Input file is arecordmidi.1 Any program (person), that produces man pages, should check the output for defects by using (both groff and nroff) [gn]roff -mandoc -t -ww -b -z -K utf8 The same goes for man pages that are used as an input. For a style guide use mandoc -T lint -.- So any 'generator' should check its products with the above mentioned 'groff', 'mandoc', and additionally with 'nroff ...'. This is just a simple quality control measure. The 'generator' may have to be corrected to get a better man page, the source file may, and any additional file may. Common defects: Input text line longer than 80 bytes. Not removing trailing spaces (in in- and output). The reason for these trailing spaces should be found and eliminated. Not beginning each input sentence on a new line. Lines should thus be shorter. See man-pages(7), item 'semantic newline'. -.- The difference between the formatted output of the original and patched file can be seen with: nroff -mandoc > nroff -mandoc > diff -u and for groff, using "printf '%s\n%s\n' '.kern 0' '.ss 12 0' | groff -mandoc -Z - " instead of 'nroff -mandoc' Add the option '-t', if the file contains a table. Read the output of 'diff -u' with 'less -R' or similar. -.-. If 'man' (man-db) is used to check the manual for warnings, the following must be set: The option "-warnings=w" The environmental variable: export MAN_KEEP_STDERR=yes (or any non-empty value) or (produce only warnings): export MANROFFOPT="-ww -b -z" export MAN_KEEP_STDERR=yes (or any non-empty value) -.-. Output from "mandoc -T lint arecordmidi.1 ": (shortened list) 2 whitespace at end of input line -.-. Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -ww -b -z arecordmidi.1 ": (shortened list) 2 trailing space in the line -.-. Output from "mandoc -T lint arecordmidi.1 ": mandoc: arecordmidi.1:69:73: STYLE: whitespace at end of input line mandoc: arecordmidi.1:77:67: STYLE: whitespace at end of input line -.-. Remove space characters at the end of lines. Use "git apply ... --whitespace=fix" to fix extra space issues, or use global configuration "core.whitespace". 69:Metronome sounds are played on channel 10, MIDI notes 33 & 34 (GM2/GS/XG 77:the numerator and denominator of the time signature as it would be -.-. Wrong distance between sentences in the input file. Separate the sentences and subordinate clauses; each begins on a new line. See man-pages(7) ("Conventions for source file layout") and "info groff" ("Input Conventions"). The best procedure is to always start a new sentence on a new line, at least, if you are typing on a computer. Remember coding: Only one command ("sentence") on each (logical) line. E-mail: Easier to quote exactly the relevant lines. Generally: Easier to edit the sentence. Patches: Less unaffected text. Search for two adjacent words is easier, when they belong to the same line, and the same phrase. The amount of space between sentences in the output can then be controlled with the ".ss" request. 36:name. A port is specified by its number; for port 0 of a client, the 78:notated. The denominator must be a power of two. Both numbers should be 79:separated by a colon. The time signature is 4:4 by default. -.-. Split a punctuation from a single argument, if a two-font macro is meant 32:.I \-p,\-\-port=client:port,... -.-. Put a parenthetical sentence, phrase on a separate line, if not part of a code. See man-pages(7), item "semantic newline". arecordmidi.1:47:Possible values are 24, 25, 29.97 (for 30 drop-frame), and 30. arecordmidi.1:52:in ticks per beat (when using musical tempo) or ticks per frame -.-. Output from "test-groff -mandoc -t -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -ww -b -z ": troff: backtrace: file '':69 troff::69: warning: trailing space in the line troff: backtrace: file '':77 troff::77: warning: trailing space in the line