Re: [Groff] [mom] two formatting questions

[Peter Schaffter]

Marisa --

The overprinting of headers when you set .T_MARGIN to .25i without
subsequently adjusting the .HEADER_MARGIN and .HEADER_GAP is the
expected behaviour.  From the momdocs:

 "However, if you invoke T_MARGIN or B_MARGIN either before or after
  START, they set the top and bottom margins of running text
  irrespective of HEADER_GAP and FOOTER_GAP."   ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Running text, as defined in the momdocs, is the body of your
document *excluding* marginalia (headers, footers, marginalia, line
numbering, etc.).

If, as I assume, you want your headers to be at the .25i mark, you
need to tell mom that's where you want them, along with the gap you
want between headers and the start of running text, e.g.

  .HEADER_MARGIN .25i
  .HEADER_GAP    .5i

will place your headers at .25i, with running text starting .5i
lower.

If you prefer, you can do

  .HEADER_MARGIN .25i
  .T_MARGIN      .75i

which sets your headers at .25i, with running text beginning at .75i
from the top of the page.  It is exactly equivalent to doing

  .HEADER_MARGIN .25i
  .HEADER_GAP    .5i

so the choice is up to you.

The momdocs are very complete and well organized, but if you're new
to mom, it's perfectly understandable that you didn't see this.  The
pertinent section is in the html doc file

  headfootpage.html#vertical-spacing

-- 
Peter Schaffter
http://www.schaffter.ca