PROPOSAL FOR MANUAL PAGE STRUCTURE IN LUNIX

I had a proposal about preparing a standard for manual pages of commands.

Some of us have projects about lunix kernel or its applications. So, can we supply the manuals of our applications in an standard form? With this way we can provide a unix-like 'man' command for our needs. Only thing we have to do is preparing the manuals concerning the presented form below. But of course it would be good if we keep the manual as short as possible.

I guess using petscii is OK for the moment, later we can convert it to iso-latin. Also petcsii has the advantage of existing editor ED to be used to enter or alter man. pages in the LUnix environment. After examination of a unix system, here what I propose:

1. supply a sequential petscii file named: <cmd-name>.1 That is, man pages identified with a '.1' suffix.
2. add this page to the manpages file using 'addman' command I supplied. (note: addman also adds some indexing information)
3. delete or move the single manual ( name.1 )
4. use: mann name to see the manual entry for the command called 'name'.
5. THE FORMAT is:

NAME

<cmd-name> - one line description

SYNTAX

usage
informations
...

DESCRIPTION

Descriptions of the features

...

OPTIONS

You can explain all the switches here.

...

RESTRICTIONS

Bugs, restrictions warnings ...
...

EXAMPLES

a few is enough I think.
...

FILES

files supplied with the application program. At least there is name.1
...

SEE ALSO

references to related commands applications should be placed here.

COPYRIGHT

you can supply your disclaimer here. ...

That's all, but please use a newline at the end.

Any other suggestions, ideas ?

G'day

Ilker Ficicilar
filker@newton.physics.metu.edu.tr
c068214@metu.edu.tr
https://members.tripod.com/~ilkerf/cbm.html

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