Re: .sp 1 in strerror.3 (and probably more pages)

[Alejandro Colomar <alx@kernel.org>]

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Hi Branden,

On 2023-08-13 17:28, G. Branden Robinson wrote:
> Hi Alex,
> 
> At 2023-08-13T17:19:59+0200, Alejandro Colomar wrote:
>> While trying to apply a patch that touches some table, I found an '.sp
>> 1' after a table.
>>
>> I tried removing it to see what it does, but it seems nothing changed.
>>
>> However, in the PDF version, there's some change (using .sp 1 produces
>> a larger space before the next section heading).
>>
>> Should we keep that thing, should we replace it by something else, or
>> should we remove it?
> 
> I would take it out.

Okay.  But I'd like to understand why Michael used it.  Since we already
have a blank without it, why would have he added it?  Or did 1.22.4 have
a bug that didn't produce that blank?

Here's what Michael's commit says:

    # ".sp 1" ==> ensure a blank line before the next section heading

(c466875ecd64 ("Various pages: Improve formatting in ATTRIBUTES"))

>  If you need vertical space after a table, use a
> paragraphing macro.
> 
> The reason for the difference is this.
> 
> groff_man(7):
> 
>    Horizontal and vertical spacing
> [...]
>      Several macros insert vertical space: .SH, .SS, .TP, .P (and its
>      synonyms), .IP, and the deprecated .HP.  The default inter‐section
>      and inter‐paragraph spacing is is 1v for terminal devices and 0.4v
>      for typesetting devices.  (The deprecated macro .PD can change this
>      vertical spacing, but its use is discouraged.)  Between .EX and .EE
>      calls, the inter‐paragraph spacing is 1v regardless of output
>      device.
> 
> Does this help?

Yep, it explains the difference, although it doesn't explain why Michael
added it.

Cheers,
Alex

-- 
<http://www.alejandro-colomar.es/>
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