ditroff (or clone) for Sun4?

Frank W. Peters peters at CC.MsState.Edu
Wed Mar 21 02:09:23 AEST 1990


Hello,

     We are exploring using troff for documentation and perhaps in a
course.  Our problem is that the troff shipped with SunOS is the old
CAT typesetter troff not the new device independent troff (ditroff).
All of the packages we can find for displaying output in a window
under sunview or X work with ditroff only.  At this point the only way
we have to visuallize the output (beyond nroff) is to print it to a
postscript printer using Sun transcript.  Needless to say, this is
slow and expensive.

     So, we are looking for an implementation of ditroff for the Sun.
I know of the following options:

1) Get Documenter's Work Bench (DWB) from AT&T.  First, does anyone
   know how much this would cost?  Or what number I would call to find
   out?  If we got DWB would it be in any way supported by AT&T?  What,
   exactly, comes with DWB besides the troff program itself?

2) I understand that at least a few companies (ELAN is one I've heard
   of) offer essentially an enhanced ditroff clone.  What such
   products are out there? What do they offer beyond the basic ditroff
   program?  Do they offer the other things included with DWB?  What
   do they cost (for an educational institution if that affects it)?
   And, of course, how do I get in touch with these companies?

3) Are there any freeware packages out there that can take either
   CAT troff output or troff source files and display them in a
   window?  The only such option I've seen is a package called psroff
   with an xtroff previewer but I've been unable to make this work
   on a Sun3 or Sun4.  

Any information or comments are appreciated.

Thanks
--Frank

--
Frank W. Peters        Systems Programmer     Computing Center & Services
peters at CC.MsState.Edu  Peters at MsState.Bitnet  (601)325-2942
"I can't give you brains, but I can give you a diploma." -- The Wizard of OZ



More information about the Comp.unix.questions mailing list