X-Git-Url: https://diplodocus.org/git/nmh/blobdiff_plain/d1cb667bddf8d1c5c0721fc7ab642c22946baf1f..c0a23a5450191c9c67b8ab7ce7b0aea382fa6da6:/docs/README.manpages

diff --git a/docs/README.manpages b/docs/README.manpages
index ce9ac26e..86cd725c 100644
--- a/docs/README.manpages
+++ b/docs/README.manpages
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 NMH MANPAGE STYLE GUIDE
 
-nmh manpages should be in this general form:
+nmh manpages should be in this general form and section order:
 
 .TH COMP %manext1% "DATE" "%nmhversion%"
 .\"
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ nmh manpages should be in this general form:
 .\"
 .SH NAME
 comp \- compose a message
+.\"
 .SH SYNOPSIS
+.HP 5
+.na
 .B comp 
 .RI [ +folder ]
 .RI [ msgs ]
@@ -17,16 +20,11 @@ comp \- compose a message
 .RB [ \-use " | " \-nouse ]
 .RB [ \-version ]
 .RB [ \-help ]
+.ad
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 .B Comp
 is used to create a new message to be mailed.  It copies something.
-.SH FILES
-.TP
-filename1
-description of filename1
-.TP
-filename2
-description of filename2
+.\"
 .SH "PROFILE COMPONENTS"
 .TP
 Path
@@ -34,13 +32,7 @@ Location of the user's MH folder directory
 .TP
 moreproc
 The pager command name
-.SH "SEE ALSO"
-.IR dist (1),
-.IR forw (1),
-.IR repl (1),
-.IR send (1),
-.IR whatnow (1),
-.IR mh-profile (5)
+.\"
 .SH DEFAULTS
 .TP
 .RI + folder
@@ -48,15 +40,30 @@ defaults to the current folder
 .\"
 .SH CONTEXT
 None
+.\"
+.SH FILES
+.TP
+filename1
+description of filename1
+.TP
+filename2
+description of filename2
+.\"
+.SH "SEE ALSO"
+.BR dist (1),
+.BR forw (1),
+.BR repl (1),
+.BR send (1),
+.BR whatnow (1),
+.BR mh-profile (5)
 .\" Leave out the BUGS section if there are none worth describing.
 .SH BUGS
 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 in English prose:  Month Day, Year
+Spell out the date (no abbreviations or shortcuts):
 
   January 2, 1904
 
@@ -64,17 +71,12 @@ not the unparseable
 
   01/02/04
 
-
-Don't include a CONTEXT section if contexts don't directly apply to what the
-manpage describes.
+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.
-
-
-The BUGS section goes last.
+work for someone using a different directory layout.
 
 
 Source files
@@ -115,10 +117,10 @@ Program names
 		.B comp
 		.BR comp ,
 
-	If this is a manpage reference (outside of the SEE ALSO
-	section, which just uses regular text), use:
+	The first reference to a documented command should be in the form of
+	a manpage reference:
 
-		.IR mh-draft (5)
+		.BR comp (1)
 
 SYNPOSIS section
 
@@ -203,3 +205,18 @@ Pointer manpages
 		.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 not
+    applicable.
+
+
+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.