Subject: Re: mdoc tables
To: None <netbsd-docs@netbsd.org>
From: Pavel Cahyna <pavel@netbsd.org>
List: netbsd-docs
Date: 12/27/2007 13:28:58
On Mon, Dec 24, 2007 at 01:15:21AM -0500, James K. Lowden wrote:
> What's the trick -- or is there none? -- to make mdoc rows wrap within
> their column?  
> 
> I'm used to HTML tables, where browser does the work or, worst case, the
> rows follow the column width specified at the start of the table.  But my
> first-ever mdoc man page is giving me fits.   
> 
> .Bl -column ".Sy Property\ \ \ " ".Sy Range\ \ \ \ \ \ \ " ".Sy Default\ \
> \ \ \ \ "  ".Sy Meaning"
> 
> .It Sy Property Ta Sy Range Ta Sy Default Ta Sy Meaning
> 
> .It Li tds version Ta 4.2, 5.0, 7.0, 8.0 Ta --with-tdsver value (5.0 if
> unspecified) Ta TDS protocol version to use
> 
> I would like "4.2, 5.0, 7.0, 8.0" to wrap with the width indicated by ".Sy
> Range\ \ \ \ \ \ \ ".  Instead it intrudes into the third column, the 3rd
> into the fourth, and the fourth column wraps in a tiny strand down the
> right edge of the page.  
> 
> Is this why so many man pages choose an expository style over a tabular
> one?  
> 
> I've looked for mdoc discussions/examples on the www.  Pretty much all I
> find is copies of GROFF_MDOC(7).  

the sysctl(7) man page has some examples of tables.

Pavel