Update the manpage style guide.

[nmh] / docs / README.manpages

diff --git a/docs/README.manpages b/docs/README.manpages
index 8c6516a57dcf8b61373faef6cb6582d887fc9ffd..806e3c792d1b76060728b3af626cde0331baa8b2 100644 (file)
--- a/docs/README.manpages
+++ b/docs/README.manpages
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ NMH MANPAGE STYLE GUIDE
 
 nmh manpages should be in this general form:
 
 
 nmh manpages should be in this general form:
 

-.TH COMP %manext1% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
+.TH COMP %manext1% "DATE" "%nmhversion%"

 .\"
 .\" %nmhwarning%
 .\"
 .\"
 .\" %nmhwarning%
 .\"


@@ -53,6 +53,19 @@ None
 None
 
 ---------------------------------------
 None
 
 ---------------------------------------

+The DATE in the .TH macro should reflect the most recent non-trivial
+update to the content of the manpage; formatting changes don't count.
+Spell out the date (no abbreviations or shortcuts):
+
+  January 2, 1904
+
+not the unparseable
+
+  01/02/04
+
+Don't abbreviate the month.
+
+

 In the FILES section, prefer the default .TP indent. The pathnames are
 variable and long, so any indentation value that works for you won't
 work for someone else.
 In the FILES section, prefer the default .TP indent. The pathnames are
 variable and long, so any indentation value that works for you won't
 work for someone else.


@@ -184,3 +197,17 @@ Pointer manpages
                .so man1/folder.1
 
        Also, add this manpage to the appropriate section in Makefile.in
                .so man1/folder.1
 
        Also, add this manpage to the appropriate section in Makefile.in

+       
+
+CONTEXT
+    Don't include a CONTEXT section when contexts are out of context.
+
+
+AUTHOR and HISTORY sections
+
+    These have no place in a manpage.  If you want everlasting glory,
+    try the release notes.
+
+BUGS
+
+    The BUGS section goes last.