Typing Documents on the UNIX System:

Using the – ms Macros with Troff and Nroff

M. E. Lesk
Bell Laboratories
Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974

ABSTRACT

This document describes a set of easy-to-use macros for preparing documents on

the UNIX system. Documents may be produced on either the phototypesetter or a on a
computer terminal, without changing the input.
The macros provide facilities for paragraphs, sections (optionally with automatic
numbering), page titles, footnotes, equations, tables, two-column format, and cover
pages for papers.
This memo includes, as an appendix, the text of the ‘‘Guide to Preparing Docu-
ments with – ms’’ which contains additional examples of features of – ms.
This manual is a revision of, and replaces, ‘‘Typing Documents on UNIX,’’
dated November 22, 1974.

November 13, 1978

 Typing Documents on the UNIX System:
Using the – ms Macros with Troff and Nroff

M
M.. E
E.. L
Leesskk
Bell Laboratories
Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974

Introduction. This memorandum describes a package of commands to produce papers using the
troff and nroff formatting programs on the UNIX system. As with other roff -derived programs, text is
prepared interspersed with formatting commands. However, this package, which itself is written in troff
commands, provides higher-level commands than those provided with the basic troff program. The
commands available in this package are listed in Appendix A.
T
Teexxtt.. Type normally, except that instead of indenting for paragraphs, place a line reading ‘‘.PP’’
before each paragraph. This will produce indenting and extra space.
Alternatively, the command .LP that was used here will produce a left-aligned (block) paragraph. The
paragraph spacing can be changed: see below under ‘‘Registers.’’
B
Beeggiinnnniinngg.. For a document with a paper-type cover sheet, the input should start as follows:
[optional overall format .RP – see below]
.TL
Title of document (one or more lines)
.AU
Author(s) (may also be several lines)
.AI
Author’s institution(s)
.AB
Abstract; to be placed on the cover sheet of a paper.
Line length is 5/6 of normal; use .ll here to change.
.AE (abstract end)
text ... (begins with .PP, which see)
To omit some of the standard headings (e.g. no abstract, or no author’s institution) just omit the
corresponding fields and command lines. The word ABSTRACT can be suppressed by writing ‘‘.AB no’’
for ‘‘.AB’’. Several interspersed .AU and .AI lines can be used for multiple authors. The headings are
not compulsory: beginning with a .PP command is perfectly OK and will just start printing an ordinary
paragraph. W Waarrnniinngg:: You can’t just begin a document with a line of text. Some – ms command must
precede any text input. When in doubt, use .LP to get proper initialization, although any of the com-
mands .PP, .LP, .TL, .SH, .NH is good enough. Figure 1 shows the legal arrangement of commands at
the start of a document.
C
Coovveerr SShheeeettss aanndd F
Fiirrsstt P
Paaggeess.. The first line of a document signals the general format of the first
page. In particular, if it is ".RP" a cover sheet with title and abstract is prepared. The default format is
useful for scanning drafts.
In general – ms is arranged so that only one form of a document need be stored, containing all
information; the first command gives the format, and unnecessary items for that format are ignored.
Warning: don’t put extraneous material between the .TL and .AE commands. Processing of the
titling items is special, and other data placed in them may not behave as you expect. Don’t forget that
some – ms command must precede any input text.
P
Paaggee hheeaaddiinnggss.. The – ms macros, by default, will print a page heading containing a page number
(if greater than 1). A default page footer is provided only in nnrrooffff , where the date is used. The user
 -2-

can make minor adjustments to the page headings/footings by redefining the strings LH, CH, and RH
which are the left, center and right portions of the page headings, respectively; and the strings LF, CF,
and RF, which are the left, center and right portions of the page footer. For more complex formats, the
user can redefine the macros PT and BT, which are invoked respectively at the top and bottom of each
page. The margins (taken from registers HM and FM for the top and bottom margin respectively) are
normally 1 inch; the page header/footer are in the middle of that space. The user who redefines these
macros should be careful not to change parameters such as point size or font without resetting them to
default values.
M
Muullttii--ccoolluum
mnn ffoorrm
maattss.. If you place the The .NH command also supports more
command ‘‘.2C’’ in your document, the docu- complex numbering schemes. If a numerical
ment will be printed in double column format argument is given, it is taken to be a ‘‘level’’
beginning at that point. This feature is not too number and an appropriate sub-section number
useful in computer terminal output, but is often is generated. Larger level numbers indicate
desirable on the typesetter. The command deeper sub-sections, as in this example:
‘‘.1C’’ will go back to one-column format and
.NH
also skip to a new page. The ‘‘.2C’’ command
Erie-Lackawanna
is actually a special case of the command
.NH 2
.MC [column width [gutter width]] Morris and Essex Division
.NH 3
which makes multiple columns with the
Gladstone Branch
specified column and gutter width; as many
.NH 3
columns as will fit across the page are used.
Montclair Branch
Thus triple, quadruple, ... column pages can be
.NH 2
printed. Whenever the number of columns is
Boonton Line
changed (except going from full width to some
larger number of columns) a new page is started. generates:
H
Heeaaddiinnggss.. To produce a special heading,
there are two commands. If you type 2. Erie-Lackawanna

.NH 2.1. Morris and Essex Division

type section heading here
may be several lines 2.1.1. Gladstone Branch
you will get automatically numbered section
headings (1, 2, 3, ...), in boldface. For example, 2.1.2. Montclair Branch

.NH 2.2. Boonton Line

Care and Feeding of Department Heads
An explicit ‘‘.NH 0’’ will reset the
produces numbering of level 1 to one, as here:
.NH 0
1. Care and Feeding of Department Heads
Penn Central
Alternatively,
.SH 1. Penn Central
Care and Feeding of Directors
IInnddeenntteedd ppaarraaggrraapphhss.. (Paragraphs with
will print the heading with no number added: hanging numbers, e.g. references.) The
sequence
Care and Feeding of Directors
.IP [1]
Every section heading, of either type, Text for first paragraph, typed
should be followed by a paragraph beginning normally for as long as you would
with .PP or .LP, indicating the end of the head- like on as many lines as needed.
ing. Headings may contain more than one line .IP [2]
of text. Text for second paragraph, ...
produces
 -3-

[1] Text for first paragraph, typed normally

.IP 1.
for as long as you would like on as many
Bell Laboratories
lines as needed.
.RS
[2] Text for second paragraph, ... .IP 1.1
A series of indented paragraphs may be followed Murray Hill
by an ordinary paragraph beginning with .PP or .IP 1.2
.LP, depending on whether you wish indenting Holmdel
or not. The command .LP was used here. .IP 1.3
More sophisticated uses of .IP are also Whippany
possible. If the label is omitted, for example, a .RS
plain block indent is produced. .IP 1.3.1
Madison
.IP .RE
This material will .IP 1.4
just be turned into a Chester
block indent suitable for quotations or .RE
such matter. .LP
.LP
will result in
will produce 1. Bell Laboratories
This material will just be turned into a 1.1 Murray Hill
block indent suitable for quotations or
such matter. 1.2 Holmdel
If a non-standard amount of indenting is 1.3 Whippany
required, it may be specified after the label (in 1.3.1 Madison
character positions) and will remain in effect 1.4 Chester
until the next .PP or .LP. Thus, the general
form of the .IP command contains two addi- All of these variations on .LP leave the right
tional fields: the label and the indenting length. margin untouched. Sometimes, for purposes
For example, such as setting off a quotation, a paragraph
indented on both right and left is required.
.IP first: 9 A single paragraph like this is
Notice the longer label, requiring larger obtained by preceding it with .QP.
indenting for these paragraphs. More complicated material (several
.IP second: paragraphs) should be bracketed
And so forth. with .QS and .QE.
.LP
E
Emmpphhaassiiss.. To get italics (on the typesetter) or
produces this: underlining (on the terminal) say
first: Notice the longer label, requiring .I
larger indenting for these paragraphs. as much text as you want
second: And so forth. can be typed here
It is also possible to produce multiple nested .R
indents; the command .RS indicates that the next as was done for these three words. The .R com-
.IP starts from the current indentation level. mand restores the normal (usually Roman) font.
Each .RE will eat up one level of indenting so If only one word is to be italicized, it may be
you should balance .RS and .RE commands. just given on the line with the .I command,
The .RS command should be thought of as
‘‘move right’’ and the .RE command as ‘‘move .I word
left’’. As an example and in this case no .R is needed to restore the
previous font. Boldface can be produced by
 -4-

.B these lines were preceded

Text to be set in boldface by .DS L and followed by
goes here a .DE command.
.R
Note that .DS C centers each line; there is a
and also will be underlined on the terminal or variant .DS B that makes the display into a left-
line printer. As with .I, a single word can be adjusted block of text, and then centers that
placed in boldface by placing it on the same line entire block. Normally a display is kept
as the .B command. together, on one page. If you wish to have a
A few size changes can be specified simi- long display which may be split across page
larly with the commands .LG (make larger), .SM boundaries, use .CD, .LD, or .ID in place of the
(make smaller), and .NL (return to normal size). commands .DS C, .DS L, or .DS I respectively.
The size change is two points; the commands An extra argument to the .DS I or .DS command
may be repeated for increased effect (here one .NL is taken as an amount to indent. Note: it is
canceled two .SM commands). tempting to assume that .DS R will right adjust
lines, but it doesn’t work.
If actual _underlining
_________ as opposed to italiciz-
ing is required on the typesetter, the command B
Booxxiinngg w
woorrddss oorr lliinneess.. To draw rec-
tangular boxes around words the command
.UL word
.BX word
will underline a word. There is no way to
underline multiple words on the typesetter. will print 
_word
____ as shown. The boxes will not
be neat on a terminal, and this should not be
F
Foooottnnootteess.. Material placed between lines ___________________________________________
used as a substitute for italics.
with the commands .FS (footnote) and .FE (foot-  Longer pieces of text may be boxed by enclos- 
note end) will be collected, remembered, and
 ing them with .B1 and .B2: 
finally placed at the bottom of the current page*.  
By default, footnotes are 11/12th the length of  .B1 
normal text, but this can be changed using the  text... 
 .B2 
FL register (see below). 

D
Diissppllaayyss aanndd T
Taabblleess.. To prepare ___________________________________________
as has been done here. 
displays of lines, such as tables, in which the
K
Keeeeppiinngg bblloocckkss ttooggeetthheerr.. If you wish to
lines should not be re-arranged, enclose them in
keep a table or other block of lines together on a
the commands .DS and .DE
page, there are ‘‘keep - release’’ commands. If
.DS a block of lines preceded by .KS and followed
table lines, like the by .KE does not fit on the remainder of the
examples here, are placed current page, it will begin on a new page. Lines
between .DS and .DE bracketed by .DS and .DE commands are
.DE automatically kept together this way. There is
also a ‘‘keep floating’’ command: if the block to
By default, lines between .DS and .DE are
be kept together is preceded by .KF instead of
indented and left-adjusted. You can also center
.KS and does not fit on the current page, it will
lines, or retain the left margin. Lines bracketed
be moved down through the text until the top of
by .DS C and .DE commands are centered (and
the next page. Thus, no large blank space will
not re-arranged); lines bracketed by .DS L and
be introduced in the document.
.DE are left-adjusted, not indented, and not re-
arranged. A plain .DS is equivalent to .DS I, N
Nrrooffff//T
Trrooffff ccoom
mmmaannddss.. Among the useful
which indents and left-adjusts. Thus, commands from the basic formatting programs
are the following. They all work with both
these lines were preceded typesetter and computer terminal output:
by .DS C and followed by
a .DE command;
whereas
__________________
* Like this.
 -5-

permit changing its output style. For more com-

.bp - begin new page.
plicated headers and footers the macros PT and
.br - ‘‘break’’, stop running text
BT can be redefined, as explained earlier.
from line to line.
.sp n - insert n blank lines. A
Acccceennttss.. To simplify typing certain
.na - don’t adjust right margins. foreign words, strings representing common
accent marks are defined. They precede the
D
Daattee.. By default, documents produced on letter over which the mark is to appear. Here
computer terminals have the date at the bottom are the strings:
of each page; documents produced on the
Input Output Input Output
typesetter don’t. To force the date, say ‘‘.DA’’.
\*′e e´ \*˜a a˜
To force no date, say ‘‘.ND’’. To lie about the v
\*`e e` \*Ce e
date, say ‘‘.DA July 4, 1776’’ which puts the ..
\*:u u \*,c c,
specified date at the bottom of each page. The
\*ˆe eˆ
command
.ND May 8, 1945 U
Ussee.. After your document is prepared and
stored on a file, you can print it on a terminal
in ".RP" format places the specified date on the with the command*
cover sheet and nowhere else. Place this line
before the title. nroff – ms file
SSiiggnnaattuurree lliinnee.. You can obtain a signa- and you can print it on the typesetter with the
ture line by placing the command .SG in the command
document. The authors’ names will be output in
troff – ms file
place of the .SG line. An argument to .SG is
used as a typing identification line, and placed (many options are possible). In each case, if
after the signatures. The .SG command is your document is stored in several files, just list
ignored in released paper format. all the filenames where we have used ‘‘file’’. If
R
Reeggiisstteerrss.. Certain of the registers used equations or tables are used, eqn and/or tbl must
by – ms can be altered to change default set- be invoked as preprocessors.
tings. They should be changed with .nr com- R
Reeffeerreenncceess aanndd ffuurrtthheerr ssttuuddyy.. If you
mands, as with have to do Greek or mathematics, see eeqqnn [1]
for equation setting. To aid eeqqnn users, – m mss
.nr PS 9
provides definitions of .EQ and .EN which nor-
to make the default point size 9 point. If the mally center the equation and set it off slightly.
effect is needed immediately, the normal troff An argument on .EQ is taken to be an equation
command should be used in addition to chang- number and placed in the right margin near the
ing the number register. equation. In addition, there are three special
Register Defines Takes Default arguments to EQ: the letters C, I, and L indi-
effect cate centered (default), indented, and left
PS point size next para. 10 adjusted equations, respectively. If there is both
VS line spacing next para. 12 pts a format argument and an equation number, give
LL line length next para. 6′′
LT title length next para. 6′′
the format argument first, as in
PD para. spacing next para. 0.3 VS .EQ L (1.3a)
PI para. indent next para. 5 ens
FL footnote length next FS 11/12 LL for a left-adjusted equation numbered (1.3a).
CW column width next 2C 7/15 LL
GW intercolumn gap next 2C 1/15 LL Similarly, the macros .TS and .TE are
PO page offset next page 26/27′′ defined to separate tables (see [2]) from text
HM top margin next page 1′′ with a little space. A very long table with a
FM bottom margin next page 1′′ heading may be broken across pages by begin-
You may also alter the strings LH, CH, and RH ning it with .TS H instead of .TS, and placing
which are the left, center, and right headings the line .TH in the table data after the heading.
__________________
respectively; and similarly LF, CF, and RF
* If .2C was used, pipe the nroff output through col;
which are strings in the page footer. The page make the first line of the input ‘‘.pi /usr/bin/col.’’
number on output is taken from register PN, to
 -6-

If the table has no heading repeated from page

to page, just use the ordinary .TS and .TE mac-
ros.
To learn more about troff see [3] for a
general introduction, and [4] for the full details
(experts only). Information on related UNIX
commands is in [5]. For jobs that do not seem
well-adapted to – ms, consider other macro pack-
ages. It is often far easier to write a specific
macro packages for such tasks as imitating par-
ticular journals than to try to adapt – ms.
A
Acckknnoow
wlleeddggm
meenntt.. Many thanks are due
to Brian Kernighan for his help in the design
and implementation of this package, and for his
assistance in preparing this manual.

References
[1] B. W. Kernighan and L. L. Cherry,
Typesetting Mathematics — Users Guide
(2nd edition), Bell Laboratories Comput-
ing Science Report no. 17.
[2] M. E. Lesk, Tbl — A Program to Format
Tables, Bell Laboratories Computing Sci-
ence Report no. 45.
[3] B. W. Kernighan, A Troff Tutorial, Bell
Laboratories, 1976.
[4] J. F. Ossanna, Nroff /Troff Reference
Manual, Bell Laboratories Computing Sci-
ence Report no. 51.
[5] K. Thompson and D. M. Ritchie, UNIX
Programmer’s Manual, Bell Laboratories,
1978.
 -7-

Appendix A
List of Commands
1C Return to single column format. LG Increase type size.
2C Start double column format. LP Left aligned block paragraph.
AB Begin abstract.
AE End abstract.
AI Specify author’s institution.
AU Specify author. ND Change or cancel date.
B Begin boldface. NH Specify numbered heading.
DA Provide the date on each page. NL Return to normal type size.
DE End display. PP Begin paragraph.
DS Start display (also CD, LD, ID).
EN End equation. R Return to regular font (usually Roman).
EQ Begin equation. RE End one level of relative indenting.
FE End footnote. RP Use released paper format.
FS Begin footnote. RS Relative indent increased one level.
SG Insert signature line.
I Begin italics. SH Specify section heading.
SM Change to smaller type size.
IP Begin indented paragraph. TL Specify title.
KE Release keep.
KF Begin floating keep. UL Underline one word.
KS Start keep.

Register Names
The following register names are used by – ms internally. Independent use of these names in
one’s own macros may produce incorrect output. Note that no lower case letters are used in any – ms
internal name.
Number registers used in – ms
: DW GW HM IQ LL NA OJ PO T. TV
#T EF H1 HT IR LT NC PD PQ TB VS
1T FL H3 IK KI MM NF PF PX TD YE
AV FM H4 IM L1 MN NS PI RO TN YY
CW FP H5 IP LE MO OI PN ST TQ ZN

String registers used in – ms

′ A5 CB DW EZ I KF MR R1 RT TL
` AB CC DY FA I1 KQ ND R2 S0 TM
ˆ AE CD E1 FE I2 KS NH R3 S1 TQ
˜ AI CF E2 FJ I3 LB NL R4 S2 TS
: AU CH E3 FK I4 LD NP R5 SG TT
, B CM E4 FN I5 LG OD RC SH UL
1C BG CS E5 FO ID LP OK RE SM WB
2C BT CT EE FQ IE ME PP RF SN WH
A1 C D EL FS IM MF PT RH SY WT
A2 C1 DA EM FV IP MH PY RP TA XD
A3 C2 DE EN FY IZ MN QF RQ TE XF
A4 CA DS EQ HO KE MO R RS TH XK
 -8-

RP

TL

AU

AI

AB

AE

NH, SH

PP, LP

text ...

Figure 1