TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Making Man Pages From:Mary Lynn Kostash <mkostash -at- CYGNUS -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 22 Sep 1998 15:30:58 -0400
Hi Joanne,
I just joined TechWR-L a couple of hours ago so I missed your original
posting. As fate would have it, we are in a similar dilemma. It appears
that I might also have to delve into the mysterious, murky world of man
pages. Like you, I'm not too excited at the prospect.
Would you be able to forward anything of the helpful suggestions you've
received to me? That would be great!
Thanks,
Mary Lynn
----------------------------------
Mary Lynn Kostash
Publications Department
Cygnus Solutions - Toronto Office
Email: mkostash -at- cygnus -dot- com
-----Original Message-----
From: Eric J. Ray [SMTP:ejray -at- RAYCOMM -dot- COM]
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 1998 3:15 PM
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject: Making Man Pages
Forwarded on request.
Joanne grey wrote:
<<After years of escaping this, it's finally come up. I'm going to have
to
>write man pages. I've scoured amazon.com for a book on this, but the
>only books I can find are from 1986 and out of print. Can anyone
>recommend a good primer on writing these beasts? I'm not even sure what
>to write them *in*. TROFF?>>
First I just want to say I'm sorry you are in the position to *have* to
create
man pages. I would ask why on Earth is this the case, but I guess it
oesn't
matter --- it just is. Since you mentioned TROFF, I'm assuming this is on
UNIX?
In the late 1980's I single-sourced manuals and online help on UNIX in
NROFF. With some help from our programmers, it worked pretty slick.
Quite efficient. The drawback is that it was real ugly. Your choice of
fonts was one size of non-proportional command line text in normal or bold.
You might find a Hewlett-Packard house and ask if they still have the
*Text Formatters* volume of *HP-UX Concepts and Tutorials*.
I hope you are able to find something.
Betsy Callahan
Technical Documentation Specialist
bbcallah -at- visionael -dot- com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eric J. Ray RayComm, Inc. http://www.raycomm.com/ ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com
*Award-winning author of several popular computer books
*Syndicated columnist: Rays on Computing
*Technology Department Editor, _Technical Communication_
