URL: <https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?68137>
Summary: [troff] issue warning "syntax" category when spaces
used within numeric expressions in compatibility mode
Group: GNU roff
Submitter: gbranden
Submitted: Tue 10 Mar 2026 03:26:02 AM UTC
Category: Core
Severity: 1 - Wish
Item Group: Warning/Suspicious behaviour
Status: None
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: Tue 10 Mar 2026 03:26:02 AM UTC By: G. Branden Robinson <gbranden>
I had to keep the summary short; in particular, this ticket refers to spaces
used _within parentheses_ in numeric expressions in compatibility mode.
AT&T _troff_ doesn't support that.
$ printf '.nr a (2 + 2)\n.tm \\na\n' | dwb nroff
2
Spaces in numeric expressions **outside** parentheses are already otherwise
handled; often, they terminate the expression.
$ groff
.nr a 2 + 2
troff:<standard input>:1: error: ignoring invalid numeric expression starting
with a space
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