Re: [Groff] Device-independence of intermediate output

[Tadziu Hoffmann]

> The ancient Postscript device (called post) had a resolution of 720.
> To run this on the modern ps device with resolution 72000 you must provide
> a scaling factor of 100.  With that scaling facility, it would be possible
> to process an ancient intermediate "post" output file without changing the 
> file.   This is wanted by the "sacred roff bible"  CSTR#54/#97.

But this is a problem of the postprocessor, not the
intermediate language.  Currently the output for the
ps device contains the line

  x res 72000 1 1

Which already contains all the necessary information, namely
that "all the numbers in this data stream have been calculated
assuming a reolution of 72000".
If you want to print this data stream to a device with different
resolution, the postprocessor must do the translation, as at
this time it is the only one that knows the real resolution of
the output device.
On the other hand, if you know beforehand that you want to
print a data stream for device x on device y, why not give
troff a device description with the correct resolution for
device y?
(Anyway, who archives the intermediate output?)

So I don't actually see your problem.


> I'm not religious, but I wonder why the German theologists
> changed the Fifth Commandment from "You shall not kill" into
> "you shall not murder".

Where did you pick this up?  Last time I heard (admittedly,
many years ago) it was still "Du sollst nicht töten", and not
"Du sollst nicht morden".