From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from smtp1.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de (Debian-exim@smtp1.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de [129.13.185.217]) by krisdoz.my.domain (8.14.3/8.14.3) with ESMTP id o73LSvbf006179 for ; Tue, 3 Aug 2010 17:28:59 -0400 (EDT) Received: from hekate.usta.de (asta-nat.asta.uni-karlsruhe.de [172.22.63.82]) by smtp1.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de with esmtp (Exim 4.63 #1) id 1OgP2d-0004Z3-9s; Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:28:55 +0200 Received: from donnerwolke.usta.de ([172.24.96.3]) by hekate.usta.de with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1OgP2d-0006C1-8M; Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:28:55 +0200 Received: from iris.usta.de ([172.24.96.5] helo=usta.de) by donnerwolke.usta.de with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1OgP2d-00033v-7Q; Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:28:55 +0200 Received: from schwarze by usta.de with local (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1OgP2d-0002CQ-0G; Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:28:55 +0200 Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 23:28:54 +0200 From: Ingo Schwarze To: discuss@mdocml.bsd.lv Cc: Ruslan Ermilov Subject: Re: mdoc EXIT STATUS (Was: pending open issues) Message-ID: <20100803212854.GC31307@iris.usta.de> References: <4C4EA7A0.1040104@bsd.lv> <20100727094102.GC21455@bramka.kerhand.co.uk> <4C4EAEE9.9000106@bsd.lv> <20100727101815.GD21455@bramka.kerhand.co.uk> <4C4EC13B.1000906@bsd.lv> <20100727131709.GA16499@edoofus.dev.vega.ru> <4C4EE52F.9020601@bsd.lv> <20100727141538.GA8226@bramka.kerhand.co.uk> <20100728123317.GA43609@edoofus.dev.vega.ru> <20100728133842.GB31150@bramka.kerhand.co.uk> X-Mailinglist: mdocml-discuss Reply-To: discuss@mdocml.bsd.lv MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20100728133842.GB31150@bramka.kerhand.co.uk> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.20 (2009-06-14) Hi, the exchange of information and opinions where to best put exit status documentation for section 1, 6, and 8 manuals seems unfinished to me; if i understand correctly, what FreeBSD and DragonFly want and do is plain enough (EXIT STATUS), but in NetBSD and OpenBSD, i find such information sometimes in DESCRIPTION, sometimes in DIAGNOSTICS. However, i'm not trying to settle that question today, right in the middle of the OpenBSD release process. Right now, i'm just proposing a preliminary patch documenting the status quo, which will hopefully not remain the last word on this matter. I think it is a bad idea to tell people without any reservation they should use EXIT STATUS when actually, two systems do not use that section - no matter whether that is "at all" or "not yet". OK to commit this for now? Yours, Ingo Index: mdoc.7 =================================================================== RCS file: /cvs/src/share/man/man7/mdoc.7,v retrieving revision 1.46 diff -u -p -r1.46 mdoc.7 --- mdoc.7 3 Aug 2010 00:07:57 -0000 1.46 +++ mdoc.7 3 Aug 2010 20:57:39 -0000 @@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ utility processes files ... \&.\e\*q The next is for sections 1, 6, 7, & 8 only. \&.\e\*q .Sh ENVIRONMENT \&.\e\*q .Sh FILES -\&.\e\*q The next is for sections 1 & 8 only. +\&.\e\*q The next is for sections 1, 6 & 8 only. \&.\e\*q .Sh EXIT STATUS \&.\e\*q .Sh EXAMPLES \&.\e\*q The next is for sections 1, 4, 6, 7, & 8 only. @@ -514,11 +514,20 @@ the file is used (created, modified, etc See .Sx \&Pa . .It Em EXIT STATUS -This section documents the +Some operating systems, for example +.Fx +and +.Dx , +use this section to document the command exit status for section 1, 6, and 8 utilities. -Historically, this information was described in -.Em DIAGNOSTICS , -a practise that is now discouraged. +Others, for example +.Nx +and +.Ox , +show the same information in the +.Em DIAGNOSTICS +section or near the end of the +.Em DESCRIPTION . .Pp See .Sx \&Ex . @@ -528,11 +537,8 @@ This often contains snippets of well-for Make sure that examples work properly! .It Em DIAGNOSTICS Documents error conditions. -This is most useful in section 4 manuals. -Historically, this section was used in place of -.Em EXIT STATUS -for manuals in sections 1, 6, and 8; however, this practise is -discouraged. +This is most useful in section 4 manuals, +but sometimes also used for section 1, 6, and 8 utilities. .Pp See .Sx \&Bl -- To unsubscribe send an email to discuss+unsubscribe@mdocml.bsd.lv