URL: <https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?67926>
Summary: [tbl] add a syntax for column and row grouping
Group: GNU roff
Submitter: gbranden
Submitted: Sat 17 Jan 2026 04:31:32 PM UTC
Category: Preprocessor tbl
Severity: 1 - Wish
Item Group: Feature change
Status: Postponed
Privacy: Public
Assigned to: None
Open/Closed: Open
Discussion Lock: Unlocked
Planned Release: None
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Follow-up Comments:
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Date: Sat 17 Jan 2026 04:31:32 PM UTC By: G. Branden Robinson <gbranden>
Idea:
The letter "G" is not taken as a column classifier.
Seize it to indicate *grouping*.
Full syntax:
G_x_(_mac_)
...where _x_ is either *s* ("start") or *e* ("end"), and _mac_ is the name of
a user-defined _roff_ macro not containing a closing parenthesis in its
identifier.
This classifier can be used into two ways:
1. _Column grouping_. When appearing in a row definition mingled with other
column descriptors, it permits user-directed operations that need to occur at
column boundaries.
2. _Row grouping_. When appearing on a row definition by itself, it permits
user-directed operations that need to occur at row boundaries. The last such
row grouping in a table effectively "repeats" as many times as needed until
table data rows are exhausted. While this can be achieved already by placing
control lines with macro calls _between_ table rows, this could be more
convenient because it doesn't require insertion of such macro calls
repetitiously (if they all do the same thing).
Use case: background shading in tables.
Born postponed.
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