Re: [Groff] Setting page and paper size

[Werner LEMBERG]

> So far I've understood that .device is a native roff macro

It's not a macro, it's a (built-in) request.

> that passes its argument through to the output roff wrapped in
> something that designates the postprocessor that this is a "raw
> passed through argument"

No.  As the name `.device' suggests, it is mainly intended for
communication between troff and a postprocessor.

> hen the postprocessor picks this up (for instance grops picks it up,
> but only accepts it with a ps: prefix) and acts accordingly.

Yes.

> So the change would actually be needed in grops to account for a
> sequence such as "ps:papersize" and write out the according
> ps-instructions that you more or less mentioned).

Yes.

> Is there perhaps a generic (for all sorts of devices) groff
> command/sequence that passes the data through as a binary blob,
> meaning that it goes untouched by both, roff AND the postprocessor?
> So one could eventually specify the PS-sequence in the groff
> sourcecode (like a stronger \X)?

Yes and no.  Look up this thread:

  http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/groff/2008-02/msg00019.html
  http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/groff/2008-03/msg00000.html

Since grops limits all inserted stuff to be encapsulated page-wise, it
is not possible to insert high-level DSC stuff.  In other words, it's
really necessary to introduce a new \X'ps: ...' sequence for
manipulating the paper size.


    Werner