On Tuesday, 23 January 2024 02:46:50 GMT G. Branden Robinson wrote: > [self-follow-up] > > > Or: Should device control commands affect the environment? > > > > Recall the definition of the \X escape sequence from CSTR #54 (1992). > > > > 10.7. Transparent output. The sequence \X'anything' copies anything > > to the output, as a device control function of the form x X anything > > (ยง22). Escape sequences in anything are processed. > > [...] > > > I therefore propose to change this, and have the `\X` escape sequence > > read its argument in copy mode. That will make it work like the > > `device` request in groff 1.23.0 and earlier[1]. > > It's looking like we _will_ be giving up something with this change: > > The ability to use a newline as an escape sequence delimiter with the \X > escape sequence. > > I would argue that this change is of vanishingly small impact. > > 1. Likely few people knew you could use a newline as a delimiter with > this escape sequence in the first place. > 2. You couldn't do that in DWB troff anyway.[1] > 3. The opposite problem is of greater interest to practical users: > _embedding_ newlines inside device control commands. \X didn't > support that anyway, neither in DWB troff nor groff.[2]
Hi Branden, Just to be sure, can you confirm your intention is to return .device to its 1.23.0 state, and mirror that behaviour for \X, so we will have no more red seepage. Cheers Deri
