Re: [Groff] recursive subdirectory search in GROFF_TMAC_PATH

[Steffen Nurpmeso]

Werner LEMBERG <address@hidden> wrote:
 |> Wouldn't it be useful to have the possibility of recursively
 |> searching the subdirectories of a directory in GROFF_TMAC_PATH,
 |> typically with the addition of a double-slash at the end of the
 |> concerned directory's name? (Cf. TeX's TEXINPUTS.)
 |>
 |> E.g.,
 |>
 |> export GROFF_TMAC_PATH=$HOME/groffinputs//:
 |>
 |> would cause .mso to search for its file at any subdirectory depth
 |> under $HOME/groffinputs.
 |
 |Definitely!  A few years ago I've already suggested to use the

I'm inclined to absolutely disagree given that

  address@hidden roff.git]$ git grep GROFF_TMAC 1.02
  1.02:Makefile.bd:# you must set the GROFF_TMAC_PATH environment variable.
  1.02:man/groff.man:.B GROFF_TMAC_PATH
  1.02:man/gtroff.man:.B GROFF_TMAC_PATH
  1.02:troff/input.c:#define MACROPATH_ENVVAR "GROFF_TMAC_PATH"
  address@hidden roff.git]$ gl1 1.02|head -5
  commit 351da0d (tag: refs/tags/1.02)
  Author: James Clark <address@hidden>
  Date:   1991-06-02 04:20:34 -0500

      groff before CVS: release 1.02

and i know about the crap i personally have done with path
variables not so many years ago.
And then think about the special path "//" which' behaviour is
implementation defined as well according to POSIX.

For the S-roff fork ("unforking" patches to groff is Public
Domain), which will ship with the class file_case patch that is on
the bugtracker (enabling .so over compressed paths, and enabling
any file to be compressed what some Brits don't like, however),
i like the idea of further extensions and fixes in that area, but
definetely not as suggested, so either a configuration option to
implicitly change the above or, more likely, a new environment
variable / configuration option.  (Configuration is too scattered
in my eyes.)

 |kpathsea library for groff's file management.  In particular, it would
 |allow for multiple font configuration files.

This is all too hardwired and restricted, and then scattered at
the same time.  Nothing a normal person can deal with easily.

 |However, I didn't have time and energy to implement it.  So please
 |file a `wishlist' report to the backtracker.

I'm still hoping for the upcoming years.

--steffen