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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site wjh12.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!whuxle!mit-eddie!genrad!wjh12!bb
From: bb@wjh12.UUCP (byer)
Newsgroups: net.text
Subject: Re: Need help with -me macros: problem with .ip and hanging tags
Message-ID: <485@wjh12.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Jun-84 03:56:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: wjh12.485
Posted: Wed Jun 20 03:56:28 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Jun-84 07:18:42 EDT
References: <1101@ucbvax.UUCP>, <7544@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Organization: Harvard University PSR, Cambridge MA
Lines: 35

@
***	From: wildbill@ucbvax.UUCP
**
**	to have {n,t}roff calculate the proper indentation using the
**	width operator \w, [i]t seems that the proper invocation
**	(assuming "Second:" was the longest tag) would be:
**
**		.ip First: \w'Second: '
**
>  [ reply from chris @umcp-cs ]
>  \w is almost always only useful if you write \w'stuff'u.  The final `u'
>  means that the number should be taken as a value in internal units (which
>  vary between nroff and troff and---I believe---between devices in ditroff).

To clarify further:
Instead of
		.ip First: \w'Second: 'u
I'd recommend
		.ip First: "\w'Second:\ 'u"

The double quotes delimit the second argument to `.ip'.  Otherwise,
you've got 3 args and some grief ahead.

The u following the width construction (\w...) serves as a 
scale factor, preventing subsequent interpolations from thinking
that the arg requires further scaling.

The backslash \ after the colon : serves to keep the width of
the following space from being expanded during justification
which can really drive you batty; `Why won't it work, chucko?'

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(Pure and Easy)			Brent Byer (decvax!genrad!wjh12!bb)