Re: [Groff] Converting very small file into .dvi

[Werner LEMBERG]

> I was trying to convert a very small input file like:
>
> aaaa
> bbbb
> cccc
> dddd
>
> into .dvi.
> I used the command:  groff -Tdvi foo > foo.dvi
>
> I get an error message saying:
> "the file you want open contains non-valid characters".

With the above input?  This can't happen, except you are using an
editor that silently inserts a Unicode Byte Order Mark (BOM) at the
very beginning of the input file even for UTF-8 encoded files.  In
case you are using such an editor with that (mis-)feature, add option
`-k' to the groff command line to call the `preconv' preprocessor,
which silently removes the BOM.

> The output-file like this: [...]

Yes, this is correct.  DVI files are binary, to be processed further
with programs like `dvips' or `dvipdfmx' to create a PS or PDF output
file, respectively.

> When I use the command : groff -Tdvi -mlatin9 foo > foo.dvi
> I get no error message. The output is exactly the same.

This might support my assumption.

> I know Latex only a little bit.
> But this doesn't like an input-file for Latex.

Well, if you process a LaTeX input file with `latex', you also get a
DVI file.  If you call `pdflatex' or `xelatex', or `lualatex', the
output is directly PDF.


    Werner