ROFF4, version 1.60



                             by


                     Ernest E. Bergmann


                     Physics, Bldg #16


                     Lehigh University


                    Bethlehem, Pa. 18015


                      (215-) 861-3932




        ROFF4,  v1.60  is  being provided essentially in the


public domain, not because it isn't good, but to  provide  a


means   to  create  and  transport  technical  documentation


between users  with  different  hardware.    This   is   not


possible  with  commercial formatters because they are often


not powerful enough to handle  special  symbols,  equations,


and the  like.    Equally  importantly,  there  is  not much


standardization and commercial formatters cannot  be  "given


away";   the  sender  and  receiver are not as likely to own


the same commercial formatters.



        I am a practicing scientist and  I  need  to  format


manuscripts  which  are  sometimes  long, contain equations,


special symbols, footnotes, and illustrations.  I  needed  a


formatter  that  was easy to use, flexible, and available to


others.  It takes me less time  to  type  a  manuscript  for


this  formatter and rework it, including special characters,


than to have it typed and retyped by a typist only  to  have


me proof read it ad nauseum.



        ROFF4 is  table  driven;    it is relatively easy to


configure for different output devices.    I  have  used  it


with the  MX-80  and  Graftrax  printer  combination;  It is


able to create special symbols where needed.    I  Also  can


get  special symbols on my CRT screen because of my computer


hardware   (the   Exidy   Sorcerer   has   user    definable


characters).   However, the characteristics of my CRT device


and of my printer are very different.  My design  philosophy


was  to be able to drive either from the same input files so


that I could "preview" my output before going  to  hardcopy.


You may  have  a  variety  of  output  devices;    use  your


imagination.



        Your comments, criticisms, and possible bug  reports


will be most useful.



        I  hope  to  extend ROFF4 so that it will be able to


better utilize  specialty  printers  (it  presently  assumes


that  the  printer  does  NOT  know  how  to  backspace, nor


reverse scroll).  I  will  have  to  learn  how  to  support


printers that do proportional spacing and variable pitch.



        I  would  also  like  to  write  a  translater  that


automatically   converts   WORDSTAR(tm   MicroPro)    files,


including  control-P  and  dot commands into input files for


ROFF4.  ROFF4 ignores the parity bit on  input  files.    It


may  get confused by inputting control-codes (it should only


get the <CR><LF> and <TAB> of standard CP/M text files).














                                        March 10, 1984



                                        Ernest E. Bergmann




P.S.
	
For the most recent instructions on compiling ROFF,
see the file roff4161.doc and roff4161.sub.
        
                                   Oct. 15, 1984
                                   Robert Ward