.\" $Header: nrchbar.1,v 1.2 87/03/31 16:33:02 bobl Exp $
.TH NRCHBAR 1 "March 19, 1987"
.SH NAME
nrchbar \- insert n/troff-style change bars in a file
.SH SYNOPSIS
\fBnrchbar\fP [ \fB\-a\fP ] [ \fB\-b\fP ] [ \fB\-d\fP ] [ \fIoldfile\fP ] \fInewfile\fP
.SH DESCRIPTION
\fINrchbar\fP inserts commands suitable for
.IR nroff (1)
or
.IR troff (1)
(hereafter, "\fI*roff\fP") to produce "change bars" denoting
differences between \fIoldfile\fP and \fInewfile\fP.
It sends the result to standard output.
.LP
If \fIoldfile\fP is defaulted, \fInrchbar\fP assumes that its standard
input will contain differences between \fIoldfile\fP and \fInewfile\fP
in
.IR diff (1)
format.
.LP
By default, \fInrchbar\fP ignores changes to sections containing nothing
but \fI*roff\fP commands, which it takes to be any lines beginning with
".".
You can override this with the \fB\-a\fP option.
.LP
\fINrchbar\fP inserts \fI*roff\fP ".mc" commands to provide the change
bars.
This will place a character to the far right of each changed section.
This character is a "+" for added sections, a "|" for
modified sections, and a "-" for deleted sections.
.LP
By default, the text of deleted sections does not appear, but the
\fB\-d\fP option will cause it to be inserted, surrounded by "[[" and "]]".
.LP
Also by default, \fInrchbar\fP puts a break (".br") command after each
changed section.
This is the only way to guarantee that deletions and small changes
get flagged.
The \fB\-b\fP option directs the program not to insert these breaks.
It makes the text look more like \fI*roff\fPed
\fInewfile\fP, but means that some change bars won't appear where
they should.
.SH PRONUNCIATION
NERCH-bar
.SH ETYMOLOGY
NRoff CHange BAR
.SH OPTIONS
.IP \fB\-a\fP
Put change bars around all changed sections, even if they consist of
nothing but \fI*roff\fP commands.
.IP \fB\-b\fP
Do not insert breaks after changed sections.
.IP \fB\-d\fP
Show deleted text by preceding it with "[[" and following it with "]]".
.SH SEE\ ALSO
nroff(1), troff(1)
.SH AUTHOR
Bob Lewis
.br
Test Systems Strategies, Inc.
.br
8205 SW Creekside Pl.
.br
Beaverton, OR  97005
.br
(503) 643-9281
.br
...!tektronix!tessi!bobl   or   bobl@tessi.UUCP
.SH BUGS
"." is always assumed to denote \fI*roff\fP commands.
\fINrchbar\fP knows nothing about the ".cc" command.
.LP
The need for the \fB\-b\fP hack would disappear if there were a way
to tell \fI*roff\fP "Turn off the change bar character at
immediately after you put out this one.".
A horizontal ".wh", perhaps?
.LP
The ".mc" command doesn't always work, especially with diversions.
This is actually a \fI*roff\fP bug, but you ought to know about it.
.LP
\fINrchbar\fP may mess up tables, lists, or displays.
For a really polished change bar document, you may want to edit
its output before sending it to \fI*roff\fP.