achieve such an effect
typographically, create tabs for each element of the line and
fill them appropriately with the text and leaders you need.
<a href="#STRING_TABS">String tabs</a> are perfect for this. An
example follows.
<p>
<pre>
.LL 30P
.PAD "Date\*[ST1]#\*[ST1X]Signature\*[ST2]###\*[ST2X]"
.EL
.ST 1 J
.ST 2 J
.TAB 1
\*[LEADER]
.TN
\*[LEADER]
.TQ
</pre>
The <strong>PAD</strong> line sets the words Date and Signature,
and marks string tabs around the pad space inserted in the line.
The string tabs are then "set", called, and filled
with leaders. The result looks like this:
<p>
<pre>
Date.............Signature.....................................
</pre>
<!---LEADER_CHARACTER--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="LEADER_CHARACTER"><h3><u>Change/set the leader character</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>LEADER_CHARACTER</strong> <character></nobr>
<p>
<strong>LEADER_CHARACTER</strong> takes one argument: a single
character you would like to be used for
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_LEADER">leaders</a>.
(See
<a href="#LEADER">\*[LEADER]</a> for an explanation of how to
fill lines with leaders.)
<p>
For example, to change the leader character from <strong>mom</strong>'s
default (a period) to the underscore character, enter
<p>
<pre>
.LEADER_CHARACTER _
</pre>
<!---DROPCAP--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="DROPCAP"><h3><u>Drop caps</u></h3></a>
<br>
<nobr>Macro: <strong>DROPCAP</strong> <dropcap letter> <number of lines to drop> [ COND <percentage> | EXT <percentage> ]</nobr>
<p>
The first two arguments to <strong>DROPCAP</strong> are the letter you
want to be the
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_DROPCAP">drop cap</a>
and the number of lines you want it to drop. By default,
<strong>mom</strong> uses the current family and font for the drop cap.
<p>
The optional argument (COND or EXT) indicates that you want the
drop cap condensed (narrower) or extended (wider). If you use
<strong>COND</strong> or <strong>EXT</strong>, you must follow the
argument with the percentage of the letter's normal width you want
it condensed or extended. No percent sign (%) is required.
<p>
<strong>Mom</strong> will do her very best to get the drop cap to
line up with the first line of text indented beside it, then set
the correct number of indented lines, and restore your left margin
when the number of drop cap lines has been reached.
<p>
Beginning a paragraph with a drop cap "T" looks
like this:
<p>
<pre>
.DROPCAP T 3 COND 90
he thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I
could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.
You who so well know the nature of my soul will not suppose,
however, that I gave utterance to a threat...
</pre>
The drop cap, slightly condensed but in the current family and font,
will be three lines tall, with whatever text fills those three
lines indented to the right of the letter. The remainder of the
paragraph's text will revert to the left margin.
<p>
<strong>NOTE:</strong> When using the
<a href="docprocessing.html#DOCPROCESSING">document processing macro</a>
<a href="#PP">PP</a>,
<strong>DROPCAP</strong> only works
<br>
<ul>
<li>with initial paragraphs (i.e. at the start of the document,
or after
<a href="#HEAD">HEAD</a>),
<li>when <strong>DROPCAP</strong> comes immediately after <strong>PP</strong>,
<li>and when the
<a href="docprocessing.html#PRINTSTYLE">PRINTSTYLE</a>
is TYPESET.
</ul>
<br>
If these conditions aren't met, <strong>DROPCAP</strong> is silently ignored.
<p>
<strong>WARNING:</strong> <strong>DROPCAP</strong> puts a bit of
a strain on resource-challenged systems. If you have such a
system and use drop caps extensively in a document, be prepared
for a wait while <strong>mom</strong> does her thing.
<h3><a name="DROPCAP_SUPPORT"><u>Support macros for DROPCAP</u></a></h3>
Drop caps are the bane of most typesetters' existence. It's
very difficult to get the size of the drop cap right for the
number of drop lines, especially if the drop cap is in a
different family from the prevailing family of running text.
Not only that, but there's the gutter around the drop cap to
take into account, plus the fact that the letter may be too wide
or too narrow to look anything but odd or misplaced.
<p>
<strong>Mom</strong> solves the last of these problems with the
<strong>COND</strong> and <strong>EXT</strong> arguments. The
rest she solves with macros that change the default behaviour of
<strong>DROPCAP</strong>, namely
<p>
<a href="#DROPCAP_FAMILY">DROPCAP_FAMILY</a>,
<br>
<a href="#DROPCAP_FONT">DROPCAP_FONT</a>,
<br>
<a href="#DROPCAP_COLOR">DROPCAP_COLOR</a>,
<br>
<a href="#DROPCAP_ADJUST">DROPCAP_ADJUST</a>
<br>
and
<br>
<a href="#DROPCAP_GUTTER">DROPCAP_GUTTER</a>.
<p>
These macros must, of course, come before you invoke
<strong>DROPCAP</strong>.
<h3><a name="DROPCAP_FAMILY"><u>DROPCAP_FAMILY</u></a></h3>
Set the drop cap family by giving
<strong>DROPCAP_FAMILY</strong> the name of the family you want,
e.g.
<p>
<pre>
.DROPCAP_FAMILY H
</pre>
which will set the family to Helvetica for the drop cap only.
<h3><a name="DROPCAP_FONT"><u>DROPCAP_FONT</u></a></h3>
Set the drop cap font by giving
<strong>DROPCAP_FONT</strong> the name of the font you want,
e.g.
<p>
<pre>
.DROPCAP_FONT I
</pre>
which will set the font to italic for the drop cap only.
<h3><a name="DROPCAP_ADJUST"><u>DROPCAP_ADJUST</u></a></h3>
If the size <strong>mom</strong> calculates for the drop cap
isn't precisely what you want, you can increase or decrease it
with <strong>DROPCAP_ADJUST</strong>, like this:
e.g.
<p>
<pre>
.DROPCAP_ADJUST +1
or
.DROPCAP_ADJUST -.75
</pre>
<strong>DROPCAP_ADJUST</strong> only understands
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_PICASPOINTS">points</a>,
therefore do not append any
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_UNITOFMEASURE">unit of measure</a>
to the argument. And always be sure to prepend the plus or
minus sign, depending on whether you want the drop cap larger or
smaller.
<h3><a name="DROPCAP_COLOR"><u>DROPCAP_COLOR</u></a></h3>
If you'd like your drop cap colourized, simply invoke
<strong>DROPCAP_COLOR</strong> with the name of a colour you've already
created ("initialized") with
<a href="color.html#NEWCOLOR">NEWCOLOR</a>
or
<a href="color.html#XCOLOR">XCOLOR</a>. Only the drop cap will be
colourized; all other text will remain at the current colour
default (usually black).
<h3><a name="DROPCAP_GUTTER"><u>DROPCAP_GUTTER</u></a></h3>
By default, <strong>mom</strong> puts three points of space
between the drop cap and the text indented beside it. If you
want another value, use <strong>DROPCAP_GUTTER</strong> (with a
unit of measure), like this:
<p>
<pre>
.DROPCAP_GUTTER 6p
</pre>
<!---\*[SUP]--->
<hr width="66%" align="left">
<a name="SUP"><h3><u>Superscript</u></h3></a>
<br>
Inlines: <strong>\*[SUP]...\*[SUPX]</strong>
<p>
Superscripts are accomplished
<a href="definitions.html#TERMS_INLINES">inline</a>.
Whenever you need one, typically for numerals, all you need to
do is surround the superscript with the inlines above.
<strong>\*[SUP]</strong> begins superscripting;
<strong>\*[SUPX]</strong> turns it off.
<a name="CONDSUP"></a>
<a name="EXTSUP"></a>
<p>
If your running type is
<a href="#COND_INLINE">pseudo-condensed</a>
or
<a href="#EXT_INLINE">pseudo-extended</a>
and you want your superscripts to be equivalently pseudo-condensed or
-extended, use <strong>\*[CONDSUP]...\*[CONDSUPX]</strong> or
<strong>\*[EXTSUP]...\*[EXTSUPX]</strong>.
<p>
The superscript inlines are primarily used by the
<a href="docprocessing.html#DOCPROCESSING">document processing macros</a>
for automatic generation of numbered footnotes. However, you may
find them useful for other purposes.
<p>
<strong>NOTE:</strong> <strong>Mom</strong> does a pretty fine job of
making superscripts look good in any font and at any size. If you're
fussy, though (and I am), about precise vertical placement, kerning,
weight, size, and so on, you may want to roll your own solution.
And sorry, there's no <strong>mom</strong> equivalent for subscripts.
I'm neither a mathematician nor a chemist, so I don't need them.
Of course, anyone who wishes to contribute a subscript routine to
<strong>mom</strong> will receive eternal blessings not only in this
lifetime, but in all lifetimes to come.
<p>
<hr>
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