Re: [Groff] groff 1.19.1 compile/installation failure

[MARSHALL Keith]

> GROFF_COMMAND_PREFIX=''; \
> export GROFF_COMMAND_PREFIX; \
> GROFF_BIN_PATH=`echo \
>   /usr/src/jim/groff-1.19.1/src/roff/groff \
>   /usr/src/jim/groff-1.19.1/src/roff/troff \
>   /usr/src/jim/groff-1.19.1/src/devices/grops \
> | sed -e 's|  *|:|g'`;  export GROFF_BIN_PATH; \
> /usr/src/jim/groff-1.19.1/src/roff/groff/groff \
>   -F/usr/src/jim/groff-1.19.1/font \
>   -F/usr/src/jim/groff-1.19.1/font \
>   -M/usr/src/jim/groff-1.19.1/tmac \
>   -M/usr/src/jim/groff-1.19.1/tmac -M. \
>   -Tps -mom examples/letter.mom >examples/letter.ps
> troff: can't find `DESC' file
> troff: fatal error: sorry, I can't continue
> *** Error code 1
>
> Any ideas what's wrong? I presume these -F and -M arguments point the
> newly built troff at the DESC files that have just been created, no?

Yes, Jim.  It is the -F args which tell troff where to look for the
DESC files.  In your case, the required DESC file, for postscript,
should be in /usr/src/jim/groff-1.19.1/font/devps/DESC -- presumably
it has been built, and has sensible access permissions (666 should be
good)?

I have seen this error before, on a Win2K box, when I configured groff
with its default --prefix setting;  (this defaults a UNIX style syntax
for the compiled-in font and macro paths, where MS-Windows syntax is
required).  However, in my case, the error showed up *after* doing a
'make install', and subsequently invoking groff *without* any -F specs.

In your case, I am at a complete loss as to why this might be failing;
the DESC file *should* have been built earlier in the make, (and if it
was not, then I would have expected make to bail out sooner).  If it
*was* built, but has bad access permissions, then perhaps this failure
could occur -- it seems unlikely, but what is your umask set to?  Can
you complete the make successfully, if you run it as root?  Can you run
a 'make install', preferably in a chroot gaol, even after only the
partially completed make you are achieving at present?  If so, does
'groff -v' produce the same error message?

Sorry I can't be more helpful than this -- there just does not seem to
be any reasonable explanation for this failure, on the basis of the
information available.

Best regards,
Keith.

P.S. My original response to your query, from my primary e-mail address
     at ntlworld.com, was bounced with an *extremely* offensive return
     message.  You might like to review your spam filters, or at least
     change that disgraceful message, otherwise you risk alienating
     those of us who are genuinely trying to be helpful in solving
     *your* problems.