NAME

       yodlmanpage - Yodl’s `manpage’ document type

SYNOPSIS

       The  manpage  document type was specifically implemented to write Unix-style manual pages.
       Other Yodl document formats, such as article, report and book are documented in  the  Yodl
       guide and in the manpage for yodlmacros.

DESCRIPTION

       This  manual  page  briefly  describes  the  manpage  document  type  of the Yodl document
       language. This document type is specific enough that it warrants a separate manpage.

       Yodl mapage documents can be converted to `groff’ documents (using `yodl2man’), to  `html’
       documents (using `yodl2html’), or to plain ascii text documents (using `yodl2txt’).

       manpage  documents  do  not  use  the  `standard’  sectioning  commands  (e.g., sect() and
       subsect()), but  have  specific  manpage...()  macros.   You  can  however  use  (and  are
       encouraged  to..)  other `normal’ macros, such as description(...) or itemization(...) for
       lists, or bf() for boldface and  em()  for  emphasis.  As  for  fonts,  the  following  is
       suggested:

       o      Use em(text) when text is a variable, or a placeholder, etc..

       o      Use  bf(text)  when  text  is  literal, such as a command, a filename, a directory.
              Each manpage document in Yodl must be organized as follows:

       o      manpage(name) (section) (date) (package) (source): This  is  the  preamble  of  the
              document.  It states whatever the page describes, the section where it belongs, the
              release date, the package that it belongs to, and the source of the  package.   The
              section number should be (according to the Linux manpage on man): 1 for commands, 2
              for system calls, 3 for library calls, 4 for special files, 5 for file  formats,  6
              for  games, 7 for macro packages and conventions, 8 for system management commands,
              and 9 for other special subjects (e.g., kernel commands).

       o      manpagename(name) (short description):  The name is again  whatever  is  described,
              the short description is what e.g., the whatis database uses for descriptions.

       o      manpagesynopsis():  a very short `usage’ information or similar.  Keep this section
              short, e.g., a line with all program options is acceptable but without descriptions
              (these come later).

       o      manpagedescription():  the purpose of the program and such.  This is also the place
              to document the workings.

       o      manpageoptions(): This is the place to document e.g. the flags that are  stated  in
              the  manpagesynopsis().  This section is optional, but when present, must appear at
              this place.

       o      manpagefiles(): relevant files are described in this section.

       o      manpageseealso(): this section lists related manual pages.

       o      manpagediagnostics(): Error conditions, error messages, etc..

       o      manpagebugs(): This is where known bugs are described. This section is optional.

       o      manpageauthor(): stating the author and/or the maintainer.

       o      manpagesection(NAME): This macro starts a generic, non-required section. E.g.,  you
              might   want   a  manpagesection(EXAMPLES)  in  your  document.  As  a  typographic
              suggestion, use upper case for the NAME argument for consistency reasons.

SEE ALSO

       yodl(1), yodlbuiltins(7), yodlconverters(1),  yodlletter(7),  yodlmacros(7),  yodlpost(1),
       yodlstriproff(1), yodltables(7), yodlverbinsert(1).

BUGS

       -

AUTHOR

       Frank B. Brokken (f.b.brokken@rug.nl),