Re: [Groff] status of pdfmark macros

[Werner LEMBERG]

> On my systems, the 'pdfmake' script provides this capability -- this
> is why I chose the unusual name, for what is essentially a makefile!

Exactly this is the problem.  A shell script should really be that --
not a she-banged Makefile.  We can't expect that `make' is available
on the target platform, while `sh' definitely is.

IMHO the following must be done:

  . As a preliminary, the configure script should test whether the
    necessary programs for pdfmark are available, otherwise a warning
    is emitted, and the documentation isn't built with `make' (see the
    `doc' directory and how the creation of HTML output is handled).

  . Write a `pdfmark.sh' script which does the same as `Makefile', but
    with shell commands.  Perhaps you can have a look at the
    `texi2dvi' script (from the texinfo package) which does something
    very similar.  It should support at least the command line options
    `--version' and `--help'.

  . A top-level call to `make' should create `pdfmark' from
    `pdfmark.sh', similar to the other scripts in the groff package.
    This should be handled in Makefile.sub.  It should also create the
    documentation (by directly calling the `pdfmark' script).  Don't
    forget to handle the `srcdir != builddir' case.  `install' and
    `uninstall' targets should be available too.  Maybe you should
    introduce a @PDFDOCDIR@ variable in analogy to @address@hidden

  . Write a simple man page for the `pdfmark' shell script,
    referencing to the real documentation file, pdfmark.pdf (use
    @PDFDOCDIR@ to point to the installed location -- cf. with
    groff_mom.man).

  . Optionally, write a groff_pdfmark man page which explains the
    syntax pdfmark macros in brief.

I'm sure that I've missed something.  Hopefully, you have some time to
work on those items.


    Werner